Gao Mei Temple

Gao Mei Temple

Gao Mei Temple is located in Lianbo Village, Yangcun Township, Hejin City. Originally built during the Xia Dynasty, it has a history of over 4,000 years and is one of the few ancient architectural complexes in Shanxi Province named with "Gao?" and centered around root-ancestor culture. Gao? is not a person’s name; it was an ancient form of the highest-level sacrificial activity praying for the prosperity of future generations, and also a gathering place for young men and women of ancient tribal clans. With its long history, exquisite architecture, magnificent murals, and legendary historical tales, it is being increasingly recognized and cherished by more people.

Covering an area of over 10,000 square meters and facing south, Gao Mei Temple features a balanced and symmetrical layout of halls. The temple complex includes a mountain gate, theater stage, offering hall, main hall, and east and west side halls. These structures, weathered through time, tell one moving and magical story after another.

[Murals]

Ancient murals are an important part of temple culture, and when it comes to murals nationwide, Shanxi Province ranks among the best. In Hejin, due to the destruction of most temples, few murals remain. Among the known surviving murals, Gao? Temple has a relatively concentrated and well-preserved collection. There are 57 extant murals depicting 158 figures, most painted by folk artists in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period. The west wall illustrates the grand scene of Goddess Jiang?? being sent to the Gao? sacrificial site, as well as the legends of Houji’s birth and his teaching of farming. The east wall depicts the stories of Yu the Great digging through the Longmen Gorge, convening feudal lords at Mount Tu, burning forests to open rivers, and passing by his home three times without entering.

[Sand Does Not Enter the Temple]

Gao? Temple has long been known for the marvel of “sand not entering the temple.” In the late 1980s, during the restoration of the main hall, people observed that while sand dunes piled up high outside the temple, no windblown sand entered inside, keeping the interior clean and tidy. It is said that this is because the temple houses a wind-avoiding pearl and a sand-avoiding pearl, though these are, of course, just legends. Research suggests that this phenomenon is actually related to the temple’s architectural features and layout. Gao? Temple has a symmetrical central axis with balanced wings, and the ancient design of a wider front and narrower back creates a natural wind tunnel, preventing the sand blown into the temple courtyard from settling—hence the marvel of “sand not entering the temple.”

Scenic Area

Lianbo Village, Yangcun Township, Hejin City

Scenic Area Opening Hours:

Open all year round

Scenic Area Ticket Policy:

No admission fee

Scenic Area Transportation Guide:

Take bus No. 5 from Hejin Bus Station directly to the temple.

Self-driving route: Take the Hejin South Exit on the highway, get on National Highway 108 and drive west for 13.3 km, then turn left onto the tourist road and drive for another 3 km to arrive; or take the Hejin West Exit on the highway, get on National Highway 108 and drive south for 4 km, then turn right onto the tourist road and drive for 3 km to reach the destination.

Yangcun Township: "Borders Chengqu Subdistrict Office to the east, borders Qingjian Subdistrict Office to the north, lies adjacent to the western edge of the city to the west, and neighbors Xiaoliang Township to the south. The total area is 111.4 square kilometers. The area is known for producing high-quality agricultural products such as sandy peanut, which are sold across the country and exported for foreign exchange. Municipal farms, Lanzhou Military Farm, and mechanized nurseries are located within the township.

It governs 10 administrative villages: Taiyang, Taiyangbao, Sanqian, Junling, Xixinfeng, DongxinFeng, Cangtou, Guojiazhuang, Lianbo, and Yong’an.

".…… More detailed information about Yangcun Township++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units