Temple of Ji and Yi

Temple of Ji and Yi

The Temple of Ji and Yi is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Temple of Ji and Yi, commonly known as Yangwang Temple, is located in Yangwang Village, about 20 kilometers southwest of Xinjiang County, Shanxi Province. It is a temple dedicated to Houji and Boyi. Boyi, also known as Boyi Yi, was said to be an official under Yu the Great and contributed significantly to flood control; Houji cultivated various grains, revered as the Grain God, and it is believed that Houji first taught people how to farm here, which is why the temple was established.

The Temple of Ji and Yi is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. According to the "Inscription on the Reconstruction of Dongyue Temple of Ji and Yi" from the second year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1523 AD): “The ruins of Yangwang are home to the Dongyue Temple of Ji and Yi. Its founding date is unknown, but it was rebuilt during the Yuan Dynasty’s Zhiyuan era. The main hall originally had three bays, which were expanded to five bays during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming. Four-bay side chambers were added on both sides, and three more bays were added for the front gate during the Zhengde reign, along with a five-bay offering hall and a five-bay dance hall. The entire complex was enclosed by walls, adorned with corridors, and shaded by fine trees. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and the place glittered with gold and splendor.” Based on the two Yuan Dynasty Zhiyuan eras, even considering the later one, if reconstruction was needed, the original construction or renovation likely did not occur later than the Southern Song Dynasty. The existing stage and main hall are Ming Dynasty structures. The stage has five bays, a single-eave hip-and-gable roof, wide eaves with heavy beams, a stage opening nearly 10 meters wide, and relatively spacious side bays. The main hall also has five bays and is topped with tri-colored glazed tiles. The interior walls on the southeast and west sides are covered with murals covering an area of 130 square meters. These murals are largely well-preserved. The east and west walls feature a stepped layout, each measuring 8.23 meters in width and reaching up to 6.18 meters in height, making them exceptional large-scale works among surviving Ming Dynasty murals.

The murals depict civil and military officials, farmers paying homage, legends of Ji and Yi, slash-and-burn hunting, logging and harvesting, as well as mountain landscapes and gardens. They stand out uniquely among China’s surviving murals. Unlike the Buddhist-themed murals of Dunhuang, the Taoist-themed murals of Yongle Palace, or the integrated Confucian-Buddhist-Taoist murals of Qinglong Temple, these murals center on ancient legends, extolling the heroic deeds of Yu the Great, Houji, and Boyi in benefiting the people. They embody the fearless spirit of ancient Chinese laborers in conquering nature. With exquisite artistry and rigorous composition, they are important cultural relics for studying ancient Chinese agriculture and are rare finds in the country.

The east wall depicts a pilgrimage scene centered around the Hall of the Three Sages. The Hall of the Three Sages has three bays, a double-eave hip-and-gable roof, and side chambers. In front of the hall are planted flowers and trees such as phoenix trees, roses, pines, bamboos, and scholar trees. The Three Sage Emperors (namely, Fuxi of Taihao, Shennong of the Yan Emperor, and the Yellow Emperor Huangdi) are seated in the hall, flanked and attended by numerous maidservants holding wine ewers and fruit platters. On the steps are civil and military officials and farmers standing at attention. To the left are farmers holding grain and carrying farming tools, while on the right are farmers carrying game, some holding locusts, others holding pests like grasshoppers and weeds. One woman appears to be the Grain Goddess, dressed in jeweled robes, holding a bowl in her left hand and a spoon in her right, seemingly distributing seeds to the farmers. In front of her stands what seems to be the Earth God. Below to the right are two strongmen, and another warrior carries a pouch and appears to be reporting. Under a pine tree is a long platform with food boxes and wine pots arranged on it.

The upper part of the east wall depicts the “Snake-Slaying Scene.” In the wilderness, four warriors are shown slaying a snake, surrounded by onlookers and pilgrims. The background features a beautiful garden landscape with clear mountains, flowing water, misty clouds, lush flowers and trees. There are woodcutters in the mountains, horse-drawn carriages on the roads, and animals such as horses, cattle, and sheep in the scene. Indoor family life scenes include childbirth and bathing. The legend of Houji’s birth is painted on both sides of the east wall, showing rituals to heaven and earth, the birth of Houji, the livestock pen, abandonment in the wild, the raising by birds, discovery by a woodcutter, retrieval by his mother, and visits from neighbors.

