Beichi Temple of the God of Agriculture

Beichi Temple of the God of Agriculture

Beichi Temple of the God of Agriculture is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Beichi Temple of the God of Agriculture is located in the northwest of Beichi Village, Yangwang Town, Xinjiang County. It is a single-courtyard structure facing south, measuring 38 meters in length from north to south and 32.65 meters in width from east to west, covering an area of 1,241 square meters. According to an inscription on the ridge purlin of the main hall, the temple was originally built in the 16th year of the Hongzhi reign during the Ming Dynasty (1503). It has since undergone multiple renovations and expansions. The main hall and the theater stage are Ming Dynasty structures, while the rest of the buildings date to the Qing Dynasty.

Along the central axis of Beichi Temple of the God of Agriculture, the theater stage is at the southern end and the main hall is at the northern end, with side halls and wing rooms on both sides. The eastern and western side halls are the Hall of Heavenly Kings and the Hall of the God of Wealth, respectively, while the eastern and western wing rooms are the Hall of Lord Guan and the Hall of the Holy Mother, respectively. To the west of the theater stage is a Temple of the Earth God, and the bell tower on the east side has been destroyed. The theater stage is built on a brick-faced rammed earth foundation that is 1.25 meters high, featuring a three-bay width and four-rafter depth, with a single-eave gable-and-hip roof. The front eaves have a wide central bay utilizing a technique called “pillar-shifting,” along with horizontal beams. The rear wall features a brick-carved screen wall of approximately 9 square meters on the central bay. The main hall, known as the Hall of the God of Agriculture, is a three-bay structure with a six-rafter depth, featuring a single-eave gable-and-hip roof covered with clay tiles edged with glazed tiles. The front eaves are adorned with single-angled three-tiered bracket sets, and the rear eaves feature bracket arms extending out from the wall.

Beichi Temple of the God of Agriculture retains clear Ming Dynasty inscriptions, giving it significant historical value.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units