Guanlin Temple

Guanlin Temple Scenic Area is mainly for burning incense to worship Lord Guan. It is not a natural scenic area, but can basically be regarded as a blessing scenic area. The whole scenic area is constructed as a garden. Enter from the central axis and circle out on both sides. The tour time is 1 hour.



The incense is very prosperous, and many people come from all over the country to visit. Only Confucius can be called "Lin" in the country. The fact that Guan Gong can be called "Lin" together with Confucius is enough to show the recognition of the people.



In fact, someone mentioned the question of "is it worth it" in the scenic area. My opinion is: if you want to pray, you can come; if you are a fan of the Three Kingdoms history, you should move on. The reason why Guan Gong has such a high status in China has a lot to do with the novel. He is the embodiment of loyalty and righteousness, which is in line with the traditional cognition and national ideals of the Chinese people, so it is understandable that people admire him very much.



I don't think this is so-called "feudal superstition". After all, from every nation to every individual, everyone has their own pious beliefs and life pursuits; being treated fairly is everyone's wish. As for ordinary people, they don't understand those great principles, nor can they dialectically write and express their beliefs; isn't it the best thing to have a historical figure express these beliefs and pursuits in a real (although it is a novel) and tangible way? Guan Yu is the incarnation of these, appearing at the intersection of history and reality, so it is not difficult to understand why he became the folk patron saint.

I went there for Yunchang's fame, but I was disappointed. It is really a holy place for praying, with smoke everywhere and more incense than in temples. There are also places everywhere to persuade people to buy incense and donate money for praying, which is surprising... Is this really good? I have been to Wuhou Temple, Yuewang Temple, Confucius Forest, etc., but I have never seen such a scenic spot managed like this. The main part is the Ming and Qing architectural complex, and there are few inscriptions. You can see it or not... The cost performance is not high

Guanlin, where Guan Yu's head was buried, has a rigorous and spectacular layout. When Guan Yu attacked Xiangfan, Sun Quan sent Lu Meng to cross the river in white clothes to attack Guan Yu. Guan Yu was defeated by Sun and Cao and fled to Maicheng. Later, Sun Quan, fearing Liu Bei's revenge, presented Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao. Cao Cao loved talents and buried Guan Yu here. Although Guanlin is small, it is solemn and dignified. Looking at the statue of Guan Gong quietly, those popular stories sounded in my ears again, such as the three sworn brothers in Taoyuan, beheading Hua Xiong with warm wine, passing five passes and beheading six generals, beheading Yan Liang and beheading Wen Chou, Huarong Road, attending a meeting with a single sword, scraping bones to heal wounds, flooding seven armies, and fleeing Maicheng. A series of well-known allusions string together Guan Yunchang's life. Guanlin is a place that fans of the Three Kingdoms must visit.

Guanlin is the place where the head of Guan Yu, a general of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period, was buried. There is a temple in front and a tomb in the back. It is adjacent to the ancient city of Sui and Tang Dynasties in the north, Longmen Grottoes in the south, Luolong Avenue in the west, and the clear stream of Yishui River in the east. It is one of the three major Guanlin temples at home and abroad. Among the thousands of Guanlin temples, it is the only one called "Lin". It is the only ancient classic building in China that combines tomb, temple and forest. Opening hours: 8:00-18:00 every day. Transportation: Take bus No. 55, 58, 69, 15, 39, 71, 81 to get to Guanlin Temple directly. Tour route: Theater--main gate--ceremonial gate (Guandi string instruments, Guandi riding horse statue)--lion corridor--bell and drum tower--patterned stele--incense burner--dragon and phoenix cypresses--Zhang Xueliang monument--moon platform--worship store (drums, bells, seals)--main hall--second hall (additional bricks and tiles)--Niangniang Hall, Wuhu Hall--Xuansheng Cypress, Jieyi Cypress--third hall--Ming and Qing Dynasty stone archways--imperial stele pavilion--Guanlin (tomb)--gua stele.

The gates of Guanlin are symmetrically located and solemn. They were built in the 56th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1791). There are 9981 golden nipples on the middle gate, which is the symbol of the highest grade in the feudal social hierarchy. The east and west gables are arranged in the shape of an "eight" on both sides, with four large characters "loyalty" and "benevolence and courage" in seal script, summarizing Guan Yu's life of loyalty to the emperor, righteousness, friendship, benevolence and bravery.



After entering the gate, the Yimen Gate comes into view. The ancient cypresses on both sides of the corridor are lush and green, solemn and majestic. The Yimen Gate was built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It was originally the gate of the Guandi Temple in the Ming Dynasty. It was renamed the Yimen Gate in the Qing Dynasty. At that time, civil officials had to get off their sedan chairs and military officers had to get off their horses. The plaque "Wei Yang Liuhe" on the door was written by Empress Dowager Cixi and is very precious.

The gate of Guanlin is impressive. It was built in the 56th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1791). There are 9981 golden nipples on the middle gate, which is the symbol of the highest grade in the feudal social hierarchy. On the east and west sides of the gate are eight-character walls, with four characters "loyalty" and "benevolence and courage" inscribed in seal script, summarizing Guan Yu's life of loyalty to the emperor, righteousness, friendship, benevolence and bravery.



The Yimen Gate was built during the Wanli Period of the Ming Dynasty. Its name means "there is a ritual to represent". It was the place where civil officials got off their sedan chairs and military officials got off their horses. It was originally the main gate of the Guandi Temple in the Ming Dynasty and was renamed the Yimen Gate in the Qing Dynasty. The plaque "Wei Yang Liuhe" on the lintel was written by Empress Dowager Cixi and is very precious. There are two carved stones inlaid on the five-flowered partition walls of the east and west secondary rooms and the end room of the Yimen Gate. On the east side is the "Portrait of Guan Shengdi Jun" painted by Yue Fei, a famous general who fought against the Jin Dynasty in the Song Dynasty, in memory of Guan Yu's bravery and loyalty. On the west side is the "Guan Di Poem Bamboo" painted by Guan Yu himself. All the bamboo leaves in this bamboo painting are embellished with a poem: "I don't thank Dongjun for his kindness, and his painting has its own name. Don't dislike the lonely leaves, which are pale, and will never wither."

From the travel notes: http://www.mafengwo.cn/i/11096798.html "[See the Central Plains in Henan] A perfect "National Day" trip to Henan for serious lovers of ancient architecture + stubborn foragers ~ (with the tips of local foodies)"

Guanlin has a much smaller flow of people. Alas, more than a thousand years later, we still admire Guan Gong's loyalty and righteousness! What a great reputation!

The Guanlin is full of green cypresses. The "Guanlin Green Cypresses" is one of the "eight small scenes" in Luoyang. There are thousands of ancient cypresses, lush and verdant. Whenever the rain stops and the sky clears up, clouds like smoke, like curling incense, slowly flow around the tomb. The fantastic scene is amazing. The spiral cypress is also extremely rare. For thousands of years, Guan Yu has been widely respected by the people as the embodiment of loyalty and morality.

Guanlin passed through a row of halls and came to the front of the forest. The stone archway in front of the forest was 10 meters wide and 6 meters high, with three doorways. The five characters "Han Shou Ting Hou Tomb" were inscribed on the front. There were many couplets on the archway, all of which were works praising Guan Yu, and the writing style was all Ming and Qing Dynasty calligraphy.

The octagonal pavilion was built in the fifth year of Emperor Kangxi's reign (1666) in the Qing Dynasty. It is ingeniously constructed and unique. Inside the pavilion is a 4.8-meter-high stone tablet with a carved dragon on the top and the inscription "Lefeng Beiji". The front of the tablet is inscribed with "Loyal and Righteous Divine Martial Spiritual Blessing Benevolent Brave and Mighty Guan Sheng Great Emperor Lin", which is the highest title bestowed on Guan Yu by emperors of all dynasties.

The stele with the inscription "Loyal, Righteous, Divine, Martial, Benevolent, Brave, and Mighty Guan Yu the Great Emperor Lin" is erected in the imperial stele pavilion in front of Guan Lin (tomb). The inscription on the stele records Guan Yu's life, titles, and temple building. It is an important basis for Guan Lin to be called "Lin", reflecting the supreme respect that emperors of all dynasties have for Guan Yu and the continuous history of worshipping Guan Lin. It also proves Guan Lin's status as the leader temple among thousands of Guan temples at home and abroad.

