The Side Hall of the Brotherhood Temple

The Side Hall of the Brotherhood Temple

The Side Hall of the Brotherhood Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Yuncheng City.

Originally named the Temple of the Five Peaceful Kings, the Brotherhood Temple was built in an unknown year. Later generations expanded the structure and added statues of Liu, Guan, and Zhang to commemorate their heroic brotherhood pledged in the Peach Garden, and thus renamed it the Brotherhood Temple. According to surviving inscriptions, it was renovated in the first year of the Taiding era of the Yuan Dynasty (1324), the 25th year of the Zhizheng era (1365), the sixth year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty (1408), the ninth year of the Jiajing era (1530), and the 13th year of the Jiajing era (1534). Most of the buildings were damaged in the earthquake of the 34th year of the Jiajing era (1556), and were subsequently repaired in the 44th year of the Jiajing era (1565). Further renovations took place in the fifth year of the Longqing era of the Ming Dynasty (1571) and the fifth year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1666). The Brotherhood Temple originally had a mountain gate, side gate, side hall, offering hall, music tower, main hall, and side halls, as well as dozens of Taoist tomb pagodas behind the temple, forming a grand architectural complex. The original structures were mostly destroyed during the War of Resistance Against Japan, leaving only the side hall and three stone inscriptions.

The side hall is five bays wide and three bays deep, with a single-eave, hanging gable roof. Its beam frame features a four-rafter structure supported by four purlins. The bracket sets are robustly constructed, with slightly upturned eaves, and the front, rear, and side walls are all fitted with windows. The wooden structure and wall layout suggest construction from the late Ming or early Qing period. The interior woodworking craftsmanship is exquisite.