Guayuan Taoist Temple

　　The temple is situated to the west of Guayuan Village, Sangcun Town. At present, only the main hall, the Three Pure Ones Pavilion, and six stone steles survive. Originally, it was a two-courtyard complex facing south, measuring 49.5 meters from north to south and 18.6 meters from east to west. There was a gate tower on the southern side, about 4 meters high. The courtyard once had three ancient cypresses and eight stone steles. The main hall consists of three rooms and is an ancient structure built with bricks and tiles. It originally had a front porch, which was removed during renovations after the liberation. Behind the main hall is the Two-Story Three Pure Ones Pavilion, with two rooms on each floor, standing approximately 7 meters tall. The inscription “Three Pure Ones Pavilion” above the gate was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.

　　During the land reform, the temple was allocated to Yuan Maosheng, the last Taoist priest. He came here at the age of eight, studying under Li Yuanmao and his grandmaster Yu Jiasen. Yuan Maosheng’s Taoist name was Yuan Mingsheng. This is a reclining-view temple. According to a stele from the 15th year of the Chongzhen reign, Guayuan Village was originally named “Xinglong Village,” and the temple was formerly called “Xinglong Nunnery,” also known as “Gugu Temple” or “Erxiao Temple.” The temple was built by a mother and daughter from the Song family in the village, who contributed their family assets. It underwent several renovations during the Ming, Qing, and Republican periods, with the last one carried out by a man surnamed Gao from the village during the Republican era. It suffered severe damage during the Cultural Revolution. Later, the government designated it as Yuan Maosheng’s property, and he conducted multiple repairs to preserve the temple in relatively good condition. The “Three Pure Ones Pavilion” enshrines three deities: the “Human Ancestor Lord,” the “Human Ancestor Lady,” and the “Child-Giving Goddess.” The main hall features colorful murals depicting scenes such as “Yu the Great Subduing the Flood Dragon,” “The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea,” “Little Ghosts Eating,” and “Landscape Scenery,” all vivid and brightly colored.

　　The structure of the Three Pure Ones Pavilion is made of brick and stone. Experts have identified it as being from the mid-Qing Dynasty based on architectural style and tile ornaments, but the foundation and column bases suggest it was built during the Ming Dynasty. This confirms that it underwent large-scale renovations in the mid-Qing Dynasty. The Sangcun Guayuan Taoist Temple is the best-preserved ancient architectural gem discovered in Shanting District. (Collected and compiled by Chen Yong, Huang Qiwu, and Wang Chengqian)

　　

　　Source: Sangcun Government Website