Jianping Jade Emperor Temple

Jianping Jade Emperor Temple

The Jianping Jade Emperor Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

The Jade Emperor Temple is situated in Jianping Town, Santai County, Mianyang City. It is 22 kilometers west of the ancient city of Zizhou and lies along the former National Highway 101 (Tangba Road), on the main road from Santai to Zhongjiang County. Covering an area of 4,120 square meters, this ancient architectural project was thoughtfully planned to adapt to the natural landscape, featuring a clever layout formed by three connected quadrangle courtyards oriented from northeast to southwest. These include the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Jade Emperor Hall, and the Guanyin Hall, all aligned along the same central axis. The theater buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which also serve as the mountain gate, are slightly offset from this axis, blending seamlessly with the surrounding environment. The site masterfully integrates the classic classical dwellings of the Sichuan Western Plains with the deeply traditional culture of Taoist and Buddhist temples. The overall layout of the architecture is distinctive and rigorously structured. The construction originally began in the mid-Ming Dynasty, and was later rebuilt during the Qing Qianlong era and the early years of the Republic of China. Each individual structure has a verifiable date of construction. The project follows the concept of “following the laws of nature and nourishing the land of abundance,” with the layer-by-layer elevation and sophisticated arrangement of individual buildings beautifully exhibited. The layout is harmonious and aesthetically pleasing, making it a unique masterpiece among temple architectures in Sichuan Province. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, rebel leaders Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong once garrisoned their forces here. In the autumn of 1938, seven party members including Qu Yisheng, who were secretly transferred from Chengdu to Santai, established the first temporary special branch of the Chinese Communist Party in Santai here. The following year saw the official establishment of the Santai Special Branch of the CCP, with Wang Pengan serving as secretary, and Qu Yisheng and Lü Xiyin as committee members, all under the leadership of the CCP Sichuan-Kangding Special Committee. By establishing eight party branches, including those at Northeastern University and the Agricultural Bureau, and developing activities such as “Anti-Japanese Propaganda Teams,” “Reading Clubs,” “Literacy Classes,” and “Sisterhood Associations,” the group recruited around 40 dedicated activists who supported the Party’s anti-Japanese stance. On July 16, 2012, the Jade Emperor Temple was designated as a provincial cultural relic protection unit by the People's Government of Sichuan Province.

Protected area: East to the theater and credit union, south to the edge of the green space, north to the hillside of Section 6 of Yuhuang Village, west to the outer edge of the road outside the Jade Emperor Temple.

Construction control zone: An area extending 10 meters beyond the protected area.

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Sichuan Province