Sanjiazhai Taoist Temple

Sanjiazhai Taoist Temple

Sanjiazhai Taoist Temple is located in Sanjiazhai Village, Luchuying Township, approximately 23 kilometers southwest of Xingren County. It once served as the central Islamic Taoist temple overseeing twelve regions including Anshun, Pingba, Anlong, Zhenfeng, Xingren, Panxian, and Pu'an. The temple is situated within the village and consists of two architectural complexes: the Taoist Temple and Guzu Garden. During the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, the religious leader Ma Guanglie instructed Yang Yunhe to oversee its construction, which was completed in the 18th year of Guangxu (1892).

In front of the temple gate stands an ancient tree, beside which a Moon-Viewing Tower has been built. The tower is supported by wooden pillars, with a passageway underneath and a nine-square-meter structure above, featuring windows on all four sides. It was specifically designed for the imam to ascend and observe the moon, in order to determine the times for beginning and ending fasting, as well as for prayer and scripture recitation. Behind the Moon-Viewing Tower is the front hall; passing through it leads into an inner courtyard measuring 6 meters wide and 8.5 meters long. The wing rooms, front hall, and main hall together form a traditional Chinese courtyard, with plaques gifted by various individuals hanging beneath the eaves. On both sides of the main hall’s entrance are couplets gifted by local officials during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty. The main hall is a two-story wooden structure, spanning 16.3 meters in width and 10.7 meters in depth, with corridors on both floors. The upper floor features a niche used for scripture recitation and prayer. To the left of the main hall are additional spaces including a courtyard, wing rooms, a kitchen, and a washing room (for ritual bathing), covering a total area of 304.5 square meters. Behind the main hall lies the Guzu Garden, spanning over one acre, which includes a two-room stone house. Opposite the stone house are four small wooden cabins—two for Guzu's scripture recitation and two for her sleeping quarters—while the rest of the garden consists of flower beds and stone paths, creating a serene and elegant environment filled with exotic flowers and bamboo.

Sanjiazhai Taoist Temple is renowned for Ma Guzu. A Hui Muslim from Dagui Village (Donggou) in Tonghai County, Yunnan Province, she learned Arabic and Chinese from a young age and studied the Quran and the Four Books at the age of 12. She was betrothed to Ma Jincheng, grandson of the religious leader Ma Hualong. In the 15th year of Guangxu (1889), Ma Jincheng was executed for rebelling against the Qing Dynasty, and she swore with tears never to remarry. In September of the 19th year of Guangxu (1893), she traveled from Huangshan (present-day Minshan County, Sichuan) to Sanjiazhai Taoist Temple in Xingren County to live in seclusion. For 30 years, she never stepped out of her residence, vowing never to witness the light of the Qing Dynasty again in her lifetime. Every day, she would read Chinese texts for two hours, perform five daily prayers, and recite one full volume of the Quran (30 parts) every three days without fail. When the Xinhai Revolution overthrew the Qing Dynasty and established the Republic of China, she was overjoyed. She immediately bathed, changed clothes, ascended the prayer tower, and loudly chanted praises while giving thanks (in Arabic: "Shukr").

In the 11th year of the Republic of China (1922), her nephew Ma Zhenwu (the last religious leader) brought her back to Gansu. In the 15th year of the Republic of China (1926), Ma Guzu passed away at the age of 58 and was buried in Leifu Gongbei, Qingtongxia City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Every year on the 14th day of the fifth lunar month, local Muslims gather in mosques across the county to recite scriptures in her memory.

Sanjiazhai Taoist Temple was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Qianxinan Prefecture in December 1985 and as a cultural relic protection unit of Guizhou Province in 1998. In recent years, during traditional Islamic festivals, worshippers from Gansu, Ningxia, Yunnan, and other regions have come to pay homage. In 2006, with support from the Xingren County Government, the Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau, the Tourism Bureau, the Prefectural Government, the Tourism Bureau, and local worshippers, nearly 800,000 yuan was raised to carry out comprehensive renovations of the temple, which were completed in 2007.

Xingren County — Sanjiazhai Taoist Temple. Accessible via the Guanxing Highway, the drive takes approximately 50 minutes. Admission is free.

Luchuying Township: Luchuying Hui Ethnic Township is the only Hui ethnic township within Qianxinan Prefecture and Xingren County. It is located at the junction of Xingren, Xingyi, and Pu'an counties (cities), about 24 km from Xingren County and 64 km from the prefectural capital, Xingyi. It borders Yuzhang Town to the east, Louxiang Town of Pu'an County to the west, Wanzhun, Malin, and Qingshuihe towns of Xingyi City to the south, and Xinlongchang Town to the north. The township covers a total area of 14,600 square kilometers and governs 16 administrative villages. It is home to 11 ethnic groups including Han, Hui, Yi, Li, and Miao, with ethnic minorities accounting for approximately 38.1% of the total population. The total arable land area is 1... More detailed information about Luchuying Township ++