The last Guan Tomb is where Guan Yu's spirit is buried. It is 17 meters high and covers an area of 2,600 square meters. On the south wall of the front of the tomb, there is a stone tomb gate built in the 56th year of Kangxi's reign. The door plaque is inscribed with "Zhong Ling Chu" and the couplet on the tomb door reads: "The spirit travels to Shangyuan riding on a crane, and his bones are hidden in the sky as a sleeping dragon."

On the ceremonial gate of Guanlin is written "威扬六合", which means Guan Yu's heroic spirit is so great that it shakes the world. This plaque was written by Empress Dowager Cixi. She had good calligraphy. No wonder, if she was not good at playing the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, she could not enter the palace and become the empress dowager.

The 35-meter-long and 4-meter-wide corridor built with stone railings from the ceremonial gate to the main hall is the only stone lion corridor in Guan Temples in my country and is known as the "Little Lugou Valley in Luoyang".

According to the inscription, the current corridor was rebuilt in the 47th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was built in the style of an imperial palace with donations from merchants in Luoyang. 104 stone lions of different sizes were carved on the 36 pillars. They stood on both sides of the corridor like two rows of guards. These stone lions do not look fierce and majestic, but lively and cute.

The bell tower and drum tower are located on the east and west sides of Yongtong, and the two towers have the same architectural style. In many Chinese temples, there are bell and drum towers. The morning bell and evening drum are not only used to tell time, but also add a bit of mystery and sacredness to the solemn sacrifice.

The corridor from the ceremonial gate to the main hall is 35 meters long and 4 meters wide, with stone railings on both sides, 36 pillars and 104 stone lions. This corridor with stone lions is known as the "Little Lugou in Luoyang". According to the inscription, the current corridor was rebuilt in the 47th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1619) with donations from merchants in Luoyang and built in the style of a palace.

The Imperial Road of Stone Lions was a special path for the emperor or the court officials to pay tribute. The lions were in various poses, lifelike. Since most of the pillars and railings of the Imperial Road were donated by believers, praying for prosperous business and abundant wealth, many of them were carved with copper coin patterns, implying wealth from all directions, so the people also called it the "Way to Make Money".

There are a forest of steles, a steles tower, a bell and drum tower, etc. in the park, as well as several large halls such as the worship hall, the Qisheng hall, the God of Wealth hall, etc., as well as the red rabbit horse and the broadsword.

When I arrived at Guanlin, a tour group from Xiamen, Fujian, was slowly visiting Guanlin under the guidance of a tour guide. A dozen tourists listened very carefully. Even when they heard the familiar story of "passing five passes and killing six generals", several old men and women squinted their eyes and listened carefully, asking questions from time to time. When they arrived in front of the main hall, the tourists knelt down one after another and bowed down, very pious. "People in our area worship Guan Erye very much. He is not only the embodiment of loyalty and righteousness, but also the God of Wealth, who can bless us with abundant wealth." Tourist Mr. Shi told reporters in southern Mandarin.

Compared with the pragmatism of southerners, northerners seem to value the spirit of Guan Yu more. According to the tour guides, young people used to go to Guan Erye's tomb to swear brotherhood, which was more sincere because the righteous Guan Yu was watching from heaven.

Jiuzhou Pond simulates the Kyushu with nine islands, which is ingeniously designed and magnificent. The white marble bridge spans the blue water, and the waterside pavilions and terraces are reflected in it, forming a beautiful ink painting.

Guanlin is the place where the head of Guan Yu, the martial saint, was buried. It is the highest name for a tomb. It was called Guanhou Tomb in the Han Dynasty, Guanwang Tomb in the Song Dynasty, and Guandi Mausoleum in the Ming Dynasty. In the fifth year of Emperor Kangxi's reign in the Qing Dynasty, Guandi Mausoleum was renamed Guanlin, and it has been used ever since.

Guanlin is the place where the head of Han Shou Ting Hou was buried. It is written in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms that in order to shift the blame of killing Guan Yu to Cao Cao, Sun Quan specially presented Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao. Cao Cao was a man of great ability, how could he fall for it? In addition, out of respect for Guan Yu, he buried Guan Yu with royal courtesy. Then Liu Bei and Sun Quan started fighting! Cao Wei was so happy to reap the benefits~

Those who believe in Guan Yu can come and worship him. It is also a shrine to worship our own cultural history.

According to legend, Guan Yu's head is buried in Guanlin, Luoyang, and people come here to worship. Guan Yu was defeated and killed by Wu Jun in Maicheng. Sun Quan sent Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao. Cao Cao always admired Guan Yu's character, and posthumously named him King of Jing. He carved a body of sandalwood and buried Guan Yu in the south of Luoyang with royal ceremony. He also built a temple to worship him, which is Guanlin.



The Guanlin that we see today is a group of well-preserved ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, Guanlin was rebuilt on the original site of the Guan Temple of the Han Dynasty. Emperor Wanli highly respected Guandi. The prince of Luoyang tried to figure out the emperor's intention and proposed to build Guanlin. During the Qing Dynasty, Guanlin was renovated on a large scale, and the Imperial Edict Pavilion, Silk Burning Furnace, Qianqiujian Tower, and the main gate were added.



Guan Yu is the only person in history who is respected by all three religions, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. His status and position are far beyond the reach of other generals. Guan Yu is worshipped as a god by the people because of his loyalty and courage, and this belief has lasted for a long time. "He was conferred the title of Marquis in the Han Dynasty, the title of King in the Song Dynasty, and the title of Emperor in the Ming Dynasty. Confucianism calls him a saint, Buddhism calls him a Buddha, and Taoism calls him the Heavenly Lord."

Guanlin is not far from Longmen Grottoes. After visiting Longmen Grottoes, we took a taxi here.

Guanlin, located in Guanlin Town, Luolong District, Luoyang City, Henan Province, is the place where the head of Guan Yu, a general of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period, was buried. It has a temple in front and a tomb in the back. It is one of the three major Guan temples at home and abroad. It is the only one called "Lin" among thousands of Guan temples. It is the only ancient classic building in China that combines tombs, temples and forests. It is now a national key cultural relic protection unit and a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Opening hours: 8:00-18:30 every day. Ticket price: 40 yuan for adults, 20 yuan for students. People over 60 years old are free with ID card.

Transportation: Take bus No. 15, 39, 55, 58, 69

Guanlin is not big, and one hour is enough to visit it.

Guanlin Temple is very popular. You can buy incense at the gate, a small bundle costs 10 yuan.



Guanlin was first built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty and was expanded during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. The existing buildings are mainly from the Ming Dynasty. It is a well-preserved ancient building complex. The architectural specifications of Guanlin were built in the form of a palace, with a rigorous and spectacular layout. There is a stage in front of the temple. The buildings on the central axis are the main gate, ceremonial gate, corridor, worship hall, main hall, second hall, third hall, stone archway, Linbei Pavilion, and Guan Tomb. There are other symmetrical buildings of the same form on both sides of the central axis. The most distinctive one is the dance building, which is a combination of the hip-and-gable style on the front stage and the hard-mountain style on the back stage, with double-eaved pavilions. The wonderful construction is rare in the country. It is also the location of the "Luoyang Ancient Art Museum".

It is said that Guan Gong was defeated in Maicheng, died unyieldingly, and was buried in Luoyang. He would never have thought that thousands of years later, it would become the Guandi Bodhisattva of Buddhism, the Guan Sheng Emperor of Taoism, and the Martial Saint of Confucianism. He would never have thought that his mausoleum would become a holy place on par with the Three Kongs. Many things in the world are unimaginable during one's lifetime! "

"In addition to the red ropes used for praying, the most common thing in the temple is the ancient cypresses. The solemn stone path leads to the main hall, with silent stone lions on both sides and dense green cypresses. I don't remember anything else except the tombs."

It was named after the burial place of the head of Guan Yu, a general of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period. There is a temple in front and a tomb in the back.

The ticket is 40 yuan. You can listen to the explanation and follow the WeChat public account directly. There are not many tourists, some come to burn incense. I personally don’t know much about this place. Guanlin is not big, and I feel that the ticket price is too high.

I drove from Chengdu to Qingdao with my children, and stayed in Luoyang specifically to visit Guanlin and Longmen Grottoes. I had told my children the Romance of the Three Kingdoms as a bedtime story before, and they were fascinated by Guan Yu. When I told them about Guan Yu's defeat and escape to Maicheng, they cried. For this reason, I must go to Guanlin in Luoyang to explore history and pay tribute to the ancient monuments. It is worth it.

