Yuechi Gaosi Temple

Yuechi Gaosi Temple

Yuechi Gaosi Temple is a cultural relics protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Gaosi Temple, also known as Lingshan Temple or Lingxi Temple, is located in Gaosi Village, Lingxi Town, South of Yuechi County. The "Yuechi County Annals" record: "Lingshan Temple, ninety li south of the county seat, is also called Gaosi Temple." The temple originally had a two-courtyard, three-courtyard layout, covering an area of 5,200 square meters with a built-up area of 1,650 square meters. Only the main hall and the side chambers on the left and right remain. Originally, there were enclosing walls and gateways around the temple, but today only some fragmented remnants survive, with the gateway largely intact though heavily weathered.

The inscribed couplets and other texts on the lintels are no longer legible. The temple is approached via steps leading up from the gateway, accessible through a single entrance. The front hall has been rebuilt into a modern brick-concrete structure. The main hall faces south and sits on a plain base, 50 cm high, with three random steps, each 0.15 m high. It features a single-eave Xieshan-style roof covered with small blue tiles, a stacked-beam framework, and 18 upright columns. A central well-frame wooden post is installed, using standardized materials with column diameters of 0.7 m. The circular stone column bases are 0.08 m high. The column capitals project slightly, forming rectangular shapes with clear structural features. The ridge beam bears an ink inscription dating to the 50th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1712). Gaosi Temple exhibits distinct characteristics of Qing-era architectural style and local design elements, making it a highly representative example of Qing-period architecture in Guang’an.

In 2000, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit by the People’s Government of Guang’an City.

The protected area extends 50 meters beyond the temple’s footprint.

The construction control zone extends 50 meters beyond the protected area.

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units