Wuliangtai Scenic Area

Wuliangtai Scenic Area

Wuliangtai Scenic Area is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural heritage site protected by Hubei Province.

Wuliangtai Scenic Area is located at the junction of Erlang Village and Chongling Village in Wudian Town, the hometown of Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu (200 meters north of the Wudian exit on the Han-Shi Expressway), bordering the northern shore of the Gun River to the south and adjacent to Zaoyang urban area to the north. It is a national 3A-level tourist attraction, with a total area of approximately 180,000 square meters and a building area of about 60,000 square meters.

Wuliangtai was first built during the Eastern Han Dynasty, flourished in the Ming Dynasty, and was later constructed by later generations to commemorate the merits and virtues of Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu. Its hall, from foundation to roof, features no beams or columns, with a brick-and-stone arched ceiling, upturned eaves, and soaring walls—an architectural style that is both unique and breathtaking, boasting extremely high cultural relic value.

Wuliangtai Scenic Area is an ancient cultural sanctuary where Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism coexist and thrive. It boasts a rich accumulation of outstanding traditional culture, including Taoist culture represented by Zhenwu and Laojun, Buddhist culture represented by Guanyin and Maitreya, and distinctive Eastern Han Confucian culture represented by Liu Xiu and Guan Yu.

The area houses 10 main halls, namely: the Guan Yu Hall, Guangwu Hall, Patriarch Hall, Guanyin Hall, God of Wealth Hall, Goddess Hall, Laojun Hall, Fortune-Turning Hall, Earth Temple, and (former) Patriarch Temple. There are also 18 scenic spots, including the Sacred Square, Sacred Gate Tower, Sacred Moon Lake, Sacred Arch Bridge, Sacred Garden, Sacred Gallery, Sacred Wuliangtai, Imperial Village Restaurant, Imperial Lake Fairy Island Water Amusement Center, Chongling Garden, and Visitor Reception Center, along with a Tourism Product Exhibition and Sales Center, large ecological leisure plaza parking lot, three-star tourist restroom, and other complete supporting facilities. It is the perfect place to experience Han and Wu culture, pay homage to the sacred virtue of Guangwu, and enjoy leisure amidst blooming flowers.

Wuliangtai Scenic Area is an ancient cultural sanctuary where Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism coexist and thrive. It boasts a rich accumulation of outstanding traditional culture, including Taoist culture represented by Zhenwu and Laojun, Buddhist culture represented by Guanyin and Maitreya, and distinctive Eastern Han Confucian culture represented by Liu Xiu and Guan Yu.

The hometown of Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu—Baishuihuang Village—is within view of Wuliangtai Scenic Area, just a stone’s throw away. Moreover, the Wuliangtai within the scenic area was historically the military mustering platform and heaven-worshipping altar when Liu Xiu raised his army in Chongling, marking the very beginning of the establishment of Eastern Han culture. It also served as the astronomical observatory where the great Yuan Dynasty astronomer Guo Shoujing traveled from Songshan in Henan to Zaoyang to observe celestial phenomena. As such, it is referred to as a “dual-cultural relic” in the provincial cultural heritage circles.

Erlang Village: Introduction to Erlang Village

Erlang Village is located in the north of Wudian Town, Zaoyang City, bordered by the Han-Shi Expressway to the south and the Han-Dan Railway to the north, with the Sishashi Provincial Road running through the village, giving it a highly advantageous geographical location. The village covers a total area of 27 square kilometers, with 8,421 mu of arable land, and currently administers 16 villager groups, with 1,029 households and a population of 5,472.

Erlang Village currently has 120 Party members, organized under one village-level Party committee with three branches and fifteen Party groups. The village’s two committees consist of eight members. The village Party secretary and director of the village committee, Yang Yuanfu, is 61 years old and started working in March 1989... Detailed information on Erlang Village++

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected by Hubei Province