Temple of the City God in Luzhou Prefecture

　　Temple of the City God in Luzhou Prefecture (Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units)

　　Era: Yuan to Qing Dynasty

　　Address: No. 13 Miaodao Lane, East Street, Changzhi City

　　The architectural complex of the Prefecture City God Temple was built for the worship of the City God and is one of the larger and better-preserved ancient architectural complexes among the known prefecture-level City God Temples in China.

　　The Temple of the City God in Luzhou Prefecture was first built in the 22nd year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty (1285), and underwent expansions and renovations in the 5th year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty (1492), during the Jiajing and Wanli eras, as well as in the 14th year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1834). Among the extant structures, the main hall and corner halls date back to the Yuan Dynasty, while the bedroom palace, theater stage, and Xuanjian Tower are from the Ming Dynasty, with the rest constructed during the Qing Dynasty.

　　The City God Temple faces south and consists of three courtyards in a single row, covering a total area of 12,229 square meters with a built-up area of 5,175.03 square meters. At the front is a spirit way, with the central north-south axis stretching 408 meters. From south to north along this axis are, in sequence, the Six-Dragon Wall, Hongmen Gate, wooden memorial archway, stone memorial archway, mountain gate, double-story tower (Xuanjian Tower), theater stage, offering pavilion, City God Hall, bedroom palace, as well as side halls and corridor rooms on the east and west sides of each courtyard. The bedroom palace has a built-up area of 181.7 square meters, with a layout of nominally three bays but actually five, serving as the resting place for the City God and his consort, and is a remnant of the Ming Dynasty. The black-glazed flying dragon on the main ridge of the rear hall is also an original Ming Dynasty artifact. The central main hall is an original Yuan Dynasty structure, built in the 22nd year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty (1285), with a width of five bays and a depth of six rafters. The interior employs the method of reducing columns, using only four inner columns. The beam framework is simple yet uses large materials. The front eaves feature brackets with a complex layering design. The painted decorations on various columns and beams exhibit colors such as red, green, and gold. The Temple of the City God in Luzhou Prefecture is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.