After Guan Yu's death, he was continuously given titles until today, and was called a saint. The emperors had mausoleums, the princes had tombs, the common people had tombs, but only saints had "forests". Confucius was called Konglin for civil affairs, and Guan Yu was called Guanlin for military affairs.

There is a lot of incense here, and there are many various sacrificial activities. Then I found that Guan Yu is in charge of everything (laughing and crying). The main structure inside is not big, and the emphasis is on spirit.

From the entrance to the scenic area, you can hear people singing everywhere. It might be Henan opera. They really sing it! It sounds pretty good.

Guanlin is also known as Guanlin Temple, because it is the place where the head of Guan Gong is buried. As a reader of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, how could I not come? Guanlin is the only ancient classic building in my country that combines tomb, temple and forest into one, and it is very popular.



👉What are tombs, temples, and forests?



In short, it is the burial system regarding status during the ancient feudal period in my country.



"Ling" is what we call the imperial mausoleum. As the name suggests, in ancient times only the tombs of emperors were qualified to be called mausoleums. As mausoleum-level tombs, they are generally very magnificent and cover a large area.



"Zhong", if you have been an official, your tomb after death is called Zhong. For example, Shen Wansan's clothing and hat tomb in Zhouzhuang, the general tomb, etc. As Guanlin, it is well known that Guan Yu was a general of Shu during his lifetime, so it is very appropriate to call it Zhong here.



"Grave" and "tomb" generally belong to the common people. A grave is just a small mound of earth, while a tomb is slightly built and generally belongs to wealthy businessmen or people of high status. So many people say "abandoned grave", but rarely hear the word "abandoned tomb".



"Lin" means that a person has made great achievements during his lifetime, and his tomb can be called "Lin" after his death. For example, the Confucius Forest in Qufu. Guan Lin in Luoyang is the only great figure in my country who can be compared with Confucius, except for the Confucius Forest in Qufu. This is enough to show the high status of Guan Lin in the hearts of the people.



The most interesting thing is that when I came to Guanlin that day, I actually encountered a scene of 15 people sworn brotherhood. That scene really shocked me... It seems that this kind of brotherhood... still requires worshipping Guan Gong.



Because it is the Chinese New Year period, big red lanterns are hung high everywhere in Luoyang, creating a strong festive atmosphere.



I thought it was a small temple, but in fact, Guanlin is not small in area and is divided into many small areas. It can be roughly summarized as: temple, Guanzhong, stele and epitaph room, and the beautiful Guanlin Garden. If you want to visit all of them, it will take at least 1 to 2 hours.



In 219 AD, Sun Quan attacked Jingzhou and Guan Yu was defeated and fled to Maicheng. In 220 AD, Sun Quan beheaded Guan Yu and buried him in Luoyang with Cao Cao on his back. This long history is more than 1,790 years ago.



Seeing the place where the mobile phone is buried here, I can't help but sigh. The heroes of the ages will eventually become a piece of yellow earth. However, some people die lightly, while others die heavier than Mount Tai. Although Guan Yu has passed away long ago, the people of all ages will always remember that such a hero once came.

This is the only ancient classic building in my country that combines tomb, temple and forest into one. The building specifications are built in the form of a palace, with a rigorous and magnificent layout. The statue of Guandi enshrined inside is tall and majestic, which makes people awe-inspiring.

A temple dedicated to Guan Yu. Guan Yu's loyalty and righteousness were highly praised in history, and his tomb was called Guanlin. The temple is very popular.

A place to commemorate the God of War Guan Gong, to pay homage to the ancients

It is said that only the Confucius Forest in Qufu and Guanlin in Luoyang can be called "Lin", which is enough to prove the status of Lord Guan! The place is not too big. Listening to the explanation, you will learn more about the title and respect of the emperors of various dynasties for Guan Gong! The scenery is average, and the history is heavy!

Guanlin is very good and has a lot of incense. After all, it is the place where Guan Gong's head is buried, and Guan Gong has stood for eternity just by the word "righteousness". I was also deeply impressed by the plaques in the Guanlin Hall. The most common one is the word "righteousness" praising Guan Gong, such as "righteousness shines for thousands of years" and "righteousness is as great as the sky".

There is also a temple fair at the entrance, with many snacks and amusement facilities, but nothing special.

Guanlin Temple is a temple dedicated to Guan Gong and is also the burial place of Guan Gong's head.

Guan Gong has always been highly respected by the people and is even named the God of Wealth. Worshipping Guan Gong during the New Year will bring prosperity.

Guanlin Temple has a long history. Come and take a look.

Guanlin is the place where the head of Guan Yu, a general of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period, was buried. It has a temple in front and a tomb in the back. It is one of the three largest Guanlin temples in China and abroad. It is the only one called "Lin" among thousands of Guanlin temples. It is the only ancient classic building in China that combines tomb, temple and forest into one.

I went to Guanlin Temple this afternoon. Loyalty and righteousness will last forever. Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism are all respected!

Luoyang Guanlin is a historic site of the Han Dynasty in Luoyang City, dating back more than 1,780 years. Over the past two thousand years, Guan Yu's status has risen from a king to a martial saint. China also has a literary saint, Confucius. The Confucius Forest in Qufu, Shandong, is on par with Guanlin.

Guanlin is the only ancient building complex in my country that combines tombs, temples, and forests. In the 20th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1592), the original site of the Guan Temple of the Han Dynasty was expanded into a grand holy place for worshipping Guan Gong, covering an area of more than 200 mu, with four courtyards, more than 150 halls and corridors. It was expanded during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1735-1799), and basically formed the scale of the current Guanlin Temple. The architectural specifications of Guanlin Temple are built in accordance with the traditional palace style. After entering the Guanlin gate, tourists walk along the central axis to visit the gate, ceremonial gate, corridor, worship hall, main hall, second hall, third hall, stone archway, octagonal pavilion and other temple parts of Guanlin Temple in turn. Behind the temple is the tomb (land) where Guan Yu's head is buried.

Between the ceremonial gate and the main hall (worship hall) there is a brick corridor, which is one of the three wonders of Guanlin and is unique among Guan temples at home and abroad. There are 104 stone lions carved on the tops of the pillars. The lions are in various poses, round and vivid, without any stiffness of stone carvings. It represents the highest achievement of stone carving art in the Central Plains during the Qianlong period. Some people call this corridor "Little Lugou Bridge".

In front of the main hall, there is a strange cypress on each side, which is the second of the three wonders of Guanlin. The left one is the dragon head cypress. The right one is the phoenix tail cypress. "Guanlin Green Cypress" is also one of the eight small scenic spots in Luoyang. There are thousands of ancient cypresses, lush and verdant. Whenever the heavy rain stops suddenly and the sky clears up, clouds like smoke, like curling incense, slowly flow around the tomb. The fantastic scene is amazing. There are also two strange cypresses in front of Guan Yu's tomb, named Jieyi Cypress and Xuansheng Cypress.

After the stone archway is the third of the three wonders of Guanlin: the Fengchi Stele Pavilion, also known as the Octagonal Pavilion because of its octagonal shape. The pavilion was built during the Qianlong period and is a Bagua hip roof-style building, with five-high and eleven-step brackets stacked layer by layer, forming a dense-eaves attic. The entire stele pavilion has no iron nails, and is entirely connected by mortise and tenon joints. It is a wooden structure. Despite more than 300 years of wind and rain, it still stands tall, fully demonstrating the superb skills of folk craftsmen.

Guanlin is a famous tourist attraction in Luoyang, a place suitable for reminiscing about the past. It is said that Guan Yu's head was buried here. The Three Kingdoms says that the Eastern Wu presented Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao, who buried it in Luoyang with fragrant wood. The common people worship Guan Yu and call this place Guanlin. Although the area here is not very large, it is very popular, after all, Lord Guan is the God of Wealth and War.

Guanlin began to build temples and plant cypresses in the 24th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1596), and was expanded during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. It now covers an area of 100 acres, with more than 150 halls and corridors, more than 70 ancient steles, 4 stone archways, more than 110 lions of various sizes, and more than 800 ancient cypresses.

