Gao Huang Temple

Gao Huang Temple

Gao Huang Temple is a cultural heritage site protected by Henan Province.

About 10 kilometers north of Baofeng County in Shiqiao Town lies a village called Gao Huang Temple. The village gets its name from the fact that Liu Bang once stationed his troops here. The ancient road from Baofeng to Luoyang passed through Gao Huang Temple. To the north of the village lies a ferry crossing on the North Ru River, while to the south is the Loess Ridge serving as a natural barrier. The North Ru River acts as a formidable defensive barrier to the north, and the Hulangpa Ridge stretches westward, connecting with the Funiu Mountains. From here, one can take the initiative when advancing, act with ease when holding ground, or retreat into the mountains when necessary—thus, the village has often been a gathering place for heroes and brave men.

In ancient times, Gao Huang Temple had a fortified settlement enclosed by a double-walled stockade over two zhang tall (approx. 6.6 meters), with a moat three zhang wide (approx. 10 meters) and over one zhang deep (approx. 3.3 meters). The moat was fed by water from the North Ru River, which provided a constant flow of clear water, teeming with fish and shrimp, while willows lined the banks. The stockade had four gates: the eastern gate named “Welcoming the Sunlight,” the western gate “Dispelling the Heat,” the southern gate “Phoenix Village Stockade,” and the northern gate “Gazing at the Ru River.” In the southwest corner stood a watchtower. Inside the stockade were four main streets, along which were distributed the Gao Huang Temple, Guan Yu Temple, Wenchang Palace, Ding Family Ancestral Hall, and a theater stage.

The stockade was a hub where heroes of all kinds gathered, with an atmosphere as dramatic as that of Liangshan Marsh. Due to the demand for weapon forging, there were several blacksmith shops. The sounds of saws and planes from carpenter workshops never ceased. Heroes were always accompanied by wine, so the village’s two distilleries did booming business. With inevitable cuts and bruises from fighting, Wang Family’s medicated plasters were especially popular. There were also butcher shops, grain stores, tobacco shops, oil mills, vinegar workshops, jewelry stores, and general merchandise shops—all readily available. Breakfast choices ranged widely, including steamed buns, fried dough cakes, and spicy soup. Fan Zi’an’s “Bench-Leg Crispy Fried Dough Sticks,” crispy outside and tender inside, and Gao Huang’s Guokui flatbread, yellow and crisp yet chewy, were both famous. Market days were held every other day, with larger fairs on the 15th of each month, often accompanied by opera performances. The village drama troupe, featuring eighteen female leads known as Big Phoenix, Second Phoenix, and others, would ride eighteen donkeys to perform in surrounding areas, gaining fame across the Central Plains. This was the scene in Gao Huang Temple during the Republican era.

Shiqiao Town: Located in the northeastern part of Baofeng County, Shiqiao Town is about 10 kilometers from the county seat. Zheng-Nan-Xi Line, Shixiang Highway, and Shizhao Highway intersect at the town center. It faces Jia County across the Ru River to the north, neighbors Zhaozhuang Township and Xiaqi Township to the west, Zhouzhuang Town to the south, and Nadian Town and Jia County’s Tangjie Town to the east. The town covers a total area of 72 square kilometers, with jurisdiction over 28 administrative villages, 73 natural villages, and 236 villager groups. It has a total of 11,792 households, a population of 41,981, and 4,350 hectares of arable land, averaging 1.57 mu of cultivated land per person.

In 2003, the town's GDP reached 33,729... Detailed information about Shiqiao Town++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected by Henan Province