Pudu Zhen Palace

Pudu Zhen Palace

Pudu Zhen Palace is situated on Chatting Road in the city center. It was first constructed in 1898 during the 24th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty, initiated by Wu Jinquan, a Taoist priest from Qianyuan Cave on Luofu Mountain, along with Beihai philanthropists Liang Qizhen, Huang Rizhang, and Chen Jueyu. They solicited donations from compatriots in Hong Kong and Macau to fund the project. The main structures consisted of three halls: the Zhongtian Hall (demolished in 1987 due to the expansion of Chatting Road), the Golden Mother Hall, and the Earth Mother Hall. These formed a three-courtyard temple complex enshrining various deities, representing a unique ancient shrine that integrates Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. The two remaining halls share similar layouts: side chambers flank the main hall; the interior is divided into a central bay and two side bays; the hip-and-gable roof features a glazed ridge adorned with a "two dragons playing with a pearl" design; the main ridge inside the hall is decorated with carvings of flowers, plants, and birds; and the front wall of the corridor roof is painted with murals. The Qing Dynasty’s *Beihai Miscellaneous Records* by Liang Hongxu describes it as “a resplendent temple, the finest among all in Beihai.”