Huode Zhenjun Temple

Huode Zhenjun Temple

Huode Zhenjun Temple is a protected cultural heritage site of Beijing.

Destination Introduction

Huode Zhenjun Temple is located at No. 77 Di’anmen Outer Street, Xicheng District. It is said to have been built during the Yuan Dynasty. In the 33rd year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1605), it was renovated, with the halls receiving glazed tile roofs and an additional story added. It was further renovated in the 24th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1759). Commonly known as the Fire God Temple.

The temple enshrines the True Martial Emperor, represented by a statue of a turtle and snake embracing, symbolizing the spirits of heaven and earth. Legend has it that when Kublai Khan, the founding emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, began constructing the new capital Dadu in the 4th year of the Zhìyuán era (1267), a turtle and snake appeared on the Gaoliang River outside today’s Xizhimen. Court officials interpreted this as a visitation by the True Martial Deity, whose virtue is associated with water, which can overcome fire—thus foretelling the fall of the Song Dynasty. Delighted, Kublai Khan ordered the construction of the “Da Zhao Ying Palace” at the spot where the turtle and snake had appeared by the Gaoliang River, dedicated to the worship of the True Martial Emperor. Later, a grand temple to the True Martial Deity was also built by the Haizi (lake) in the city center. After the Yuan Dynasty unified China, Emperor Chengzong of Yuan posthumously honored the True Martial Emperor as the “Yuan Sheng Ren Wei Xuan Tian Shang Di” (Primordial Sacred and Mighty Mysterious Heavenly Emperor), making him the highest deity of the north.

The Ming Dynasty’s Emperor Chengzu, Zhu Di, also held the True Martial Emperor in particularly high esteem. During his seizure of the throne in the “Jingnan Campaign,” he claimed to have been aided by the northern divine power, acting on heaven’s behalf. After ascending the throne, he further honored the True Martial Emperor as the “Bei Ji Zhen Tian Zhen Wu Xuan Tian Shang Di” (Northern Suppressor of Heaven’s True Martial Mysterious Heavenly Emperor). He bestowed the name “Wudang Mountain” as “Da Yue Tai He Shan” (Great Summit of Supreme Harmony Mountain), constructed the “Golden Hall,” cast golden statues, and invested huge sums—millions—in massive construction projects, transforming Wudang Mountain into a heavenly palace on earth.

In the 14th year of the Yongle reign (1416), he ordered the construction of an imperial Taoist temple, the True Martial Temple, on the original temple site by Haizi Bridge at Di’anmen, designating it as one of the Nine Temples of the Capital, to be officially worshipped by the state. Zhu Di also built the Qinan Hall in the Imperial Garden within the Forbidden City specifically to enshrine the True Martial Deity. Even the bracket arms between the walls of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where he held court, were painted with images of the True Martial Emperor. He personally composed music titled “Imperially Composed Great Ming Mystical Teachings Musical Score,” meant to be performed during ceremonies dedicated to the True Martial Emperor. From then on, myth and reality blurred, and legends of the True Martial Deity’s manifestations spread throughout the palace, continuing until the end of the Qing Dynasty, with worship never ceasing.

The True Martial Temple at Haizi Bridge, being an imperial Taoist site, naturally possessed extraordinary grandeur. At the time, it enshrined the Bei Ji Yu Sheng Jun—the very True Martial Deity who had assisted Zhu Di in achieving victory. Its scale must have been truly magnificent. In the 2nd year of the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty (1507), it was renamed Lingming Xian You Gong. It was rebuilt again during the Qing Dynasty. Through periods of prosperity and decline, it has survived to this day. Today, the temple still faintly displays traces of its main hall and side halls, seemingly including an incense burner cast in the Qianlong era and a bell cast in the Guangxu era. Time has changed, and the once-imperial Taoist temple now remains only as a dilapidated shell, accompanied by a long-forgotten ancient bridge.

Fortunately, with the excavation and water release from Houmen Bridge, the temple is also being restored. Looking westward, the sea is calm. Suddenly, one recalls the verse by Xu Youren: “Truly believing in the magical hand of the Eastern Lord, overnight green spreads across the official bridge willows.”

The temple faces south with its gate opening to the east. On both the inside and outside of the eastern-facing mountain gate stand decorative archways. Outside the mountain gate are flagpoles, while inside are bell and drum towers. The three-bay mountain gate precedes the Hall of the Spirit Official, a three-bay front hall, followed by a second-story hall of the same width. There are two-story side pavilions on the east and west, and a pavilion behind the hall offers a view of Shichahai. It is a key cultural relic protected by Beijing Municipality.

Transportation Information

Transportation: Take bus routes 5, 107, 111, or 810 to Di’anmen Station, and the temple is located to the west of the station.

Scenic Spot Location

No. 77 Di’anmen Outer Street, Xicheng District, Beijing

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Municipal-Level Protected Cultural Heritage Sites in Beijing