Visiting the Guangrenwang Temple in Ruicheng

After touring the Yongle Palace, the guide's explanation also included a visit to the Guangrenwang Temple and the City God Temple. The Guangrenwang Temple was originally built in 831 AD (the fifth year of the Taihe period of the Tang Dynasty). Facing south, it covers an area of 4,560 square meters. The temple includes a stage, side rooms, and a main hall, all enclosed within walls in a courtyard layout. The stage is three rooms wide and three rafters deep. The brackets on the column heads are simple in design. The central bracket features a dragon head emerging from the large bracket opening, with elephant trunks on either side. The brackets on the two adjacent rooms also have dragon heads emerging from the openings. The Guangrenwang Temple is small. Currently, only three Tang Dynasty wooden structures remain, all located in Shanxi Province. The Guangrenwang Temple is one of them, representing Tang Dynasty wooden architecture preserved to the present day. The Vanke Group generously funded seven million yuan to design and construct the surrounding area, adding historical exhibitions and intuitive models of the bracket structures. The enhanced surroundings make the Guangrenwang Temple even more appealing to modern young people.

The Guangrenwang Temple is also known as the Five Dragon King Temple, dedicated to the Azure Dragon King. You can see iron nails on the outer walls, each shaped like a shrimp soldier or crab general, guarding and protecting their deity, similar to the crane-shaped nails at the Yongle Palace.

The City God Temple, commonly known as the "South Temple," was built during the Dazhong Xiangfu period of the Song Dynasty (1008-1016). Its architecture epitomizes ancient Chinese architectural styles, showcasing grandeur, simplicity, and elegance, making it highly valuable for sightseeing. Here, you can appreciate the bold and unrestrained style of Yuan Dynasty architecture, the delicate beauty and decorative artistry of Song Dynasty architecture, the simple and powerful style of Ming Dynasty architecture, and the elaborate and ornate style of Qing Dynasty architecture.

The murals in the City God Temple are also exquisite. The Four Heavenly Kings are depicted in dynamic poses, with flowing robes and powerful movements. The temple houses numerous stone inscriptions, including different versions of the Lanting Xu, which served as a key element in promoting moral education. The stone lions here are particularly elegant, reminiscent of Yuan Dynasty sculptures. I didn't have time to examine them closely, as I was quite hungry.

Every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the City God undergoes a ritual bathing and dressing ceremony before being paraded through the streets to bless the local people. This is a customary activity for the locals during the Lantern Festival.

Post by ARIANNA NEAL | Mar 23, 2025