The Ruins of Longtou Temple in Pingchang

The Ruins of Longtou Temple in Pingchang

The Ruins of Longtou Temple in Pingchang is a cultural tourism attraction.

Between Huangjue Village in Shiyia Township and Zaiyangling (Fifth Village), two small streams converge. In the past, there used to be an ancient temple built in the early Qing Dynasty. Legend has it that this small temple was built on the head of a dragon, hence the name "Longtou Temple" (Dragon Head Temple). About 10 kilometers away from Longtou Temple, in what is now Liucun Village of Yuntai Town, there is a mountain called Longwei Mountain.

It is said that coming from the Daba Mountains, following the Desheng Mountain Range, passing through Caijiaping, and crossing Longwei Mountain, the mountain range winds and twists like a surging giant dragon, and the spot where the temple was built is the head of this dragon. Indeed, in the past, feng shui masters said this location had excellent geomantic energy. As a result, people built the Dragon God Shrine, the Three Pure Ones Temple, placed Buddha statues, worshipped the Goddess of Mercy, and honored the Earth God here.

During every New Year and festival, people competed to come and pay their respects. Some also burned incense and prayed on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, hoping to ward off disasters and bring peace and safety to their families. After the liberation, the temple was taken over by the public, and the local community built a school on the site. Now, only a few remnants such as stone gongs, stone drums, and broken stone pillars from those times can still be seen.