Donglv Guan Di Temple

Donglv Guan Di Temple

Donglv Guan Di Temple is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Shanxi Province.

Donglv Guan Di Temple (Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Qing Dynasty

Address: Donglv Village, Donglu Township, Ruicheng County, Yuncheng City

The Donglv Guan Di Temple is 27.1 meters wide from east to west and 41.8 meters long from north to south, covering an area of 1,133 square meters. The temple currently preserves a stage and a main hall.

A stone stele inscribed with the "Record of the Construction of the Open Stage" from the fifth year of the Taiding era of the Yuan Dynasty (1328) is embedded in the eastern wall of the lower passageway under the stage, documenting how a Mongolian named Temür Tahai built the stage to pray for the well-being of his family. The temple also houses a stone stele from the 33rd year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1694) titled "Record of the Reconstruction of Guan Di Temple," indicating that the triple-stage structure is part of the temple's stage complex. The stage faces south and is built on a 1.85-meter-high brick square platform. It spans nine bays, with three stages aligned side by side, covering a construction area of 223 square meters. The central stage sits above the temple entrance passageway, with wooden planks laid over it to form what is commonly called a "pass-through stage." Every three bays form one stage, creating the appearance of three connected stages along the front eaves. Each stage is three bays wide and three rafters deep, featuring a single-eave gable-and-hip roof and a five-rafter front-porch structure. Beneath the front eaves are dragon- and elephant-shaped decorative brackets. The horizontal beams are intricately carved with motifs such as the Eight Immortals celebrating longevity, qilin (mythical creatures), phoenixes, auspicious beasts, as well as flowers like peonies and tree peonies. The beams are painted with cloud-and-dragon designs. The main hall is seven bays wide and two rafters deep, featuring a three-rafter, no-porch structure and a double-sloped gable-and-hip roof. The front eaves have cloud-shaped decorative brackets, and the beams are adorned with carved flower-shaped dougong brackets and hand-painted cloud-and-dragon patterns.

Source: Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau

Donglv Village: Donglv Village is the largest village in the eastern part of Ruicheng County. The terrain is flat. To the east, it borders Fangjia Village; to the west, Liangsha Village; about 5 li to the south is Xupo Village beneath the cliff; and about 5 li to the north is Nancaozhuang Village. The village consists of 7 residential groups, with 813 households, 2,750 residents, and a labor force of over 1,300 people. There are 73 Party members in the village, covering a total land area of 8,800 mu, all of which is arable land—8,800 mu in total, including 2,000 mu of dryland and 660 mu of riverside fields. The village has one school and two wells. Cotton and apples are the main industries, making it a typical agricultural village. Donglv Village is also known for its cultural richness—it features a Qing Dynasty triple-stage theater... For more details about Donglv Village, click here++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites in Shanxi Province