When you come here, you can feel the heavy sense of history. Guan Yu is very majestic, the incense is very prosperous, there are many ancient trees, and the cypress trees are in a forest with strange shapes, which has become a scene in Luoyang. The dragon head cypress, phoenix tail cypress, and whirlwind cypress are naturally formed and lifelike. What's more, a cypress tree grows three thick and even branches upwards, just like Guan Yu, Liu Bei, and Zhang Fei sworn brotherhood. People respectfully call it the sworn brotherhood cypress, which is a unique one.

Near the ceremonial gate, there is a painting of "Emperor Guan" by Yue Fei, which you can go and have a look. Personally, I feel that the most valuable thing in Guanlin is the Stone Lion Imperial Road. It is said that the Stone Lion Imperial Road was a special trail used by the emperor or court officials to pay tribute. Now, as there are many copper coin patterns carved on the stone road, it is also called the "way to make money". Many businessmen from Luoyang come here to pray, hoping to bring good luck.

"The Yangtze River rolls eastward, its waves wash away all heroes, success or failure is all in vain, the mountains remain green, the sunset is red several times..." Although Guan Yu's story has long disappeared in the vast history, his "loyalty, righteousness, benevolence and courage" will always embody the great spirit of our Chinese nation.

When you go to Luoyang, Guanlin is a must-see. In my country, there are three large Guandi temples: Guanling in Dangyang, Hubei, where Guan Yu's body is buried; Guandi Temple in Jiezhou, Yuncheng, Shanxi, where Guan Yu's clothes are buried; and Guanlin in Luoyang, Henan, where Guan Yu's head is buried.

Guanlin in Luoyang is the only sacred place in my country where Guan Yu is worshipped together with a tomb, a temple and a forest. It is the earliest Guan temple built at home and abroad and the first place where Guan Yu was buried. It has a history of more than 1,790 years.

"Ten miles outside the south gate of Luoyang County, there is a large tomb of King Guan, where the head of the spirit is buried. There was a temple in the Han Dynasty." This is recorded in the "Record of Rebuilding the Temple of King Guan" in the Ming Dynasty, which is inlaid on the back wall of Guanlin Hall. Guan Yu passed away in the winter of the 24th year of Jian'an in the Eastern Han Dynasty (219 AD). That year, after Guan Yu retreated from Maicheng, he was harmed by Sun Quan and his head was chopped off. Sun Quan was afraid that Liu Bei would raise an army to retaliate, so he sent an envoy to put Guan Yu's head in a wooden box and sent it to Cao Cao in Luoyang, so that Liu Bei would vent his anger on Cao Cao. Sun Quan's plan did not succeed, and Liu Bei later came to settle accounts with him. Of course, this is a later story. Cao Cao was not a fool, and he saw through Sun Quan's plan to alienate him. At the same time, he admired Guan Yu's character even more. In the spring of the 25th year of Jian'an (220 AD), he matched Guan Yu's head with a body carved from agarwood and buried it ten miles south of Luoyang City according to the rites of the princes. Historical records say that "there was a temple in the Han Dynasty", which means that when Cao Cao buried Guan Yu with rites, a temple was built to worship Guan Yu. This was the predecessor of Guanlin.

According to feudal etiquette, the tomb of a saint is called a "forest", the tomb of an emperor is called a "mausoleum", the tomb of a king, a prince, a general or a minister is called a "tomb", and the tomb of the common people is called a "grave".

Before the Song Dynasty, Guan Yu's tomb was called "Han Shou Ting Marquis Tomb". In the Song Dynasty, Guan Yu was conferred the title of "Wu'an Yingji King", and it was called "Guanwang Tomb" at that time. The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty conferred the title of "The Great Emperor Guansheng Who Subdues Demons in the Three Realms and His Mighty Power Shocks the Heaven", and it was called "Guandi Mausoleum" at that time. The Shunzhi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty conferred the title of "Loyal and Martial Guansheng Great Emperor" on Guan Yu. The Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty conferred the title of "Loyal and Martial Guansheng Great Emperor Forest" on the Mausoleum of Guandi in Luoyang, and since then it has been called "Guanlin".

Guan Yu spent his whole life in the military, and was known for his loyalty, righteousness, benevolence, and courage. He was feared throughout China and was hailed as the Martial Saint. His mausoleum is called "Lin", which is well deserved. Luoyang Guanlin and Shandong Qufu Confucius Forest are the only sacred forests in China that stand side by side.

After passing through the Spring and Autumn Hall, you will arrive at Guanlin (the tomb). The stone archway in front of the tomb is 10 meters wide and 6 meters high, with three gates. The five characters "Han Shou Ting Hou Tomb" are inscribed on the front. There are many couplets on the archway, all of which are works praising Guan Yu, and the writing style is all Ming and Qing Dynasty calligraphy. The four characters "Zhongyang Wanzai" are inscribed on the front of the second gate, which probably means that Guan Yu's head is still here, and his heroic spirit is still here.



The place where Guan Yu's head is buried is 17 meters high and covers an area of 2,600 square meters. On the south wall of the front of the tomb is a stone tomb door built in the 56th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign. The door is inscribed with "Zhonglingchu" and the couplet on the tomb door reads: "The spirit travels to Shangyuan riding on a crane, and the bones are hidden in the sky like a sleeping dragon." The staff of the scenic spot said that this is the most spiritual place in Guanlin. There is also an endless stream of tourists who come here to burn incense and worship.



The Guanzhong is covered with green grass and shaded by cypress trees. It is solemn and quiet, and is indeed a perfect place for the hero to rest in peace. Walking around the Guanzhong and looking up at the ancient tomb, one can't help but sigh: the hero's end is majestic and sad; the Holy Emperor's glory is admired by all!



After visiting and paying respects to all the figures, I took my son to the corridor on the east side of the main hall, where there was a group of more than 50 comic strips about the legendary life of Guan Yu in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I told my child the story of Guan Yu in order to stimulate his hero worship and teach him through his life to be loyal to his country, be kind to others, be righteous to friends, and be sincere to others.

There are tens of thousands of Guandi temples in the world, both in ancient and modern times, both in China and abroad. Only Luoyang Guanlin, where Guan Yu's head was buried, Dangyang Guanling, where his body was buried, and Jiezhou Guandi Temple, where he was born, are known as the three major Guandi temples. In particular, Luoyang Guanlin, as the holy place where the head of the Martial Saint Guan Yu was buried, is the only ancient relic in my country that combines home, temple, and forest. It is also the "Martial Saint Mausoleum" of the highest feudal grade and unique status, ranking first among the three major Guandi temples in China.

The gate of Guanlin was built in the Qing Dynasty. On the eight-character walls on both sides are four characters of "loyalty, righteousness, benevolence and courage" in seal script. The pair of white marble lions outside the gate are strong and majestic, and are the largest Ming Dynasty stone lions in Luoyang. "Wei Yang Liuhe" means that Guan Yu's heroic deeds are feared by the world. This plaque was written by Empress Dowager Cixi. She had good handwriting. No wonder, if she was not good at playing the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, she could not enter the palace and become the empress dowager.



The "Qisheng Hall" is the place where officials and officials pay homage to Guan Yu during the sacrifice to Guan Yu. Plaques and couplets praising Guan Yu are hung high under the worship hall. The most famous ones are the plaque "Sound of Spirit in the Cold" and the couplet "Yi Han shows his divine merits, Longmen is steep, supporting the army and extending the noble spirit, Yishui flows together" written by Emperor Qianlong himself. There are five statues in the hall. The one in the middle dressed as an emperor and solemn is the statue of Guan Shengdijun. This statue is 6 meters high and is the largest statue of Guan Yu in my country. On both sides are the fierce and violent Zhou Cang, the calm and steady Liao Hua, the far-sighted Wang Fu, and the heroic Guan Ping. Above the main entrance of the hall hangs a plaque "Qi Zhuang Song Gao" written by Empress Dowager Cixi. The "Five Tigers Hall" houses the five tiger generals Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, and Huang Zhong.



The Yiyi cypress and the Xuan cypress grow in front of the three halls, with the Yiyi cypress on the west and the Xuan cypress on the east. The Yiyi cypress is a three-branched cypress, with its trunk divided into three branches at a height of more than one person, and the three branches are of equal thickness, which is in line with the meaning of the three oaths of brotherhood in Taoyuan, so it is named Yiyi cypress. The Xuan cypress grows like a spiral, with not only the trunk but also the branches of different sizes in a spiral shape, which is very rare and is listed as one of the "three strange cypresses" in China.



