Zhijin God of Wealth Temple

　　In the heart of Guizhou’s central region, standing tall in the county town of Zhijin, is an imposing and magnificent ancient structure — a provincial-level key cultural relic — the God of Wealth Temple.

　　The God of Wealth Temple was first built in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, and was reconstructed in the 48th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty. It is a wooden structure featuring 38 ridges and a four-tiered hanging hip-and-gable roof, shaped like a pagoda. Eighteen copper bells are hung beneath its 18 wing corners, chiming softly in the breeze. The temple has four levels: the ground floor spans 16.76 meters in width and 12.15 meters in depth, with five parallel bays. The second, third, and fourth floors gradually decrease in size proportionally, all extending from the central ridge, forming a pagoda-like shape. The gable edges feature ridged eaves, which from the side create three stacked “人” (human) shapes. Each wing corner is adorned with exquisitely carved wooden brackets in various animal shapes. All doors and windows are intricately carved with hollow or relief patterns and designs. In 1992, the Cultural Relics Department of the Provincial Department of Culture allocated special funds to renovate the temple, restoring this gem of ancient architecture to its former glory.

　　The God of Wealth Temple holds significant scientific, artistic, and historical value. On November 18, 1986, a group of 27 renowned cultural heritage experts, scholars, and leaders from relevant provincial departments visited Zhijin for an inspection and spoke very highly of it. Shan Shiyuan, a researcher at the Palace Museum and a famous expert on ancient architecture, commented: “The Zhijin God of Wealth Temple is a unique ancient structure, unlike anything seen in China, though it bears some resemblance to Japan’s Osaka’s Boshukaku.” Zhang Kaiji, the chief architect of the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, remarked: “The God of Wealth Temple is a symbol of Zhijin’s history, and is a rare architectural gem in both Guizhou and the whole country.” Du Xianzhou, a senior engineer at the Cultural Relics Conservation Science and Technology Research Institute under the Ministry of Culture, noted: “The roof of the Zhijin County God of Wealth Temple features diverse and dynamic variations, constructed using a mortise-and-tenon system with thin wooden strips to support a large building.” The provincial authorities placed great importance on the opinions of these experts. Leaders and experts from the Provincial Department of Culture’s Cultural Relics Office conducted multiple site visits to Zhijin to develop construction plans, draw blueprints, and provide on-site technical guidance. During the renovation, the provincial cultural relics experts boldly explored new methods, worked closely with the construction team, and successfully moved the entire temple structure 3.12 meters backward — a pioneering achievement in the history of ancient Chinese architectural restoration.

　　Today, Zhijin Cave and the Zhijin God of Wealth Temple have become shining pearls along the western Guizhou tourism route. Embracing the winds of reform and opening-up, they showcase their splendid diversity and rich cultural significance, affirming their own unique value.