Beiguanquan Shrine of the Goddess

　　Beiguanquan Shrine of the Goddess (Fourth Batch Provincial Protected Site)

　　Era: Yuan Dynasty

　　Address: Beiguanquan Village, Miaozhuang Town, Pingshun County

　　The time of establishment is unknown. The existing complex consists of a single-courtyard layout covering an area of 1,115 square meters. Along the central axis are, in sequence: the mountain gate (with a reverse-facing theater stage above), the offering hall, and the main hall; on the east and west sides are side towers, auxiliary halls, and side chambers. The main hall retains architectural features from the Yuan Dynasty, while the rest of the structures date to the Qing Dynasty.

　　The main hall is three bays wide and six rafters deep, with a single-eave hanging gable roof. The front eaves have a corridor; the bracket sets on the outer columns feature single-tiered ang with single upward cantilevers. The interior structure has five purlins supporting the rafters above the three front bays...

　　Before setting off, I did my homework and learned that the grand shrine was located inside a distillery, and that there was a spring within the distillery.

　　A clear spring, fine liquor, and an ancient shrine—how could one possibly have a reason not to go?

　　The mountain village is large, nestled deep in a valley. The mountain gate of the old shrine on the west side of the village was shut tight. The distillery’s iron lock was covered in rust. A kind local, taking pity on us dogs circling a bone, pointed us toward a “clear path.” Parting the overgrown grass and leaping through a window—it turned out things could be that simple. The ancient pine tree was unquestionably venerable, no doubt once standing in glorious splendor. The main hall was littered with liquor bottles, and pigeons circled the beams and rafters. There were, of course, stone carvings and woodwork; naturally, there was a theater stage and auxiliary halls—but we didn’t find that legendary clear spring.

　　Beiguanquan Shrine of the Goddess was established in an unknown year. It faces south and has a single-courtyard layout. Along the central axis are, in sequence: the mountain gate (with a reverse-facing theater stage above), the offering hall, and the main hall; on the east and west sides are side towers, auxiliary halls, and side chambers. The main hall retains architectural features from the Yuan Dynasty, while the rest of the structures date to the Qing Dynasty. It is 23.5 meters wide from east to west and 44.7 meters long from north to south, covering a total area of 1,050 square meters.

　　The main hall is a Yuan Dynasty structure, three bays wide and six rafters deep, with a single-eave hanging gable roof and a roof covered in cylindrical clay tiles. The bracket sets on the column tops are five-component single-tiered with single upward cantilevers, and there are no intercolumnar bracket sets. The beam-frame structure has four purlins supporting the front three bays. The interior flooring is from the Ming Dynasty. The walls are plastered with lime; the wooden columns are rough-hewn. The theater stage and auxiliary halls are all present, though the legendary clear spring was not found.