The Temple of the Salt God and the Salt Lake Enclosure Wall

The Temple of the Salt God and the Salt Lake Enclosure Wall

The Temple of the Salt God and the Salt Lake Enclosure Wall are National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

The Temple of the Salt God is located at the southern end of Jiefang South Road, Nancheng Subdistrict, Yanhu District, Yuncheng City. Facing south, it stretches 250 meters from north to south and 85 meters from east to west, covering an area of 21,600 square meters. The entire complex is built on a 30-degree slope following the terrain, with its back against Woluyun Ridge and overlooking the salt lake. The Temple of the Salt God is a shrine built since the Tang Dynasty to worship the god of salt. It has undergone multiple renovations over the dynasties, and the existing structures mainly date back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Only three main halls, a theater stage, west wing rooms, and side courtyards of the ancient architecture remain in the Temple of the Salt God, along with over forty stone tablets from the Tang to Qing dynasties. The three main halls are located at the northernmost part of the temple, arranged in a row from east to west. The central hall is the Hall of the Salt Lake God, the eastern hall is the Hall of the Mountain God (Mount Tiao), and the western hall is the Hall of the Wind Cave God. All three are three-bay-wide and three-bay-deep structures surrounded by corridors, featuring double-eave hip-and-gable roofs. The lower eaves have single-angling bracket sets with three tiers. The middle hall has a more complex structure. The front porches are on high platforms, and the colored paintings are relatively well-preserved. The theater stage is located at the upper part of the third hall, single-story with a gabled roof, featuring a simple design. The side courtyards consist of three small courtyards. There are also over forty stone tablets from the Tang to Qing dynasties.

The Salt Lake Enclosure Wall was built to protect the salt lake. It encircles the lake and, according to records, was constructed in the 10th year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1474) by imperial censor Wang Chen. It underwent significant reinforcement and renovation in the 12th year of the Zhengde era (1517), with a commemorative stele erected. The wall is made of rammed earth. Currently, 30 kilometers of the wall remain, with the base width ranging from 3 to 5 meters and the remaining height varying between 2 to 4 meters. The thickness of the rammed layers is between 0.08 to 0.10 meters. The eastern section of the wall is relatively well-preserved; the northern half of the western wall is mostly intact; most of the western section of the southern wall has been destroyed, though traces remain in the badly damaged eastern section; the northern wall has collapsed in many places; and the original East Forbidden Gate, Middle Forbidden Gate, and West Forbidden Gate have all been lost.

The parallel, linear arrangement of the three main halls of the Temple of the Salt God is one of the few surviving architectural examples of its kind. The Salt Lake Enclosure Wall, built early and on a large scale, has been preserved alongside the temple, making it a rare and valuable historical relic with significant historical value.

In May 2013, the Temple of the Salt God and the Salt Lake Enclosure Wall were designated as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Location

2 kilometers south of Yanhu District, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province

Type: Scenic Spot / Temple

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Ticket Information:

Door Price: 30.0 RMB

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units