Yangqu Xuanyuan Temple

Yangqu Xuanyuan Temple

Yangqu Xuanyuan Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Yangqu Xuanyuan Temple

Era: Ming and Qing Dynasties

Address: Central part of Xidian Village, Donghuangshui Town, Yangqu County, Taiyuan City

Xuanyuan Temple was built to commemorate Xuanyuan Huangdi, the legendary ancestor of the Chinese nation. The exact date of its establishment is unknown. According to inscriptions on steles, it was rebuilt in the 16th year of the Jiajing reign during the Ming Dynasty (1537). The temple faces south and features a two-courtyard layout. Along the central axis are a theater stage (also serving as the mountain gate), a passageway hall, and the main hall, with side halls and auxiliary halls on both sides.

The main hall is a Ming Dynasty structure, with a width of three bays, a depth of six rafters, a single-eave suspended gable roof covered with cylindrical tiles, a seven-rafter front-and-rear corridor-style framework, and bracket sets of the five-cusp double-rising type. The central bay of the front eaves is fitted with four-panel lattice doors, the side bays have vertical-bar windows, and the column bases are of the inverted basin type.

The interior side walls feature 12 painted seated statues of the Medicine King, each 1.5 meters tall. The passageway hall contains about 10 square meters of colored paintings. The temple preserves seven stone steles from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, as well as fragments such as broken steles, stone pagodas, and stone dharani pillars.

The overall layout of the temple courtyard remains largely intact. From south to north along the central axis are the theater stage (also serving as the mountain gate), the passageway hall, and the main hall, with auxiliary halls on both sides. The main hall is a Ming Dynasty structure, while the other buildings date to the Qing Dynasty.

Xuanyuan Temple largely retains the temple layout and architectural style of the Ming and Qing periods. The authenticity and integrity of the cultural heritage structures and associated artifacts are well preserved. The main hall’s beam framework, bracket sets, and bracket arms exhibit distinctive features of the period, making it an important representative of local Ming Dynasty architecture.

On October 7, 2019, Yangqu Xuanyuan Temple was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Source: Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau

Donghuangshui Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Yangqu County. Established as Donghuangshui Commune in 1959 and upgraded to a town in 1984. Located in the eastern part of the county, 10 kilometers from the county seat. Covers an area of 164.2 square kilometers with a population of 16,000. The Yangdong Highway passes through the town. It administers 23 village committees including Donghuangshui, Guxian, Xidian, Xiluoyin, Nanluoyin, Beiluoyin, Xipanwei, Shuiquangou, Shangshangzui, Matuo, Fanzhuang, Gedunnao, Dahang, Jijiagang, Zhengjiazhai, Niujiatan, Puzi, Honggou, Pingtang?, Xiaohang, Dongpanwei, Chewanshou, and Shigoudong. Crops include millet, sorghum, and corn. The area is known for its production of edible vinegar. Historic sites... More details on Donghuangshui Town++

Further reading:

· Fifth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units