The "Mausoleum of the Martial Saint" was built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The front column is 10 meters wide and 6 meters high. The title "Han Shou Ting Hou Tomb" was written by the imperial eunuch Hu Bin in the 32nd year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1604). The rear column is smaller in scale. The title "Central Wanzai" means that Guan Yu's head is still here. It was written by Gao Hao, a disciple of the Three Hans in the 55th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. Nine couplets from different periods are inscribed on each side of the two columns. The five scripts of seal, official, regular, running and cursive are available. The words of praise for Guan Yu's loyalty, righteousness, benevolence and courage fully reflect the lofty status of Guan Yu in people's minds. For example, "righteousness participates in heaven and earth, and Taoism extends through the Spring and Autumn Annals", "The noble spirit fills the heaven and earth, and the loyalty and righteousness are clear from ancient times to the present".

I have always known that Guan Yu was a brave and heroic figure, and I have also heard that Guanlin is the place where Guan Yu's head is buried, which is a tourist attraction. On a sunny afternoon, I finally arrived in Luoyang and realized my long-cherished wish.

Following the guide to the Guandi Temple, we heard the pleasant sound of bells before entering the gate. Looking ahead, we saw a dance building in the wall in front of us. Its stage stretched out, like a double-eaved pavilion, which was a spectacular sight. Iron horses and golden bells were hung around the dance building, hanging high in the air, and the wind played with the bells, making a jingling sound. The dance building is a unique building with ingenious design, which shows the outstanding talent of the ancient Chinese working people in design and construction. It can be regarded as a model of ancient Chinese stage architecture.

Entering the gate of Guandi Temple, we come to Guanlin Gate. This is a five-bay, three-door hard-roofed building with the words "Guanlin" hanging on the lintel. The gate is neatly inlaid with 81 golden nipples, symbolizing Guan Yu's noble rank; two white marble lions stand on both sides of the gate, with round eyes rolling and tiger-like aura, showing the awe-inspiring demeanor of Guan Yu who once dominated China.

After passing through the ceremonial gate to the north of the main gate, you will see a straight corridor leading directly to the worship hall. The corridor is surrounded by stone railings on both sides, and each pillar has a stone-carved mother and child lion. The mother and child lions are lively and cute, playing with hydrangeas or leaning on each other. The little lion is hiding under the mother lion's belly, playing on the mother lion's back, lying down with lowered eyebrows as if sleeping, or jumping freely in pairs. The shapes are beautiful and vivid. There are courtyards on both sides of the stone railings, with ancient cypresses and stone tablets standing tall. The bell tower and drum tower are on both sides of the courtyard, which are magnificent and majestic.

The worship hall is also called "Qisheng Hall". It is a 15-bay curved roof building for officials to pay homage in ancient times. A large bell hangs high on the east end of the worship hall, and there is a weapon rack on the west side, which holds a large sword, which is said to be the weapon used by Guan Yu. Seeing tourists holding up the sword to take pictures, I also went to try it. Although I used my arms to exert force and was out of breath, I was able to lift the sword a little higher. I had more respect for the "Martial Saint" in my heart.

The main hall of Guan Temple is next to the worship hall. It stands tall and majestic, with six beasts showing off their power and magnificent appearance. The eaves are decorated with colorful paintings, and the brackets are gorgeous and dazzling. Inside the hall is a seated statue of Guan Yu, wearing an imperial crown, a dragon-embroidered robe, phoenix eyes and silkworm eyebrows, a red face, and a long beard floating on his chest. He looks elegant and dignified, and has a majestic aura.

Passing through the main hall, we came to the second hall. The second hall is a five-bay building with a hip roof. On the door is a plaque inscribed by Emperor Guangxu himself, "Shining the Sun and the Moon". Under the front eaves are paintings of Three Kingdoms stories such as Guan Yu passing through five passes and beheading six generals, beheading Cai Yang, and meeting in the ancient city. Inside the hall is a seated statue of Guan Yu, wearing a turban and armor, staring angrily at the southeast, as if he was complaining about the loss of Jingzhou. The shape is vivid and the image is lifelike.

After leaving the second hall, we came to the third hall. To the north of the third hall is a three-door stone archway with "Han Shou Ting Hou Tomb" written on the front. To the north of the stone archway is an octagonal pavilion with brackets connected and extremely solid. To the north of the octagonal pavilion is Guan Yu's head tomb, an octagonal earthen mound. Next to the octagonal pavilion is a stone archway with the words "Heroes of the Ages" written on it. Standing under the archway, looking at the lush ancient cypresses and listening to the pine waves, I thought of Yun Chang in the past, with his weapons and iron horses, following Liu Bei to the east and north to fight, and his achievements were great. In the end, he lost Jingzhou due to carelessness and was beheaded in Maicheng. Not only was he sad, but he also had a feeling of nostalgia for the past, and felt a sense of regret for the past and sighing.

I have passed by Luoyang Guanlin many times, but this is the first time I have actually approached the place where Guan Yu's head was buried. It's not that I don't want to, but I have been deterred again and again by the numerous palaces and the bustling crowds. But my admiration and worship for Guan Gong in my heart has only increased.

When I was a child, I listened to the grassroots artists who traveled from village to village telling stories about the Three Kingdoms incessantly and with great excitement. I worshipped Guan Gong from the bottom of my heart. I was often fascinated by his heroic stories, such as beheading Hua Xiong with warm wine, fighting Lu Bu with three heroes, riding alone for a thousand miles, beheading Wen Chou and Yan Liang at Baima Slope, attending a meeting with a single sword, and drowning seven armies. However, it is naturally a pity that such a great hero ended up in defeat and his body was separated from his family.

I have always admired Guan Yu's chivalry and bravery. I used to regard those true and false stories of the Three Kingdoms, as well as the loyalty, bravery, trustworthiness, wisdom, chivalry and bravery of the characters in the stories, as the guiding principles of life. I once lamented the reason why Guan Yu was deified. Perhaps like most people, I gradually interpreted his personal worship into a rough and mysterious ideological belief, and was also obsessed with the charm of Guan Gong culture.

"I don't know where the Guan Temple is." There are three famous Guan Temples. Guanlin in Luoyang, Henan is where Guan Yu was buried, Guandi Temple in Dangyang, Hubei is where Guan Yu was buried, and Guandi Temple in Jiezhou, Shanxi is Guan Yu's hometown. Only Guanlin in Luoyang is the leader among thousands of Guan Temples at home and abroad.



The huge octagonal tomb, built with huge bricks, is high and steep, covered with green grass. Compared with the hustle and bustle of other places, there are few tourists here. "The spirit travels to Shangyuan riding on a crane, and the bones are hidden in the sky as a sleeping dragon." I walked to the octagonal tomb engraved with "Zhonglingchu", stood under the exquisite and unique Bagua Pavilion, and read the historical name card "Loyalty, Divine Martial Spirit, Benevolence, Courage, and Power, Guan Sheng Dadi Lin" engraved on the huge stele in the pavilion. This is the core part of Guanlin.

My eyes were fixed on the winter of 219 AD. After attacking Jingzhou and retreating to Maicheng, Sun Quan took Guan Yu's head and presented it to Cao Cao in Luoyang. Whether Cao Cao saw through Sun Quan's treacherous plot to frame someone else or admired Guan Yu's character, in short, Guan Yu's head finally rested in peace. He was posthumously named King of Jing, his body was carved from agarwood, and he was buried here with royal rites, and a Guan Temple was built to worship him.

Born as a marquis and died as a king, it can be said that he was born great and died gloriously, but this is not the end. In the 33rd year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1605), Guan Yu was conferred the title of "Three Realms Subduing Demons Great Emperor Guan Sheng Divine Power Far-reaching" and became a saint. In the Qing Dynasty, in the fifth year of Shunzhi, Guan Yu was conferred the title of "Loyal and Righteous Godly and Martial Guan Sheng Great Emperor" and became an emperor. This seemed to have reached the peak, but in the fifth year of Kangxi, he was conferred the title of "Loyal and Righteous Godly and Martial Guan Sheng Great Emperor Forest", becoming one of the two sacred areas standing side by side with the "Confucius Forest" in Qufu, Shandong.

