Dan Village Yellow Emperor Temple

Dan Village Yellow Emperor Temple

Dan Village Yellow Emperor Temple Dan Village Yellow Emperor Temple is located near the Dan Village sand quarry in Fujianyuan Subdistrict, Nanning, Guangxi, on the banks of the Yong River outside Jiangnan Avenue. The temple was built after the Song Dynasty, though the exact date remains unknown. Maps published in Nanning over the years have all marked the location of Dan Village Yellow Emperor Temple. In the fifth year of the Huangyou era during the Song Dynasty (1053), Emperor Renzong of Song dispatched Deputy Privy Councilor Di Qing to lead a large army in a southern campaign against Nong Zhigao. Descendants of the Yellow Emperor either joined the military expedition or migrated to Lingnan after the war, but only those who settled in Dan Village, Nanning, built the Yuan Di Pavilion (later renamed Yellow Emperor Temple). By the year 2005, there were only around 20 Yellow Emperor Temples across China, and the one in Dan Village was the only one in Guangxi. The Yellow Emperor Temple has been rebuilt twice. During the Japanese occupation of Nanning in 1943, the temple was demolished. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, hundreds of villagers and patriotic supporters donated 300,000 yuan to rebuild the temple, which was completed in September 1946. During the “Cultural Revolution” (referred to as “0” here), part of the campaign to “smash the Four Olds” led to the temple being destroyed again. On March 8, 2002, hundreds of villagers raised more than 10,000 yuan to rebuild the temple once more, and it was completed in January 2005. The temple covers an area of over 140 square meters. On both sides of the main hall are couplets that read: “For eight hundred li, the jade-like city walls stand firm amid the beautiful mountain hues; For five thousand years, the Chinese empire remains unshaken under the profound grace of the Emperor.” The three halls enshrine deities including the Yellow Emperor (Xuanyuan), the North Emperor (Beidi), the North Prefecture God (Beifu Lord), the Dragon Mother (Longmu), and the Flower Queen (Huawang Shenmu). On both sides of the temple walls are ancient stone tablets, now blurred and difficult to read, engraved with the names and donation amounts of those who contributed to the temple’s construction. Every year on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the temple’s birthday celebration for the Yellow Emperor. In 2006, Hu Fuju, Executive Deputy Director of the Chinese Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor Statue Project Committee, donor, and sculptor, visited Dan Village Yellow Emperor Temple and expressed his desire to further explore and study the influence of Yellow Emperor culture on Nanning. Dan Village is a place of outstanding people and spiritual energy. Xiao Yunju, born in Dan Village in the 14th year of the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era (1586), rose to the ranks of Jinshi (successful imperial examination candidate), Hanlin Academician, and Minister of Rites. He advocated for the creation of two of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Old Nanning,” namely “Hongren Evening Bell” and “Qingxiu Pine Waves.” Within “Qingxiu Pine Waves,” Qingxiu Mountain is home to the Dragon Elephant Pagoda and Qing Shan Temple.

Yellow Emperor (2717 BC – 2599 BC): The leader of the ancient Huaxia tribal confederation and the common sovereign of the Huaxia people in ancient China. The first of the Five Emperors. Revered as the “First Ancestor of Chinese Civilization.” It is said that he was the son of Shaodian and Fubao, originally surnamed Gongsun, later changed to Ji, hence called Ji Xuanyuan. He lived on Xuanyuan Hill and was known as the Xuanyuan clan, established his capital at Youxiong (also called the Youxiong clan). He is also referred to as “Emperor Hong.”

Historical records state that the Yellow Emperor was given the title Huangdi due to the auspicious virtue of earth. The Yellow Emperor is remembered in history for unifying the Huaxia tribes and conquering the Dongyi and Jiuli peoples, thereby uniting China.