Nanyue Mount Tai Temple

Nanyue Mount Tai Temple

Nanyue Mount Tai Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Nanyue Mount Tai Temple is located about 1 kilometer southwest of Nanyue Village, Nanfan Town, Jiang County. It faces south and covers an area of 7,342.8 square meters. The temple’s construction date is unknown, but historical records indicate that it underwent multiple renovations during the Ming Dynasty and in the 46th year of the Kangxi reign (1707), the 13th year of the Yongzheng reign (1735), and the 29th year of the Qianlong reign (1764).

The temple originally housed a stage, offering hall, main hall, bell and drum towers, corridor rooms, Hall of Yama, Taoist priests’ quarters, Hall of Hou Tu, Hall of Ox-Dragon-Horse Kings, corridor rooms, Hall of the Goddess, Tiger-Head Gate, Hall of the Holy Mother, and Hall of the Fire God. Only the main hall, Taoist priests’ quarters, Hall of Hou Tu, Hall of Ox-Dragon-Horse Kings, Hall of Yama, Tiger-Head Gate, Hall of the Holy Mother, Hall of the Fire God, and Hall of the Goddess remain today. The surviving main hall, Hall of Hou Tu, and Hall of the Holy Mother primarily feature architectural structures from the Yuan Dynasty.

The main hall has three bays in width, four rafters in depth, a single-eave hanging gable roof, and a tiled roof. Under the eaves, the column capitals are spanned by a large connecting beam. Above this are column-top and intercolumnar bracket sets, all of which are five-component double downward-curved bracket arms with grasshopper-shaped carved ends. Each intercolumnar space features one bracket set, except for the central bay, which has a 45-degree angled bracket arm. The interior beam structure consists of a four-rafter wooden framework…

The Hall of Hou Tu is located to the east of the main hall. It has three bays in width, four rafters in depth, a single-eave hanging gable roof, and a tiled roof. The front eaves bracket sets are all single-step, with the secondary brackets extending outward. The corner brackets also feature a 45-degree angled bracket arm. The beam structure includes a four-rafter wooden framework…

The Hall of the Holy Mother is located to the west of the main hall, sharing a largely similar layout with the Hall of Hou Tu. The only difference is that the front column capitals feature a large connecting beam with bracket sets above, consisting of single-step bracket arms extending outward. Other elements are simpler and more modest in structure.

The architectural layout of Nanyue Mount Tai Temple is relatively well-preserved, and the Yuan Dynasty characteristics of its three main halls are quite prominent, providing tangible evidence for the study of early architecture in southeastern Shanxi.

In 1985, it was designated as a County-Level Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the Jiang County People's Government, and in 2013, it was listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council.

Nanyue Village: Nanyue Village is located in the southern part of Nanfan Town, with a population of 1,320 people divided among 7 resident groups. The village enjoys convenient transportation, with both main streets and alleys paved, solving the problem of residents having difficulty going out on rainy days. The village has 2,375 mu of arable land, including 2,000 mu of grain fields and 735 mu of cash crops, mainly apple and hawthorn plantations. There is also the largest egg chicken farm in the county, with a flock of 23,000 laying hens.

The village’s two committees are united in purpose, maintaining close and harmonious relations between officials and residents. The village leads the town in various aspects of work… More information about Nanyue Village ++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units