Temple of the Lord of Heaven on Laoyeding

Temple of the True Martial God on Laoyeding

The Temple of the True Martial God on Laoyeding is a protected cultural heritage site of Henan Province.

Known as the "Number One Iron Summit Under Heaven," Laoyeding is located in Huilong Village, Huixian City, Henan Province, and now belongs to the Huilong Tianjie Mountain Scenic Area. At an altitude of 1,570 meters, it is hailed as the "Number One Peak of the Taihang Mountains." The Temple of the True Martial God on Laoyeding was originally named the "Xuanwu Temple." "Xuanwu" is one of the Four Divine Creatures (Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Xuanwu) in Chinese mythology and a deity worshipped in Taoism. During the Song Dynasty, the Emperor Zhenwu felt that the character "Xuan" (玄) in the name of the deity "Xuanwu" conflicted with the character "Xuan" in the title "Xuanyuan Emperor" (玄元皇帝), which was bestowed upon Laozi, the founder of Taoism. This was considered a taboo, so "Xuanwu" was changed to "Zhenwu." Since then, all temples dedicated to Xuanwu have been referred to as Zhenwu Temples. The construction of this temple dates back to ancient times, and it was renovated during the Ming Dynasty. The architectural style of the Zhenwu Temple is unique—featuring a roof without beams, walls made entirely of blue stone, and iron tiles on the roof, which are rare in the history of ancient Chinese architecture, hence earning it the title of the "Number One Iron Summit Under Heaven." Having withstood a thousand years of wind and rain, it remains well-preserved to this day. On September 25, 2000, the People's Government of Henan Province designated it as a provincial-level key cultural heritage protection unit.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Henan Province