Qiyang Beiyue Temple

Qiyang Beiyue Temple

Qiyang Beiyue Temple is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

Qiyang Beiyue Temple is located in Qiyang County, Baoding City, west of the county town. Originally built during the Jingming and Yongping eras (500–512 AD) of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty in the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, it was initially named the Temple of the Heavenly Emperor of Beiyue An’tian Yuan Sheng. It was constructed as an imperial site for worshipping the deity of Mount Heng, the North Mountain. Entering through the main gate, Chaoyue Gate, and proceeding northward along the central axis through the Imperial Incense Pavilion, Lingxiao Gate, Sanshan Gate, and the ruins of Feishi Hall to reach the northernmost De Ning Hall. De Ning Hall is the main structure of Beiyue Temple, rebuilt in the seventh year of the Zhi Zheng era of the Yuan Dynasty

(1347 AD), and the entire hall is built on a stone foundation. The hall is nine bays wide and six bays deep, surrounded by an outer corridor, standing 30 meters tall and covering an area of

2,009.8 square meters. It is the largest existing brick-and-wood structure from the Yuan Dynasty in China. The east and west walls inside the hall feature murals of the “Heavenly Palace” painted by Wu Daozi, the painting sage of the Tang Dynasty. Each mural is eight meters high and 18 meters long.

The east mural, titled “Clouds Moving and Rain Falling,” depicts numerous celestial deities summoning clouds and rain to bring life-giving showers to the people, with the tallest figure reaching 3.3 meters. The west mural, titled “Universal Peace Under Heaven,” shows the celestial beings returning triumphantly after successfully completing their mission, with flags lowered and weapons sheathed. The “Flying Celestial” on the west wall is the highlight of the murals—muscular and fierce, wielding spears and galloping through the air, also known as the “Qiyang Ghost.” None of the 73 figures in the two murals are alike, each vividly portrayed with lifelike detail.

The temple houses a Sculpture Art Museum that preserves over 100 ancient sculptures. These works include figures, animals, Buddha statues, and sutra pillars, among which the “Western Han Stone Tiger,” “Northern Wei Stone Lion,” “Northern Wei Backlit Thousand Buddha Statue,” “Tang Dynasty Stone Lantern,” “Tang Dynasty Giant Buddha”

, “Laughing Stone Monk,” and “Jin Dynasty Sutra Pillar” are the most outstanding. The pieces are exquisitely shaped, finely carved, with clear and smooth lines, fully showcasing the distinct styles of northern Chinese stone carving art across different periods. Beiyue Temple is not only a sacred site for worshipping the deity of Mount Heng but also a profound cultural and artistic treasure house. It integrates ancient architecture, painting, calligraphy, stone carving, and Ding porcelain, shining brilliantly and demonstrating the diligence, intelligence, and wisdom of our ancestors.

Exact location: Located in Qiyang County, Baoding City, west of the county town.

Recommended visiting duration

2 hours

Ticket price

30 RMB

Opening hours

8:00–17:30

Further reading:

· Top Ten Ancient Architectures of Hebei Province

· Second Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the Provincial Level in Hebei Province

· China’s National Third-Class Museum

· Second Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level