Huode Zhenjun Temple

　　Destination Introduction
　　The Huode Zhenjun Temple is located at No. 77 Di’anmen Outer Street, Xicheng District. It is said to have been built during the Yuan Dynasty. It was renovated in the 33rd year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1605), when the halls were fitted with glazed tile roofs and an additional story was added. It underwent another renovation in the 24th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1759). It is commonly known as the Fire God Temple.

　　　　The Huode Zhenjun Temple enshrines the True Martial Emperor, represented by a statue of a turtle and snake embracing, symbolizing the spirits of heaven and earth. Legend has it that in the fourth year of the Zhiyuan era (1267) during the reign of Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, a turtle and snake appeared on the Gaoliang River outside today’s Xizhimen. The court officials interpreted this as the presence of the True Martial God, whose virtue is water—and water overcomes fire—meaning the Song Dynasty was destined to fall. Delighted, Kublai Khan ordered the construction of a “Dazhaoying Palace” at the site where the turtle and snake had appeared on the Gaoliang River, to worship the True Martial Emperor. Later, a grand True Martial Temple was also built by the Haizi Lake in the center of the city. After the Yuan Dynasty unified China, Emperor Chengzong of Yuan posthumously honored the True Martial Emperor as the “Yuan Sheng Ren Wei Xuan Tian God,” making him the highest deity of the north.

　　　　Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty, also known as the Yongle Emperor, held the True Martial Emperor in particularly high esteem. During the Jingnan Campaign, through which he seized imperial power, he claimed to have received assistance from the northern divine power, asserting he was acting on heaven’s behalf. After ascending the throne, he further honored the True Martial Emperor as the “Bei Ji Zhen Tian Zhen Wu Xuan Tian God.” He decreed that Mount Wudang be renamed “Da Yue Tai He Shan,” and constructed the “Golden Hall” and golden statues, investing huge sums and mobilizing massive resources to build Mount Wudang into a heavenly-like paradise.

　　　　In the 14th year of the Yongle era (1416), he ordered the construction of an imperial Taoist temple, the True Martial Temple, on the original site near Haizi Bridge at Di’anmen, designating it as one of the Nine Temples of the Capital for official worship. Zhu Di also built the Qinan Hall in the Imperial Garden within the Forbidden City specifically to worship the True Martial Emperor. Even the brackets between the columns on both sides of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where he held court, were painted with images of the True Martial Emperor. He personally composed music titled “Imperially Composed Great Ming Mystical Teachings Musical Score,” meant for performances during ceremonies dedicated to the True Martial Emperor. From then on, reality and legend blurred, and tales of the True Martial Emperor’s manifestations spread throughout the palace, continuing unbroken until the end of the Qing Dynasty.

　　　　The True Martial Temple at Haizi Bridge, being an imperial Taoist temple, naturally had an extraordinary aura. At the time, it enshrined the Bei Ji Yu Sheng Jun—the very True Martial Deity who had assisted Zhu Di in achieving victory. Its scale must have been quite grand. In the second year of the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty (1507), it was renamed Lingming Xianyou Palace. It was rebuilt again during the Qing Dynasty. Though it experienced periods of prosperity and decline, it has survived to this day. Today, the temple still faintly shows traces of the main hall and side halls, seemingly including an incense burner cast during the Qianlong reign and a bell cast during the Guangxu reign. Time has changed, and the once-imperial Taoist temple is now but a dilapidated shell, accompanied by an ancient buried bridge.

　　　　Fortunately, with the recent excavation and water diversion project near Houmen Bridge, the temple is also being restored. Looking westward, the sea is calm—suddenly recalling Xu Youren’s poetic line: “Truly believing in the magical hand of the Eastern Lord, who in one night turned the willows along the official bridge lush and green.”

　　　　The temple faces south and has an eastern-facing gate. Both inside and outside the eastern mountain gate stand a memorial archway. Outside the mountain gate are flagpoles, while inside are the bell and drum towers. The mountain gate has three bays; the front hall is the Hall of the Spirit Official, spanning three bays; the second hall also spans three bays. There are two-story side pavilions on the east and west, and a pavilion behind the hall offers a view of Shichahai. It is a key cultural relic protected by Beijing Municipality.

　　　　Address: No. 77 Di’anmen Street, Xicheng District.  Transportation Information
　　Transportation: Take bus routes 5, 107, 111, or 810 to Di’anmen Station, and the temple is located to the west of the station.

　　 Beijing Xicheng District

　　(No images available at the moment. Contributions are welcome.)