As Guan Yu's status gradually increased, the supporting buildings also became more complete. On the same central axis as Guan Yu's tomb are the main gate, ceremonial gate, corridor, worship hall, main hall, second hall, third hall, stone archway, forest stele pavilion, etc., supplemented by symmetrical buildings such as dance towers on both sides, halls and corridors, double-eaved pavilions, incense smoke curling, and dense pines and cypresses. It has gradually become a holy place for worship that combines tombs, temples, and forests.

Guanlin is the place where the head of Shu general Guan Yu was buried. It is 3.5 kilometers away from Longmen Grottoes and was built in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. It is the only ancient classic building in China that combines tomb, temple and forest. It is one of the three major Guan temples at home and abroad, and is the only one called "Lin" among thousands of Guan temples.



The Guanlin Yimen Gate has a plaque with the words "威扬六合" written by Empress Dowager Cixi, the worship hall has a plaque with the words "聲靈于铄" written by Emperor Qianlong and a couplet, and the God of Wealth Hall has a plaque with the words "光昭日月" written by Emperor Guangxu. The Guanlin is so well preserved thanks to the renovations by Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu.



Guan Yu, as the embodiment of loyalty and righteousness and a role model of morality, was revered by the people after his death. He was also honored by successive dynasties and was worshipped as Guan Sheng Emperor. Buddha worshipped him as the Bodhisattva of the Temple and revered as the "Martial Saint", on par with the "Literary Saint" Confucius. Guan Gong was revered by the general public and became a bridge and bond between Chinese people at home and abroad and family culture. During the Sui Dynasty, the myths and legends of Guan Yu began to appear. By the Tang Dynasty, the belief in Guan Gong was basically formed. In the late Tang and Five Dynasties, it became a custom to hang Guan Gong statues in the palace and among the people and became popular. The Song and Yuan Dynasties were the development period, and the Ming and Qing Dynasties ushered in the heyday. Guan Yu's title was conferred step by step by the emperors of the Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties. Finally, in the fifth year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, he was finally conferred as "Loyal and Righteous, Brave and Spiritual, Brave and Powerful, Protecting the Country and the People, Sincerely, Peaceful and Praising, and Deity Guan Sheng Great Emperor", and Guan Temples were spread all over the country. With the admiration of the people, the emperor, Confucianism, and Taoism, Guan Yu's divine power was constantly expanded and he became an omnipotent god. Guan Yu became the embodiment of the image of God in people. From then on, the Spring Festival on the 13th day of the first lunar month, the Birthday Festival on the 13th day of the fifth lunar month, and the Autumn Festival on the 13th day of the ninth lunar month became fixed festivals, which also had a huge impact in the entire Han cultural circle and beyond.



There is a temple called "Temple of the God of Wealth". Because Guan Yu's divine power was magnified, Taoists worshipped Guan Gong as the God of Wealth. In addition to curing diseases and eliminating disasters, exorcising evil spirits, punishing rebellion, and finding silk, he can also manage life, protect merchants, and attract wealth. Because he was a loyal general in history, he was called the God of Wealth. There were many gods of wealth in China, but among the many gods of wealth, Guan Gong is undoubtedly the most famous. This is because in ancient times, the social status of merchants was not high, and the business environment was not very good. Therefore, in this case, merchants prayed for peace and prosperity at the same time. Therefore, Guan Gong, who was loyal and unparalleled, became the best object of blessing. Not only that, at that time, commercial exchanges mainly relied on moral constraints, and the faith and righteousness in Guan Gong's belief were indispensable in commercial activities. Merchants used Guan Gong's integrity to restrain commercial behavior, and at the same time they would unite merchants in a certain industry or a certain region to enable better cooperation between merchants. Later, after being spread by merchants traveling around, Guan Gong's image of the God of Wealth became more full.



Although Guanlin is not large in area, it is a place full of the energy of justice. Faith is a kind of power, and loyalty and morality are even more of a power.

The screen walls on both sides of the Guanlin Gate are inscribed with red characters on a white background: "loyalty" and "benevolence and courage", which are quite appropriate to summarize Guan Yu's life. In the square in front of the gate stands a theater. According to the inscription on the stele, the theater was donated by Guan Yu's fellow townsmen, the Shanxi merchants, and was named "Qian Qiu Jian". Such a profound name for a theater is in line with the atmosphere of Guanlin. This theater is only used to perform for Guandi during sacrifices, so it is not open at other times. There is also an unwritten rule - "Zou Maicheng" is not allowed to be performed. There is a couplet in the theater that tells the pride and frustration of Guan Yu's life:

He killed Yan Liang with a single horse, captured Yu Jin with a small army, and shocked the three armies with his might. He lived up to his title of Tinghou Gong.

Xuzhou surrendered to Meng De, Nanjun lost Sun Quan, their heads were transported thousands of miles, and the shame of being named the emperor was hard to erase.

After passing through the gate and arriving at the ceremonial gate, there are two stone carvings on the walls on both sides. On the east side is the "Portrait of Guan Sheng Di Jun", which is said to have been painted by Yue Fei. On the west side is the "Guan Di Poem Bamboo", which is said to have been painted by Guan Yu himself. The peculiarity of this painting is that at first glance, the whole painting only has a few thin bamboo poles with clusters of bamboo leaves. Upon closer inspection, each cluster of bamboo leaves forms a Chinese character, and the next one is a poem expressing one's aspirations by comparing oneself to bamboo joints:

I don’t need to thank the God of Spring for his kindness, and my painting will become famous.

Don’t dislike the lonely leaf, for it will never wither.

These two stone carvings are indeed strange, but we cannot believe them to be true. They are forged by later generations. A few years ago, I visited the Yue Temple in Hangzhou. There was a so-called "Leaving the Capital" written by Yue Fei in the stele corridor. Later, I saw it again in the Wuhou Temple in Chengdu. I also saw the so-called "Portrait of Guandi" by Yue Fei in Guanlin. I couldn't help but sigh at the simplicity of the emotions of scholars and people in ancient and modern times - Guan Yu, Zhuge Liang, and Yue Fei were all outstanding heroes of their time, loyal and unswerving, but they were unlucky and failed to achieve the great cause of rejuvenation. This caused later generations to sigh and regret, and they always wanted to find something vague to connect them. As for the ingeniously conceived "Guan Di Poem Bamboo", whether from the style of the poem or the painting technique, it was written by later generations, probably by literati in the Ming and Qing dynasties who admired Guan Di.

The ceremonial gate is hung with a plaque inscribed with "Guan Lin" written by Wang Duo, a great calligrapher in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Below it is the handwriting of Empress Dowager Cixi, "Wei Yang Liu He". Unlike Wang Duo, who was a Confucian scholar, Empress Dowager Cixi was, after all, a powerful figure who dominated the fate of China for half a century. However, she could not get rid of the weakness of her background as a palace concubine. Her writing style lacked a sense of strength and was not very good. The ceremonial gate is accompanied by a couplet written by the deputy director of the Propaganda Department of a certain province. It compares Guandi and Confucius, which has a strong flavor of the old-time civil and military education, and is in line with their duties:

The ancient teacher was a saint, and his literary mind was based on the earth;

Han Shou is divine, and his martial virtue is as great as heaven.

There is a trail between the ceremonial gate and the worship hall. There are many cute little lions carved on the left and right railings. The railings are tied with a lot of blessing ribbons. Some of the ribbons are tied in an interesting way, as if they were used to dress up the lions. The couplets in the worship hall are impressive. Although the couplets are simple, they comprehensively summarize the evolution of the "Guandi belief":

In the Han Dynasty, he was given the title of Marquis, in the Song Dynasty, he was given the title of King, and in his name, he was given the title of the Great Emperor;

Confucianism calls him the Saint, Buddhism calls him the Buddha, and Taoism calls him the Heavenly Lord.

Behind the Spring and Autumn Hall is Guan Yu's tomb. In front of the tomb is a four-pillar stone archway with "Han Shou Ting Hou Tomb" inscribed on it. The words on two pillars are unrecognizable. I searched online and found "The peerless hero returns to the holy land, and hatred surrounds the sacred hill forever." On the left and right are "Yi Can Tian Di" and "Dao Yan Chun Qiu". Behind it is another two-pillar archway with "Central Wan Zai" inscribed on it.

