Jie Xiu Yuan Shen Temple

Jie Xiu Yuan Shen Temple

Yuan Shen Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Yuan Shen Temple

Era: Ming and Qing Dynasties

Address: At the foot of Huqi Mountain, Hongshan Village, Hongshan Town, Jie Xiu City

Jie Xiu Yuan Shen Temple is located at the foot of Huqi Mountain in the southeast of Hongshan Village, Hongshan Town, Jie Xiu City. It was built near a spring, hence the name. The exact date of its establishment is unknown. According to inscriptions in the temple, it was rebuilt twice during the Northern Song and Yuan Dynasties, and underwent multiple renovations during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, including one in 1989. The temple faces northwest and is arranged along a two-courtyard layout, covering an area of 1,623 square meters.

The existing structures along the central axis include a memorial archway, the mountain gate, a theater stage, and the main hall, with bell and drum towers and east and west side halls on both sides. A cross-courtyard is built in the southwest of the second courtyard, with the Goddess Hall located in the southeast corner of the courtyard; most of these buildings date from the Qing Dynasty. The memorial archway is a two-pillar, single-eave style with five-step, double-angled brackets and a height of 9.35 meters. The mountain gate, theater stage, and main hall share a common platform, all standing 7.5 meters tall. The main hall is built on a 0.35-meter-high stone base, with a width of five bays and a depth of six rafters. It features a single-eave, hanging gable roof, seven purlins extending forward with a front corridor, and three-step, single-angled brackets. Inside the main hall are preserved stone steles including the "Yuan Shen Stele Inscription" (1597), the "Record of the Renovation of the Music Stage of Yuan Shen Temple" (1828), and the "Record of the Renovation of Yuan Shen Temple" (1905), totaling 22 renovation steles, one stone pagoda, and five stone tablets. In front of the temple are two large spring pools with tall walls for water storage, representing a remarkable achievement in the history of water conservancy in Shanxi.

The architectural layout of Jie Xiu Yuan Shen Temple is relatively intact, and it preserves steles recording renovations since the Northern Song Dynasty, giving it significant value for the study of architectural history. The inscriptions in the "Yuan Shen Stele Inscription" provide historical material for researching ancient water management and ceramic production techniques.

In May 2013, Jie Xiu Yuan Shen Temple was designated as part of the seventh group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Hongshan Village: Located about 10 kilometers southeast of Jie Xiu City, Hongshan Village sits at the foot of Tianjun Mountain and within the hinterland of Huqi Mountain. It enjoys convenient transportation and a vibrant cultural scene. This ancient village has a history of 3,500 years. The village consists of five resident groups, with over 1,450 households and a population of more than 7,500, covering a land area of 1,600 mu. In 2012, the per capita disposable income reached 4,170 yuan. In recent years, the village’s two committees have closely aligned with the development goals set by the town party committee and government. Guided by the spirit of [policy], they have undertaken arduous pioneering efforts, thoroughly implemented the scientific development concept, focused on increasing income as the main thread, improved the environment, and strived to advance the construction of a new socialist... More details about Hongshan Village ++

Further reading:

· Fourth Group of Cultural Relics Protection Units in Shanxi Province

· Seventh Group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units