Majiabao Guan Yu Temple

Majiabao Guan Yu Temple

Majiabao Guan Yu Temple is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Shanxi Province.

Majiabao Guan Yu Temple (Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Qing Dynasty

Address: Majiabao Village, Nanzhuang Town, Wenshui County, Lüliang City

According to a Qing Dynasty stele inside the temple, it was first built in the early years of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. Renovations were carried out in the 30th year of Qianlong (1765), the 10th year of Daoguang (1830), the 18th year of Daoguang (1838), the 5th year of Tongzhi (1866), the 13th year of Tongzhi (1874), and the 31st year of Guangxu (1905). The temple faces south and features a two-courtyard layout. Along the central axis are, in sequence, the mountain gate, passageway hall, and main hall. On both sides are side halls, stele corridors, wing rooms, side chambers, and bell and drum towers. Outside the southern side of the temple and aligned with the central axis stands a stage, facing the temple. All existing structures date back to the Qing Dynasty. There are ten Qing Dynasty steles recording temple renovations. The east and west walls of the main hall, as well as the side hall walls and corridor walls, feature meticulous polychrome and ink-wash figure paintings totaling 40 square meters.

The main hall sits on a brick foundation, with a width of three bays and a depth of six rafters. It has a single-eave, flush-gable roof and a seven-rafter front-projecting corridor structure. The central bay projects forward with a six-rafter hip-and-gable roofed sheltered porch. The porch shares the same bracket sets as those under the eaves of the main hall—each bay features three-curved single-ang brackets, cloud-shaped ang mouths, and cloud-shaped end blocks. The underside of the crossbeams is adorned with openwork wooden carvings of dragon-shaped bracket arms. The east and west walls of the main hall are painted with 40 square meters of meticulous polychrome figure story murals.

The stage is a reverse-facing structure with a brick foundation, a width of five bays and a depth of six rafters. It has a single-eave, roll-roofed pavilion design and an eight-rafter roll-roofed structure, with a front-projecting three-bay roll-roofed hip-and-gable sheltered porch.

Majiabao Guan Yu Temple is a complete ancient architectural complex integrating Qing Dynasty architecture, murals, and painted decorations. It features a clear historical timeline, an intact courtyard layout, distinct period characteristics, and refined craftsmanship. It is one of the earlier, larger, and most completely preserved Guan Yu temples in Wenshui County, serving as a valuable example for the study of Guan Yu temple layouts and Qing-style construction techniques.

Majiabao Guan Yu Temple is a complete ancient architectural complex integrating Qing Dynasty architecture, murals, and painted decorations. It features a clear historical timeline, an intact courtyard layout, distinct period characteristics, and refined craftsmanship. It is one of the earlier, larger, and most completely preserved Guan Yu temples in Wenshui County, serving as a valuable example for the study of Guan Yu temple layouts and Qing-style construction techniques.

Source: Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau

Majiabao Village: Majiabao Village... Detailed information about Majiabao Village++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units