Quanzhang Guan Yu Temple

Quanzhang Guan Yu Temple

Quanzhang Guan Yu Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Quanzhang Guan Yu Temple is located in the center of Quanzhang Village, Quanzhang Town, Xinjiang County, adjacent to the west of the Quanzhang Village Committee. It faces south with a north orientation, stretching 19.6 meters from east to west and 21 meters from north to south, covering an area of 412 square meters. The existing main hall was built at an unknown date. According to records on the beam ridge plaques and stone carvings inside the hall, it underwent renovations in the 8th year (1495), 10th year (1497), 26th year (1547) of the Jiajing reign, 8th year (1730), 9th year (1731) of the Yongzheng reign, and 5th year (1740) of the Qianlong reign.

The main hall is well-preserved. It is built on a brick-and-stone platform 0.9 meters high, with a width of five bays and a depth of five bays, nearly square in plan, featuring a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof. The core structure has three bays, surrounded by an ambulatory with 20 stone-carved pillars. The column capitals all feature bowl-shaped curves, and the architrave supports five-purlin double ang-style bracket sets with grasshopper-shaped bracket arms. The upper structure consists of multiple layers with substantial load-bearing capacity, mostly supported by bracket arms on the front facade.

In May 2013, Quanzhang Guan Yu Temple was designated as part of the seventh group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Guan Yu (162?–220), of Han ethnicity, was born during the Yanxi era of Emperor Huan of the Eastern Han Dynasty. His courtesy name was Yunchang, originally Changsheng, and he was a native of Xieliang in Hedong (present-day Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province). He was a renowned general of the Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, serving as General of the Vanguard and Marquis of Hanshou, as well as a military strategist. After his death, he was revered by the people and honored by successive imperial courts, eventually being worshipped as the Divine Lord Guan, known in Buddhism as Sangharama Bodhisattva, and respectfully called “Guan Gong.” Later rulers revered him as the “Martial Saint,” equal in status to Confucius, the “Civil Saint.”

Following Liu Bei

Guan Yu’s original courtesy name was Changsheng, later changed to Yunchang. In his early years, he fled his hometown to Youzhou after being involved in an incident... More details about Guan Yu++

Quanzhang Village: Originally known as Changxiu or Taoyuan. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, it belonged to Hedong Commandery. In the Qin Dynasty, Changxiu County was established here. During the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Han, the imperial censor Du Tian was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Changxiu, making it a marquisate. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was renamed Changxiu Town, and retained that name afterward. Duke Ling of Jin once built a temporary palace, established a peach garden, and constructed the Jiang Platform here, also known as the Jiangxiao Tower, leading to its subsequent renaming as Taoyuan Town. In the Ming Dynasty, due to five springs located southeast of the village and one in the center arranged in the shape of a palm, it was renamed Quanzhang. It has over 2,700 years of recorded history.

Quanzhang Village is situated directly west of Quanzhang Town, bordering Jishan County, on flat terrain. The village covers a land area of... More details about Quanzhang Village++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units