After the stone archway is the third of the three wonders of Guanlin: the Fengchi Monument Pavilion, which is also called the Octagonal Pavilion because it is octagonal. The pavilion was built during the Qianlong period. It is an eight-diagram hip roof building. The five-ang eleven-step brackets are stacked layer by layer, forming a dense eaves attic. The entire pavilion has no iron nails, and is connected by mortise and tenon joints. It is a wooden structure. Although it has been through more than 300 years of wind and rain, it still stands tall, fully demonstrating the superb skills of folk craftsmen. There is a tortoise-shaped stone stele in the pavilion, which is 4.8 meters high. The head of the stele is carved with a dragon and the title is "Lefeng Monument". The front of the stele is inscribed with "Loyalty, Divine Martial Arts, Spiritual Blessing, Benevolence, Courage, and Power, Guan Sheng Dadi Lin", which is the highest title given to Guan Yu by emperors of all dynasties. Guan Yu's tomb is also octagonal, with one side about 30 meters long and a large area. There is actually a small tomb door behind the octagonal pavilion, which is rare. The door reads: The bones are hidden in the sky, sleeping dragons, and the spirit travels to Shangyuan riding cranes.

There were many strange rules in ancient China. For example, the burial place of the emperor was called "mausoleum", the place of the noble officials was called "tomb", and the common people in the countryside had only "earth tomb". Among these hierarchical titles, "lin" is special. It can only be called the burial place of saints. "Konglin", "Menglin" and "Guanlin" belong to this category. The root of this is that in traditional Chinese cognition, one must always cling to a prominent ancestor, and being able to cling to a saint is even more honorable. In addition, the ancients liked to gather together with the same clan for burial, and planted trees at the burial place for shade. Over time, a forest was formed. This is the visible reason. In "Shuowen", the two words "lin" and "mausoleum" are borrowed from each other, which not only gives enough respect to the sages, but also takes care of the unique "heavenly power" of the kings. It can be said to be a wonderful way to achieve both.

From the Song and Ming Dynasties until the "Ten Years of Revolution" and "Destroying the Four Olds", from the capital to the prefectures and counties, there must be a Confucian Temple and a Martial Temple within the city walls, that is, the Guandi Temple. The Confucian Temple honors Confucius and is used to win over and educate scholars, while the Guandi Temple is for the common people, used to instill loyalty and teach the people to obey the imperial power. However, rather than saying that the kings used the "Guandi Faith" to educate the people, it is better to say that the people chose the "Guandi Faith". The people have never cared about "serving the king like Yao and Shun" but living and working in peace and contentment. They are not interested in the praise and criticism of the Spring and Autumn Annals or the righteousness of the monarch and his subjects, but they are fascinated by the heroic spirit of loyalty and righteousness. There have been many people in the underworld who secretly formed gangs by using the Guandi Faith, which was quite discordant with the government and caused headaches for the rulers.

Guanlin is located in the south of Luoyang City. It was outside the city when it was first buried. Over the years, it has been incorporated into the urban area. The streets under its jurisdiction are also named after Guanlin. There are wholesale markets and old residential areas around it. Not only is it very popular, but it is also full of the atmosphere of fireworks.

The main hall was built in the 24th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1596). It is seven bays wide, three bays deep and 26 meters high. The roof is covered with glazed tiles, with five ridges standing horizontally and six beasts showing their might. This is the place for sacrifices during the spring, autumn and birthday festivals. Luoyang people respect Guan Yu very much. They hold a "spring sacrifice" on the 13th day of the first lunar month, a "birthday sacrifice" on the 13th day of the fifth lunar month, which is Guan Yu's birthday, and an "autumn sacrifice" on the 13th day of the ninth lunar month. Among these three sacrifices, the autumn sacrifice is the most grand. Over the years, more and more worshippers have come from coastal areas, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

The corridor in front of the main hall is full of plaques for believers to worship, such as "Peace and Prosperity", "Magnificent Songshan", "Thousand Years of Noble Spirit", "Eternal Admiration", "Spring and Autumn Righteousness", "Loyalty", "Loyalty Shining in the Sky", "Strong and Just", "Loyal Heart Penetrating the Sun", "Powerful and Red Talisman", "Powerful and Powerful in China", "Loyalty Penetrating the Sky". On the left side is a big drum, in front of which stands a big Guandao. The three gates of the main hall are carved with 12 relief painted woodcuts from the Ming Dynasty. It tells the legend of Guan Yu in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", such as the Three Brothers of Peach Garden and the Three Heroes Fighting Lu Bu.

Then we went to Guanlin to have some fun. The reason why Guan Yu, a great hero, was praised, revered and worshipped by people was that he was strict with himself, upright, loyal, righteous, brave and faithful. Guan Yu was worshipped by Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Confucianism called him a saint, Buddhism called him a Buddha, and Taoism called him a master. This shows his noble spirit. Guan Yu's spirit has become a kind of belief culture of all classes in China, deeply believed by the world, deeply rooted in the hearts of children, the elderly, women and children, and deeply rooted in the land of China. Walking out of Guanlin and looking back, Guanlin looks more ancient and magnificent, and the scenery is only good here.

Guanlin was first built during the Wanli Period of the Ming Dynasty and was expanded during the Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty. The existing buildings are mainly from the Ming Dynasty.

The ticket price for Guanlin is 40 yuan. The place is not very big and there are not many historical sites to see, so there are very few tourists.

The temple is filled with ribbons and signs for praying for blessings, so there should be more locals coming here.

The legendary tomb of Guan Gong is one of the scenic spots in Luoyang and is worth a visit.

We had lunch in the Cultural and Creative Park next to the Sui and Tang Luoyang City. There are some literary restaurants and bookstores where you can visit.



In the afternoon, we first went to Guanlin, which is said to be the tomb of Guan Gong Guan Yunchang. It is said that his head is buried here. The incense here is very popular, and many people come to pray. My boyfriend scanned the audio guide of the scenic spot to learn about it. This is a holy place covered by Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, and Guan Yunchang’s loyalty, righteousness, benevolence and courage are also worthy of our praise and learning.

We also saw Q-version portraits of Liu, Guan and Zhang, as well as little turtles basking in the sun in a nearby release pond. They were so cute, and it seemed like they were living a happy life.

Longmen Grottoes is located in the suburbs of Luoyang. On the way to the city, there is another scenic spot called Guanlin. Guanlin is naturally closely related to Guan Yu in the Three Kingdoms. It is said that his head is buried under this forest. Guan Yu, as the "Chinese Martial Saint", lived a heroic and loyal life, so he is respected and praised by the world. The scenic area has elements such as the Red Hare and the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, which integrate Guan Yu's story into it. It is worth a visit.

We planned to visit the grottoes in the afternoon. On the recommendation of a friend, we first went to Guanlin, which is located halfway. My friend said that this is a tourist attraction in Luoyang because it is the only holy place that integrates Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.

Guan Yu's head is buried here, so the whole Guanlin is a hall dedicated to Guan Gong. You have to walk through several halls to reach the final tomb forest. This structure is rare. The whole scenic area is not large, but the scenery is very good. There are also many believers who come here to burn incense and pray. It is worth a visit.



After visiting Guanlin, my friend took me to have dinner nearby and then we went to Longmen Grottoes together.

The entire grottoes are carved out of the mountain, and there are countless grottoes. The most unforgettable one is the Vairocana Buddha. My friend said that its face was made according to the appearance of Wu Zetian, and its eyes are indeed full of kindness. The whole city of Luoyang is indeed full of Wu Zetian and peony culture. I will come to see the peony again if I have the chance.

Longmen Grottoes and Guanlin are relatively close and can be reached by bus. Guanlin, as the name suggests, is the tomb forest of Guan Yu. The environment is secluded and beautiful, but there are many tourists. It is said that Guan Yu's head is buried here, so it is prosperous and many friends come to pray for blessings. It is worth a visit.

Guan Erye is a spiritual idol in my heart. I am lucky to come to Guanlin. There are not so many tourists on rainy days. I walk quietly here and ask for Erye's goodness in my heart.

2018.8.13 The grandfather and his wife visited Guanlin, with their heads resting in Luoyang and their bodies in Dangyang, and their souls returning to their hometown; Guan Gong's voice made people sigh; last year, the whole family went to the Guan Gong Temple in Jiezhou during the summer vacation, and today we went to Guanlin; Guan Yu's deeds are worthy of our admiration;

Guanlin Temple is located at No. 2 Guanlin South Road, Luolong District, Luoyang City. It can be said that Guanlin Temple is a major symbol of Guanlin. You can take bus No. 81 or No. 55 from the railway station to get there directly. The ticket price is not very expensive, 40 yuan for full ticket and 20 yuan for half ticket. There are endless people visiting here, and you can occasionally meet foreigners. It is a place worth visiting.

