Ancient Legends and Architecture: Erxian Temple

Erxian Temple is located in Daxu Village, Lilin Town, 13 km northeast of Jiyuan City. It was announced as a Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit in September 2000, and was approved by the State Council as the eighth batch of national key cultural relics protection units in 2019. Erxian Temple is also known as Zixu Yuanjun Temple. According to the Ming Dynasty's "Stele Inscription of the Reconstruction of the Xiantian Shengmu Jingying Palace," the two immortals were called Wei Huacun, the second daughter of Shu, Duke of Wenkang of Rencheng, and Wei Yangyuan, Marquis of Juyang, during the Western Jin Dynasty, and the wife of Liu Youyan, the Grand Guardian of Nanyang. She was fond of Taoism since childhood and was deeply admired by the people, who called her Zixu Yuanjun. Erxian Temple was built in the Tang Dynasty, facing south, with buildings constructed along the central axis, including Zixu Yuanjun Hall, East Hall, Jingying Hall, and Worship Hall, with a total of four ancient buildings and 22 rooms. There are also more than ten steles and stone carvings scattered in the temple. Among them, the main building, Yuanjun Hall, has three rooms and six rafters, and is a single-eave Xieshan-style wooden structure from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. The eaves are surrounded by layers of dougong, with exquisitely carved dragon heads. The large beams are intricately carved with dragons, clouds, auspicious beasts, birds, and other exquisite patterns, with fine craftsmanship and smooth lines, making them lifelike. They are very similar to the cloud dragon carvings on the lattice windows of the Jade Emperor Pavilion in Yangtai Palace, and are considered masterpieces of Ming Dynasty carving art. The seven beams inside the hall are large, with a diameter of 85 cm, reflecting the characteristics of ancient Jiyuan architecture. Jingying Hall and Worship Hall are the rear halls of Erxian Temple, and are single-eave Xuanshan-style buildings from the Qing Dynasty. Both halls use the five-room Tongfang method, which reflects a major feature of ancient architecture in the Jiyuan area. The overall architecture of Erxian Temple is grand and luxuriously decorated, reflecting its historical prosperity and serving as an important example of Henan's local architectural techniques, with high research value. Jiyuan, Henan