The Duke of Zhou Temple on Nannao

The Duke of Zhou Temple on Nannao

The Duke of Zhou Temple on Nannao is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Duke of Zhou Temple on Nannao is located in the central part of Nannao Village, Houpu Town, Xiangyuan County. It faces south and has a single-courtyard layout, measuring 19.65 meters wide from east to west and 20.16 meters long from north to south, covering an area of approximately 396 square meters. Along the central axis from south to north are the mountain gate and the main hall, both with flush gable roofs; only three side rooms of the eastern wing room and three rooms of the eastern side chamber remain. The main hall is built on a one-meter-high sandstone platform, with a width of three bays and a depth of six rafters, featuring a front corridor style and single-bracket-and-three-risers brackets. The front eaves wall was newly added in recent years. The western side chamber and wing rooms were newly constructed in recent years.

The Duke of Zhou Temple enshrines Duke of Zhou Dan. His surname was Ji and his given name Dan. He was the son of King Wen of Zhou, the younger brother of King Wu, and the uncle of King Cheng. He was born in Qiyi and died in Fengdu (now west of Xi'an). He assisted King Wu in overthrowing the Shang Dynasty and establishing the Zhou Dynasty, making him one of the founding heroes of the Zhou regime. After King Wu’s death, King Cheng ascended the throne but was too young and inexperienced to rule, so Duke of Zhou served as regent. Two of King Wu’s other brothers, Guan Shu and Cai Shu, were dissatisfied and spread rumors that Duke of Zhou had ambitions to harm King Cheng and usurp the throne. Although deeply hurt by the slander, Duke of Zhou remained loyal and continued to assist King Cheng. Later, Guan and Cai allied with Wu Geng, the son of the last Shang king, in a rebellion. Duke of Zhou led troops in the Eastern Expedition, quelled the rebellion, and stabilized the early Zhou political situation. He also established rites and music, as well as systems of governance, making outstanding contributions to consolidating the newly founded Zhou Dynasty. The phrase “Duke of Zhou spits out his food in eagerness to meet talented people, thus winning the hearts of all under heaven” is still widely celebrated, and Duke of Zhou is indeed an outstanding statesman in ancient China.