Granny Temple

Granny Temple

The Granny Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

There are three Goddess of the Sea deities in Heyuan City, as well as three temples dedicated to them. One of the deities is surnamed Lin, and her temple is located at the entrance of Xiacheng East Alley, near the current Cooperative Society and the Urban Finance Bureau. This temple likely had little incense burning and has long since disappeared—few in the city know of it. Another deity is surnamed Chen, and her temple is called "Wangshui Niang," located on Toutang Street. This temple enjoys considerable incense burning, with many people coming to worship, especially those who travel by boat, who must pray to Wangshui Niang for protection and safety, hoping to turn misfortune into fortune. The third deity is surnamed Li, and her temple is the "Granny Temple."

The Granny Temple is situated in Shuangxia Village, in the southern suburbs of Heyuan City, in a small place called Shiyiyu, more than ten li from Yuan City. The temple is quite majestic in construction, with two sections—one in the front and one in the back. The front section houses the statue of the Goddess of the Sea. The shrine that holds the deity is solemn and elegant. In front of the statue is a large, beautifully carved altar table. On the table sit three large incense burners for worshippers to burn incense and candles. Aside from the incense burners, there is still ample space for placing offerings. In front of the altar table is an iron cauldron used for burning joss paper. In front of the temple is a lawn of about two or three mu, and on both sides and behind the temple, bamboo and trees grow thickly, creating a very serene atmosphere. On either side of the temple gate stand stone lions, vividly crafted. On the lawn are two granite-carved masts standing tall, lending the entire temple a solemn and dignified air. Below the lawn flows the Xiao River (also known as the Xinfeng River), where many large rocks jut out of the water. These rocks come in various shapes and are quite picturesque. One larger, taller rock is said to have once oozed rice and is called the "Rice-Spouting Rock." The river section in front of the Granny Temple is strewn with rocks and swift currents, making it quite dangerous. All boats passing through this stretch would offer incense to the Granny Temple and toss some copper coins into the water, praying for a safe journey. The Granny Temple is not only an attraction in terms of architecture and environment. Before liberation, everyone in the city and nearby rural areas, regardless of age or gender, knew of it. Many people believed in the deity of the Granny Temple, saying she was very efficacious, which is why the temple enjoyed thriving incense burning. On ordinary days, many came to worship and draw divination lots. During the Spring Festival, from the first day onward, worshippers came in an endless stream to pray and draw lots. The entire temple was shrouded in incense smoke from morning till night, filled with noisy crowds and deafening firecrackers. Those who drew lots were very generous in donating oil incense money to the temple, so the temple’s caretaker earned a very handsome income. Many wanted to be the caretaker, but one had to win the bid to secure the position.

