Xi’an Chenghuang Temple

Xi’an Chenghuang Temple

Xi’an Chenghuang Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Qinghai Province.

Xi’an Chenghuang Temple, initially built in the 19th year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty, has undergone several renovations over the Ming, Qing, and Republican periods, eventually taking its former grand form. Amidst the haze of incense, paper money, and candles—symbols often associated with superstition—one can still glimpse the splendor of the authentic cultural and artistic treasures of ancient Xi’an.

Xi’an Chenghuang Temple faces south and is approached from the “Grand Memorial Stele” through the ornamental archway gate, leading northward into the temple entrance. The layout is symmetrical along a central axis, extending northward into five courtyards. Key structures include: a large three-bay ornamental archway (the main gate), a grand theater stage, a half-brick-wall fenced “Incense Hall” (also called the Mirror of Courage Platform), the “Soul-Reflecting Hall,” and the “Rear Sleeping Palace.” Symmetrically arranged on the east and west sides are the “Bell and Drum Towers,” the “East and West Corridors” (depicting the Eighteen Yama Courts and the Eighteen Levels of Hell), as well as local city gods and revered historical figures. The main hall, the solemn and majestic “Soul-Reflecting Hall,” houses the statue of the Prefectural City God “Duke of Awe-Inspiring Might”—Deng Xun—at its center, alongside statues of scribes, hell judges, and attendants. It is widely said that “Duke of Awe-Inspiring Might” Deng Xun is the city god governing both Xi’ning Prefecture and the Hehuang region of Qinghai, as well as the provincial city god—the highest administrative official of the underworld.

These exquisitely antique, elegant, and grand Ming and Qing architectural complexes—including the “Mountain Gate,” “Bell and Drum Towers,” “Theater Stage,” “Incense Hall” (Mirror of Courage Platform), “Two Corridors,” and the brick-carved “Great Memorial Screen Wall” at the gate—were all demolished starting in 1958 during the “Religious Reform” and the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s under the guise of eliminating the “Four Olds” and “sweeping away” the old. Only the “Soul-Reflecting Hall” and the “Rear Sleeping Palace” remain.

In the past, two remarkable plaques in the Chenghuang Temple were deeply etched in people’s memories, touching the hearts of many in Xi’ning. Their influence was profound, widespread, and long-lasting, affecting not just one or two generations. The first was a four-character horizontal plaque inscribed with 【Have You Come?】 This plaque hung at the center above the passageway courtyard in the second courtyard, marking the entrance into the temple. Its implication was that after death, the soul would enter the “Underworld.” The other was a fan-shaped horizontal plaque inscribed with 【Heaven’s Reason and Conscience】, which hung at the top of the central corridor opposite the theater stage. This plaque became a widely known and cherished landmark among generations of old Xi’ning residents. It served as a reminder for people to follow rules and cultivate kindness, reflecting the mirror of Confucian ethical and moral standards.

In the eastern end of the East Corridor, a small room houses the statue of the “Night Patrol God” (known locally as Grandpa Spirit), while the western end has another small room with the “Night Patrol God” (known as Grandma Spirit). Adjacent to both sides are five windowless single-room buildings, each containing five statues of the “Duke of Awe-Inspiring Might” (depicted as bailiffs or constables)—with the third statue on the east side being the often-mentioned “Cleft-Lip Duke of Awe-Inspiring Might.” Further inside, there are nine single-eave roofed rooms on both the east and west, each with windows and inner railings. At the altars within, statues of the “Ten Kings of Hell” (Ten Yama Courts) are enshrined: on the east side are the King of Qin Guang, King of Chu Jiang, King of Song, King of Wuguan, and King Yanluo; on the west side are the King of Equality, King of Mount Tai, King of the Metropolis, King of Biancheng, and King of the Wheel of Reincarnation. The attire of these “Ten Yama Kings” is modeled after Ming Dynasty official dress.

Xi’an Chenghuang Temple is a comprehensive artistic sanctuary and can be regarded as a classic example of temple architecture. It embodies a coexistence of Buddhist and Taoist elements, rich historical deposits, and profound symbolism. The ancient architecture, clay sculpture ensembles, couplet plaques, brick carvings, and murals found here are truly unparalleled in the history of ancient Xi’ning. The exceptional artistry and craftsmanship could be described as incomparable, making it a first-class site not only in the province but also nationally. At one time, however, it was completely destroyed. Today, Xi’an Chenghuang Temple is unrecognizable, with its cultural relics and historic sites entirely lost.