Zaozhong Temple

Zaozhong Temple

Zaozhong Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

Zaozhong Temple, also known as Dongyue Tianqi Palace, is located in Zhailou Village, Lema Township, Suiyang District, Shangqiu City, Henan Province. Originally built during the Western Han Dynasty and later reconstructed in the Ming Dynasty, it was erected to commemorate the renowned late-Shang Dynasty general Huang Feihu, who abandoned darkness for righteousness and assisted King Wu in overthrowing the tyrant Zhou. For his meritorious service in this campaign, Huang Feihu was posthumously honored with the title “Great Sage Emperor of Benevolence and Origin, Dongyue Tianqi,” and tasked with guarding the Eastern Sacred Mountain.

Although the Taoist temple has suffered damage from wars and turmoil over the centuries, it still retains a significant amount of architecture. Thanks to donations from local devotees for renovations, existing structures include the Elderly Care Palace Hall, Jade Emperor Hall, Tianqi Hall, Lüzu Hall, Goddess Hall, the Ten Halls of the Ten Kings of Hell (East and West), and the Mountain Gate. It stands as a grand Taoist temple complex in southern Henan, though only about one-third of its original scale remains intact compared to its former glory. Every year from the 23rd to the 29th of the third lunar month, a grand traditional temple fair is held here.

Zaozhong Temple was first built during the Western Han Dynasty. According to inscriptions on tablets within the temple: “It was constructed to commemorate the renowned late-Shang Dynasty general Huang Feihu, who abandoned darkness for righteousness and assisted the king in overthrowing Zhou. For his meritorious service, Huang Feihu was posthumously honored with the title ‘Great Sage Emperor of Benevolence and Origin, Dongyue Tianqi,’ and tasked with guarding the Eastern Sacred Mountain,” where he governs the rights to life and death, nobility and humility, fortune and misfortune among people. He is believed to dispel disasters, bring blessings, prolong life, and grant whatever devotees pray for—his efficacy is considered extraordinary. Therefore, local worshippers cleared the land, cut through brambles, built the temple, and enshrined his statue to offer incense and prayers. Through repairs and expansions across the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties, the temple gradually took shape, covering a total area of over 20,000 square meters.

Through generations of maintenance and expansion, by the Ming Dynasty, Zaozhong Temple had developed into a sizable architectural complex. The Ming and Qing periods marked the final peak of ancient Chinese architectural design. Due to advancements in brick-making during the Ming Dynasty, bricks were produced in great quantities, and most buildings were constructed with bricks, including extensive use of brick and tile in local architecture. The production of glazed tiles also surpassed any previous dynasty in both quantity and quality. The two-story rear hall of Zaozhong Temple is a Ming Dynasty structure. Its walls are built of brick, while interior partitions and floors are mostly made of wooden planks. The entire building features a robust frame structure that is both grand and simple. The eaves of the main hall are adorned with numerous decorations such as stone carvings and wood carvings, which resemble abstract paintings symbolizing good fortune and harvest, reflecting the common aspirations of the people.

During the Republic of China period, a decorative opera tower was added at the front, complemented by the rotating tower hall, the Looking-Homeward Terrace, and the Mountain Gate, ultimately forming a “one temple, three courtyards” architectural layout. This development gradually perfected the layout of this ancient Chinese temple: the southern section includes the Mountain Gate and Main Hall, along with East and West Corridor Rooms and the King of Hell Hall, forming the front courtyard; the middle courtyard consists of the Second Hall and the Children’s Hall and Seedling Hall on the east and west sides; the rear courtyard is made up of the Hall Tower and the East and West Towers.

Although the architecture of Zaozhong Temple has been well preserved, due to its long history and lack of maintenance over time, it has fallen into disrepair in modern times, with the rear hall now classified as a dangerous building.

In September 2005, Zaozhong Temple was designated by the Shangqiu Municipal People's Government as part of the second batch of key municipal cultural relic protection units.

In June 2006, Zaozhong Temple was further listed by the Henan Provincial People's Government as part of the fourth batch of provincial key cultural relic protection units.

Lema Township: A township under the jurisdiction of Shangqiu County. Established as Lema Commune in 1958 and reorganized as a township in 1983. Located in the southwestern part of the county, it is 25 kilometers from the county seat. Covering an area of 74.8 square kilometers with a population of 44,000, it administers 23 village committees: Beijie, Nanjie, Liulou, Yangzhuang, Caozhuang, Wanglou, Zhuwu, Wanglong, Kaihuandian, Zhaojilou, Caolou, Songwafang, Dawangzhuang, Songxiaoqiao, Lintang, Liuhanzhu, Yanzhuang, Sunzhuang, Longzhuang, Xuzhuang, Yuanlou, Jiaozhuang, and Liqiao. It is a grain and cotton production area, abundant in peanuts and fruit, with the local specialty of white wax strips. ... Lema Township detailed information++

Further reading:

· Fourth Batch of Henan Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units