On the 19th day of the first lunar month each year, the Goddess of the Granny Temple is said to return to her parental home for a short visit, an event called the "Goddess's Outing." On that day, the Li clan in the city forms a group that goes to welcome the goddess’s statue into the city just before dawn, while the major families of Shuangxia Village—the Lis, Lius, Chens, and Liaos—each form their own groups, along with smaller families uniting into one group, to escort the goddess into the city. Nearly all the residents of Shuangxia Village come to see off the goddess. Both the welcoming and sending-off groups are elaborately arranged: at the front are colorful flags and drums, followed by several Eight Immortals tables, each carried by two people. Each table displays fresh flowers, miniature rock landscapes, offerings, incense burners, and more—each table holding one kind of item. Then come small wooden shelters, adorned with over a dozen carefully selected, pretty, and clever young boys and girls dressed in ancient costumes, wearing makeup, playing the roles of immortal children. They sway their heads, wave fans, and flutter handkerchiefs, delighting onlookers. Larger processions also feature a “stacked pen,” which involves selecting a young boy, dressing him elaborately, and supporting him as he stands atop a wooden pole several meters high, performing dance moves. People find it thrilling yet captivating. Around 8 a.m., under the escort of the various groups, the goddess’s statue enters the city via Zhumen Ting and proceeds toward the South Gate of Shangcheng. At that time, Shangcheng had walls with only gates for access. The South Gate wall and the area inside and outside the gate were crowded with finely dressed men and women watching the grand procession to welcome the goddess—a very lively scene. The goddess enters the city and heads straight to Shishili Li House on Beizhi Street in Shangcheng. Before her arrival, the Shishili Li House had already erected a large wooden pavilion in front, even bigger than the current Mingfeng Bridge pavilion, complete with a deity altar and incense table for worshippers to pray and draw lots. The goddess rests briefly in the Shishili Li House pavilion before beginning her outing. That day is extremely lively—not only do locals put aside their tasks to watch the goddess’s procession, but farmers from the suburban villages and even those from farther regions who have relatives or friends in the city where they can stay also come to Heyuan to witness the event. The day after the goddess’s outing, the 20th day of the first lunar month, is the "Ban Hui" festival, which is incredibly lively. In those times of scarce entertainment, this day was considered a major festive cultural event in the city. Around 9 a.m., the "Ban Hui" for the goddess begins. By then, crowds gather along the streets and alleys the procession will pass, most dressed in new clothes bought for the New Year, especially children in fine attire, waiting for the arrival of the "Ban Hui." Along the route, wealthy households set up tables with fresh flowers, fruits, incense, candles, and offerings. When the goddess’s statue passes, they burn incense, set off firecrackers, and devout worshippers bow deeply in solemn reverence. The "Ban Hui" procession is grand and meticulously arranged. The various participating groups proceed one after another in sequence. Each group has colorful flags, drums, several Eight Immortals tables, and one or two wooden shelters, stretching over two or three hundred meters. The entire parade features fluttering flags, thundering drums, and deafening firecrackers. After these groups comes the goddess’s statue. She sits in an open palanquin carried by eight uniformly dressed, handsome men. On either side of the palanquin are two people carrying metal incense burners, inside which cypress wood burns, releasing a strong, fragrant aroma. When the goddess’s statue arrives, most onlookers bow, and many murmur prayers, asking for the goddess’s protection and blessings. Behind the statue follows a large, jubilant crowd. The "Ban Hui" procession travels through Shangcheng, Xiacheng, Shangjiao, and Xiajiao before returning to Shishili Li House. From then on, crowds press in to worship and draw lots until 8 or 9 p.m. The next day, starting at dawn, people again flock to pray and draw lots. The Li clan refers to the goddess as “Auntie Granny,” and many Li members go to worship her. This lively, crowded scene lasts for three or four days. During these days, those involved in organizing the "Ban Hui" earn considerable oil incense donations.

After these three or four days of bustling worship, news spreads that the goddess will return to her palace two days later. This serves to urge those who wish to pray or draw lots to hurry up, allowing the temple caretaker and others to earn more donations. The caretaker uses every means possible to profit from the Goddess of the Granny Temple. Hence the saying: “The Granny Temple makes the caretaker rich but leaves the people of Shuangxia poor.” This is because, starting from the first day of the Lunar New Year, many people visit the Granny Temple in Shuangxia Village daily to pray and draw lots, many of whom are relatives or friends of Shuangxia villagers. These visitors often bring New Year gifts such as rice cakes or red envelopes to their relatives or friends, who, during the New Year season, cannot refuse to host guests and offer a meal. In those economically difficult times, hosting even one meal for guests was hard for rural families, and if multiple such guests arrived consecutively, they might have to borrow money. Hence the saying, “the people of Shuangxia grew poor.”

Upper City Streets: The Upper City Subdistrict Office was established in March 1997 when the former Yuan Town was divided into subdistrict offices. Located in the old city area, it borders the Dongjiang River to the east, Yuannan Town to the south, Xinjiang Subdistrict Office to the west, and the Xinfeng River to the north. The office is located at No. 74 Huancheng East Road and currently serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of Yuancheng District. It covers a total area of 3.5 square kilometers, with a registered population of 39,292 and 7,590 resident households. It governs six community neighborhood committees: Shangcheng, Xiacheng, Xiajiao, Gongyuan, Xinxing, and Nanhu. The office includes internal departments such as the Party-Government Office, Subdistrict Affairs Office, Economic Development Office, Family Planning Office, and Social Affairs Office... More details about Upper City Subdistrict++