Temple to Lord Liu

Temple to Lord Liu

The Temple to Lord Liu is a cultural tourism attraction.

Originally named the Luo Pond Temple, the Temple to Lord Liu is located in the western part of Liuzhou Park in downtown Liuzhou. It is a cenotaph built by the people of Liuzhou to commemorate Liu Zongyuan, a renowned statesman, thinker, and literary figure of the Tang Dynasty. Liu Zongyuan, courtesy name Zihou (773–819 AD), was a native of Hedong in the Tang Dynasty (present-day Yucun Township, Yongji City, Shanxi Province). He once served as an official in the Ministry of Rites but was demoted after participating in a failed political reform. In his later years, he served as an official in Liuzhou (815–819 AD) and did many beneficial things for the local people. Three years after his death in Liuzhou, the local residents built the Luo Pond Temple in his honor. In the late Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Huizong of Song posthumously honored him as "Lord Wenhui" (the Literary and Benevolent Lord), and the temple was renamed the Temple to Lord Liu.

Since its construction in the Tang Dynasty, the Temple to Lord Liu has been renovated and expanded by successive dynasties. Its current site was the location of the Ming Dynasty’s Temple to Lord Liu, which was rebuilt on the original site in the first year of the Xuantong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1909). After the liberation, the temple underwent several renovations. The existing structure follows the traditional three-courtyard wooden and brick architectural style of the Qing Dynasty, covering an area of about 2,000 square meters.

The temple consists of three sections: the front hall, middle hall, and main hall. It houses more than 40 precious stone inscriptions from various dynasties, including a stone carving portrait and a statue of Liu Zongyuan, as well as the “Lychee Stele.” The “Lychee Stele” features calligraphy by the great Song Dynasty literary figure Su Shi, reproducing the “Welcome and Worship Hymn” by Han Yu from the “Liu Zhou Luo Pond Temple Stele,” a poem chanted in tribute to Liu Zongyuan. Since the artistic essence of three great literary masters from the Tang and Song Dynasties is condensed into one stele, it is also known as the “Three Wonders Stele.” Behind the temple lies the cenotaph of Liu Zongyuan. To the east is the Xianliang Shrine, commemorating Liu Fen, a politician and the other of the “Two Worthies of the Tang Dynasty” alongside Liu Zongyuan, who served as the Liuzhou Sima Canjun (military officer). Other auxiliary structures include the Citrus Fragrance Pavilion, Luo Pond, Lecture Hall, the residence of the school head, study rooms, corridors, and the gatehouse.

The present-day Temple to Lord Liu was reconstructed based on Qing Dynasty architecture. The temple displays numerous cultural relics and historical materials that reflect Liu Zongyuan’s life and achievements.

Transportation: You can take bus routes 2 or 6 within the city to get there.

Ticket / Opening Hours

Ticket price: 30 RMB (children under 1.2 meters are free; students with valid ID pay half price).

Opening hours: 8:30–17:00

Address: Inside Liuzhou Park, No. 60 Wenhuai Road, Chengzhong District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Type: Cemetery / Ancestral Temple

Recommended visiting time: About 1 hour

Liuzhou Community: Introduction to Liuzhou Community

Liuzhou Community is located at the northern end of the downtown Chengzhong District of Liuzhou City. To the north, it connects with the intersection of Beizhan Road, Sanzhong Road, Youyi Road, and Jiefang North Road. To the east, it faces the Wenchang Bridgehead on Youyi Road, overlooking the Friendship International Building and Liuzhou Hotel. To the west, it extends to the Yuewan Road intersection at Moon Bay, and to the south, it reaches the junction of Yuewan Road and Wenhuai Road, forming a unique gourd-shaped layout. The community covers an area of over 200,000 square meters, with 1,979 households and a population of 6,781. There are 17 enterprises and institutions, two schools, one kindergarten, making it a cultural-oriented community... More information on Liuzhou Community++