In the winter of 219 AD, Guan Yu retreated to Maicheng and died for his righteousness. In the spring of 220 AD, Sun Quan sent Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao in Luoyang. Cao Cao admired Guan Yu's character and posthumously awarded him the title of King of Jing. He carved a body of agarwood and buried it 15 miles south of Luoyang with royal ceremony. He also built a temple to worship him, which became the Guanlin of today. Guanlin is one of the three major Guan temples at home and abroad. Among the thousands of Guan temples, it is the only one called "Lin". It is the only ancient classic building in China that combines tomb, temple and forest.

Guanlin is the place where the head of Guan Yu, a general of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period, was buried. There is a temple in front and a tomb in the back.

"Loyalty, benevolence and courage", takes 40 minutes.

Guan Erye's great sword and big BMW are lurking here😁very historically significant🌿

The three sworn brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei in Peach Garden are so cute. There are also Q-versions of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu.

The painting on the wall of the corridor tells the story of the hero Guan Yu who was defeated in Maicheng and died bravely. It makes people sigh with regret when reading it.

At the end is the place where Guan Yu's head was buried. When Cao Cao got Guan Yu's head, he carved agarwood into a body and buried it here with royal ceremony. When I saw many people worshipping Guan Sheng the Great, I couldn't help but think of the theme song of the TV series "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" "The rolling Yangtze River flows eastward, and the waves wash away the heroes. The right and wrong, success and failure are all in vain, the green mountains are still there, and the sunset is red several times

Guan Yu's head was buried here, and a large-scale temple was built for his memorial. China is a place where Confucian culture prevails. A typical positive figure with great righteousness is a good propaganda image, but the various staff selling incense here have turned it into a feudal superstition of evil spirits. They really want to destroy this place for short-term benefits.

I walked around the entrance of Guanlin, but felt it was just average, so I didn't go in to visit.

The place where Guan Yu's head was stored, let's take a look at the temple of Han Shou Ting Hou

Worship the God of Wealth and Wealth in the sound of smoke and rain, and pray for good fortune and prosperity when you encounter water

During the Qingming Festival in 2018, I visited Luoyang for the first time.

We went to Longmen Grottoes in the morning on April 5th and to Guanlin in the afternoon.

It was only when I arrived at Guanlin that I realized that China is so big, but there are only two "Lin" - Konglin and Guanlin.

The place where Guan Gong's head was buried is also one of the holy places of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Although it was not very popular when I went there, it is said that local people would go there to burn incense when doing business.

After passing through the ceremonial gate, there is a stone lion corridor, the only one in the Guan Temple in my country. On the ancient corridor, about 35 meters long, there are 104 stone lions of different sizes sitting on the top of the pillars on both sides, full of prayers... In the Guanlin, there is a "spinning cypress" symbolizing Guan Lao Da's ascension to heaven. Next to it is a "brotherhood cypress", symbolizing the brotherhood of Liu, Guan and Zhang. After passing through one palace after another, the last one is the Guan Tomb, where Guan Yu's head is buried.

In my impression, Guan Yu is the only one whose character, ability and talent are recognized by the leaders and praised by the people. In short, the status of Guan Yu in my heart is first-class!

Tickets: 40 yuan (10 yuan discount during Spring Festival)

Opening hours: 8:00-17:00

Temple fair time: from the first day to the sixteenth day of the first lunar month

Guanlin is a place that fans of the Three Kingdoms cannot miss. Guan Gong's loyalty has been revered by people for two thousand years. Guan Yu is also known as the God of Wealth. Friends who want to make money can come to worship. It is the third most important attraction in Luoyang besides the White Horse Temple and Longmen Grottoes. It is also very close to the Longmen High-speed Railway Station. Friends passing by should not miss it!

To be honest, I feel that the staff selling goods in the park are all a bit morally blackmailed. They say "Pray for blessings before entering the temple, don't enter the temple without praying, and follow the local customs." Don't call me a moral bitch, I just think that this kind of thing depends on the individual, right?

The area is not small, and there are temples related to Guan Yu and some stone tablets. The overall feeling is good.

There are still common people coming here to burn incense. No matter what the historical outcome of Guan Erye is or how he is evaluated by later generations, his loyalty still has a great influence among the people.

Guanlin itself is worth seeing, the ancient trees, ancient buildings, murals, and statues are all pretty good! But there are too many people trying to make money, with prices clearly marked everywhere, asking how much it costs to pray for blessings and light lanterns, and people asking wherever you go. It's so annoying that I can only pretend not to hear or see anything and wander around aimlessly.

Luoyang Guanlin is located to the north of the ancient city of Sui and Tang Dynasties, to the south of Longmen Grottoes, to the west of Longmen Avenue, and to the east of the clear Yishui River. It is the only ancient classic architectural complex in my country that combines "tomb, temple, and forest" into one, and is also a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

According to historical records, during the Three Kingdoms period, Guan Yu was killed by the Eastern Wu. Fearing revenge from Liu Bei, Sun Quan presented Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao, hoping to put the blame on Cao Cao. Cao Cao saw through Sun Quan's scheme and buried Guan Yu's head in Guanlin with the ceremony of a vassal. In the 20th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the original site of the Han Dynasty Guan Temple was expanded into a grand sanctuary for worshipping Guan Gong, covering an area of more than 200 mu, with four courtyards and more than 150 halls and corridors.

Welcome to visit my home: http://www.mafengwo.cn/u/shushengyiqi/note.html You can refer to my travel notes to get useful information.

Luoyang Guanlin is located to the north of the ancient city of Sui and Tang Dynasties, to the south of Longmen Grottoes, to the west of Luolong Avenue, and to the east of the clear Yishui River. It is one of the three major Guan temples in my country and the only ancient classic building complex in China that combines "tomb, temple, and forest" into one, and is also a national 4A-level tourist attraction.

Guanlin contains the Guan Yu Tomb, where the head of Guan Yu is buried. Speaking of Guan Erye, it seems that there are some stories about him and Luoyang. For example, it is said that there is a street in the east of Luoyang City, and there is an ancient locust tree in the middle of the street. When Guan Yu left Cao Cao to find Liu Bei, he passed by this place and pulled the reins of his horse under the locust tree, listening carefully to prevent an ambush, so the street was named "Le Ma Ting Feng Street". Apart from other things, just talking about this legendary street name, a strong sense of ancient martial arts comes to mind. There are also many historical stories about Guanlin. After all, all dynasties have praised Guan Erye.

After returning from Longmen Grottoes, we went to Guanlin. There were not many tourists, so we took the tour guide. But people who know the history of the Three Kingdoms don’t need much explanation in Guanlin. There are allusions to Guan Yu in the corridors on both sides, but many of them are from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which are different from the historical Guan Yu. For example, he killed Yan Liang and Wen Chou. In fact, Wen Chou was killed in the chaos of the army when he was fighting Cao Cao. In short, Guanlin is worth a visit for friends who like history.

Guanlin is the place where the head of Guan Yu, a general of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period, was buried. It has a temple in front and a tomb in the back. It is located in Guanlin Town, Luolong District, Luoyang City, Henan Province. Guanlin is adjacent to the ancient city of Sui and Tang Dynasties in the north, Longmen Grottoes in the south, Luolong Avenue in the west, and the clear stream of Yishui River in the east. It is one of the three major Guan temples at home and abroad. It is the only one called "Lin" among thousands of Guan temples. It is the only ancient classic building in China that combines tomb, temple and forest.

Initially, it was the burial place of Guan Yu. Later on, the worship of Guan Gong became increasingly popular, and he was gradually elevated to the level of a saint or even a god. As a result, the incense became increasingly popular, and the number of temple buildings, plaques, and cypress trees gradually increased, and today it occupies a considerable area.

Luoyang Guanlin is adjacent to the ancient city of Sui and Tang Dynasties in the north, Longmen Grottoes in the south, Luolong Avenue in the west, and the clear stream of Yishui River in the east. It is one of the three major Guan temples in my country and the only ancient classic building complex in China that combines "tomb, temple and forest" into one, and is also a national AAA-level tourist attraction.