The west wall uses part of the layout in front of the Hall of the Three Sages, with the hall platform and trees in the foreground, the Meridian Gate and military tents in the midground, and mountains, clouds, and trees in the background. Temple towers and pavilions flank the sides, creating a grand sense of depth in the scene. The content mainly includes images of Yu the Great, Ji and Yi, worship ceremonies, immortals, farming, and hunting. The hall platform is surrounded by railings. Yu the Great wears a tall crown, a blue robe, and a golden belt, sitting in the center. The red sun rises slowly from the water. To his right sits Houji, holding an ear of grain, and to his left is Boyi. Below the platform, a civil official holds a tablet and faces Houji, while a military officer faces Boyi, both appearing to report. Surrounding them are civil and military officials, warriors, and maidservants, holding tablets, axes, wine ewers, and fruit platters. On the right side pavilion, several maidservants walk along a corridor, some carrying pipas, others holding fruit platters or food boxes, each with different postures—some conversing, whispering, or talking to themselves. A few groups of red-clothed immortals descend from auspicious clouds in the sky, while several officials look up in reverence. On the left is the temple for worship, with offerings including pigs, cattle, and sheep. Three plaques are placed on the table: the central one inscribed “The Throne of the Heavenly Jade Emperor,” the left one for the ancestral Houji, and the right one, only the back of which is visible, presumably for Boyi. The worshippers include the emperor, high-ranking officials, and nobles, with musical instruments playing on both sides. Outside the altar, several figures are seen burning written petitions. Two attendants are present—one holding a fire poker, the other calling out. In the distance, the halls and pavilions are neatly arranged, with fluttering banners, trees, and round tents. Guards stand at the entrance.

The upper part of the temple shows a slash-and-burn hunting scene. On the mountain, wildfires are set to clear land for hunting, while below, an official reports to Boyi about land clearing and hunting activities. The mountain fire rages fiercely, and frightened animals leap down cliffs and cross rivers. Two deer that have crossed the river look back. In the distance, monkeys play in the mountain streams. In the opposite woods, a pair of tigers are fighting, while a brave man draws his bow to shoot. Several warriors brandish swords, ready for battle.

At the foot of the mountain is a scene of farming and harvesting. Houji is teaching people how to farm. On the road, a woman carries a basket of food and a jug of water across a small bridge carefully. A child walks ahead, holding a bowl of water and food. Farmers in the field wear straw hats and work diligently with hoes. An elderly man seems to hear the child’s shout and looks toward the approaching mother and child. In the wheat field, two farmers are harvesting wheat. The older one in front holds a sickle and wheat, turning to speak to another farmer. On the path, farmers carry loads and push carts back and forth. On the threshing ground, people stack sheaves and thresh the wheat. A cow pulls a stone roller to crush the harvested wheat. Some farmers hold whips to drive the oxen, others sweep the ground with brooms, and some carry wooden forks to turn the grain. A child holds a winnowing basket behind the cow to collect droppings. The threshed wheat glows golden and piles up like a mountain. A small flag is stuck on the pile, and two people nearby are packing it into sacks. Some of the packed grain is already loaded onto donkeys for transport, while a woman in a green skirt holding a child watches nearby.

The eastern side of the south wall depicts the “Eastern Emperor Attending the Assembly,” with the procession moving in three columns toward the “Hall of the Three Sages.” The Eastern Emperor, wearing a feather fan and headband, leads the group. On both sides are depicted the “Underworld.”

The entire mural includes over 400 figures of humans and deities. Its creators were Chang Ru, a painter from Yicheng County, Shanxi, along with his two sons Chang Geng and Chang Si, disciple Zhang Kun, painter Chen Yuan from Jiangzhou, his nephew Chen Wen, and disciple Liu Chongde. It was completed on the fifteenth day of the ninth month in the second year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1507 AD).

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units