Liuting Temple

Liuting Temple

Liuting Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Liuting Temple is located to the south of Xizhang Village, Hongchi Township, Pinglu County. The temple was first built during the Renshou era of the Sui Dynasty and was constructed by Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, in gratitude for Qin Qiong’s rescue. The incident where Qin Qiong saved Li Yuan occurred in August of the first year of the Renshou era (601 AD) during the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui. At that time, Li Yuan held the title of Duke of Tang under the Sui Dynasty and was stationed in Taiyuan.

Because Li Yuan had a strained relationship with Yuwen Shu, a powerful official at the court, Yu often harbored intentions to harm him. When Li Yuan decided to leave the capital with his family to go to Taiyuan, Yu learned of this and sent imperial guards from the Eastern Palace to pose as bandits. They hid in advance in the forest near Mount Li, which lay on Li Yuan’s route. When Li Yuan and his family arrived, the gang of “bandits” suddenly emerged from the woods. Despite fierce resistance from Li Yuan and his personal guards, they were outnumbered and faced mortal danger. At the critical moment, Qin Qiong, a chivalrous man from Shandong, along with Fan Jianwei, happened to be escorting a group of prisoners from Shandong to Pingyang Prefecture in Shanxi. Witnessing the injustice, Qin Qiong drew his sword to help. After several rounds of fighting, the robbers, seeing that the situation was hopeless, fled in panic, thus saving the lives of Li Yuan’s family. Deeply grateful, Li Yuan repeatedly bowed in thanks and addressed Qin Qiong as his benefactor.

After returning to Taiyuan, Li Yuan often thought about this incident and decided to build a temple in honor of Qin Qiong. He chose a site near his jurisdiction that featured beautiful scenery and pleasant surroundings. Originally named the Temple of Repaying Kindness (Bao De Ci), it was renamed “Temple of Repaying Kindness” (Bao De Si) in the early Tang Dynasty and later changed to Liuting Temple during the Song Dynasty. Throughout the Tang, Song, Jin, Ming, and Qing dynasties, the temple underwent multiple renovations and expansions. The existing main structure—a two-story building—features a lower level with five bays in width and four rafters in depth, and an upper level with three bays in width and two rafters in depth. It has a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof and corridors around the perimeter, showcasing the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty. The other three halls each have three bays in width and one rafter in depth, with flush gable roofs, reflecting the architectural style of the Qing Dynasty. The temple houses over ten stone stelae from the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties, all detailing the history of Liuting Temple’s establishment, renovations, and name changes. Liuting Temple, described as “bordered by the two gentlemen of Yu and Rui to the south, overlooking the hermitage of Xu You to the east, facing the two virtuous men of Bo Yi and Shu Qi to the west, and adjacent to the elder with the Golden Tongue to the north,” is set in a beautiful landscape and is counted among the “Eight Great Ancient Temples of Shanxi.”