Hall of Mysterious Origin

　　The Hall of Mysterious Origin gets its name because Luyi is the birthplace of the Li surname—the root of all people surnamed Li in the world. Li Yuan, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, revered Laozi as his ancestor, honored Laozi’s birthplace Luyi as his ancestral temple, and posthumously conferred upon Laozi the title of “Supreme Mysterious Origin Emperor.” “Xuan” means profound or mysterious, and “Yuan” means beginning or origin. Together, “Xuan Yuan” also signifies that Laozi’s profound and extensive philosophy originated and flourished here.

　　Historically, the Hall of Mysterious Origin existed but was later destroyed in wars. The current grand hall has been reconstructed based on historical records and archaeological findings. Inside the hall stands a bronze statue of Laozi, which is currently the largest bronze seated statue of Laozi in the world. This statue of Laozi is 7.6 meters tall, weighs 8.6 tons, and together with its base weighs a total of 53 tons. Its expression is both human and divine. Laozi holds a ruyi hook, and his flowing robes are adorned with cranes, peaches symbolizing longevity, and coiled dragon motifs commonly seen on Shang and Zhou dynasty bronzes—symbolizing Laozi as the “dragon-like” sage, reflecting his serene and ethereal demeanor as a philosopher, thinker, and great sage.

　　On either side of the Hall of Mysterious Origin are two side halls. The eastern side hall is the Purple Pole Hall. During the Tang Dynasty, the Mingdao Palace architectural complex was called the Purple Pole Palace. To commemorate this former name, the eastern side hall is named the Purple Pole Hall. The western side hall is the Primordial Chaos Hall. A Song Dynasty emperor conferred upon Laozi the title of “Primordial Chaos Supreme Virtue Emperor,” and to honor this former title of Laozi, the western side hall is named the Primordial Chaos Hall.

　　Source: Luoyi County People's Government Website