One of the twelve check-in points of the "Following Wukong to Visit Shanxi" event, Xixi Erxian Temple.

"Jincheng Xixi Erxian Temple: Ancient Building Treasures" In Lingchang Village, west of Chongwen Town, Lingchuan County, Jincheng, there is a Xixi Erxian Temple with a long history. It is not only a precious cultural relic protection unit, but also a place of worship for local people. Xixi Erxian Temple is one of the few temples in Jincheng that are still in use. The temple is dedicated to the two immortals, Chong Hui and Chong Shu. The loyalty and filial piety they represent have a profound impact on the people of Lingchuan and surrounding areas. I. Transportation Guide 1. Self-driving: Self-driving is the recommended way, as it is more convenient and free. If you choose to hire a car, you can also easily reach the destination. 2. Public transportation: If you take public transportation, you need to take bus No. 105 from Jincheng East Bus Station to Lingchuan Bus Center, and then change to bus No. 103 to Xixi Erxian Temple. Bus No. 103 is a new route that runs every hour from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm (no service at 12:30 pm), with a total of 10 services a day. The bus starts from the Bus Center and passes by Chong'an Temple, Xixi Erxian Temple, and finally returns to the Bus Center. It is important to note that it is best to take the bus directly from the Bus Center, as the bus driver may not stop at the bus stops. At present, the pipeline is being renovated in front of Chong'an Temple, and the bus will not pass by Chong'an Temple or the Traffic Bureau. The bus will arrive at the entrance of Xixi Erxian Temple about 15-20 minutes after the departure time. For example, a bus that departs at 2:30 pm will arrive at the entrance of Xixi Erxian Temple around 2:50 pm. If you take the bus from Erxian Temple, you need to calculate the time. The specific route of Bus No. 103 is as follows: Bus Center → Party School → Haojing Park → Xihe Garden Community → Nan Garden Hotel → Chong'an Temple → Traffic Bureau → Jinfoulou (Chong'an Park) → County Sign → Xixi Ecological Park → Lingchang → Xixi Erxian Temple → Jingpo → Yulong Bay Community → Bus Center. II. Long history and exquisite architecture Erxian Temple is also known as Zhenze Palace. It was built during the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt during the Song Dynasty. It was renamed "Zhenze Palace" and expanded in 1142. Since then, it has been renovated in every dynasty. The rear hall and the dressing building are the remains of the Jin Dynasty, the middle hall is the remains of the Yuan Dynasty, the stage is the remains of the Ming Dynasty, and the rest are the remains of the Qing Dynasty. It faces south and has two courtyards. The central axis has a gate (theatre building), a hall of offerings, a middle hall, and a rear hall. On both sides are the gatehouse, corridors, dressing building, and side halls. The rear hall has three bays and six rafters, with a single-eaved nine-ridge roof with a front porch. The beam frame is a four-rafter front-pressure beam with three columns, and the four-rafter beam is a Shu column with a bucket and a flat beam. The eaves are decorated with five-layer heavy-angled beams, and the front and rear eaves are decorated with five-layer heavy-angled beams. The front eaves have six-panel fan doors. The dressing building has three bays and three rafters, and is a two-story building with a flat base. It has a surrounding staircase and a nine-ridge roof with three eaves. The staircase and the main building are connected by a tie rod. The beam frame of the top floor is a four-rafter beam with two columns, and the beams are supported by a flat beam with a bucket and a bucket. The eaves are decorated with five-layer heavy-angled beams, and the flat base is decorated with five-layer heavy-angled beams and four-layer heavy-angled beams. The first floor has a panel door in the center of the front eaves, and the second floor has a fan door in the center of the front eaves and a straight window in the second floor. Although it was renovated during the Republic of China period, the West Dressing Building still retains the style of the Jin Dynasty. There are many steles and tablets in Erxian Temple, and literati and scholars of all dynasties have written many masterpieces praising Xixi. The most famous is the seven-character quatrain by Yuan Hao Wen, a literary giant of the late Jin and early Yuan dynasties: "I come again and again in the year, the green mountains are safe and sound, and the painting screen opens. The road outside the door is still yellow dust, and the golden clothes are called back." Erxian Temple is not large, but it houses 14 ancient buildings from the Jin to the Qing dynasties. They are simple and elegant, with exquisite structures, and can be called an "Ancient Building Art Museum". III. Highlights of Xixi Erxian Temple 1. Many Jin Dynasty remains in Shanxi: There are 120 Jin Dynasty remains in Shanxi, and Xixi Erxian Temple alone has 3, namely the main hall and the dressing buildings on both sides of the main hall. The main hall was built in 1142, the oldest building in the temple, with a hip-and-gable roof, three bays, and six rafters. The beams and rafters of different ages in the hall are intertwined, supporting the nearly 1,000-year-old hall. The dressing building is the only surviving Jin Dynasty dressing building, where the two immortals dressed up. There is one on each side, both of which are two-story buildings with hip-and-gable roofs, three bays, and three rafters. The buildings are graceful and elegant, and they exude a gentle and soft light in the mountains and fields. They are masterpieces of Jin Dynasty building architecture. 2. Early construction, large scale and exquisite architecture: Xixi Erxian Temple is the earliest, largest and most exquisite Erxian Temple in the southeast of Shanxi. The gate was built during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, the hall of offerings and the middle hall were built during the Ming Dynasty, and the middle hall's Tian Palace Pavilion and small wooden structure were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is a flat-bottomed tent niche with a U-shaped plan, which is exquisite and unique. 3. Millennium ancient cypresses and wonders: There are several ancient cypresses in the temple, and the cypresses have various strange-shaped wood knots. It is said that these wood knots are like the twelve zodiac animals, and are called "Twelve Zodiac Cypress". 4. Inheritance of faith and temple fairs: Erxian Temple is still in use today, and there is a temple fair every year from the first to the fifteenth day of the fourth lunar month. Adults also come to offer incense and pray for the health of their children. The fifteenth birthday of local children is also celebrated with great solemnity, and the occasion is no less than a wedding. 5. Natural beauty: There is also a peony garden to the east, which blooms with peonies every year in April and May. The white wildflowers around the temple also bloom in full bloom, adding to the wild and interesting atmosphere. IV. Tips 1. It is really far away, and public transportation is very inconvenient. It is recommended to drive or hire a car. This place is on the side of a mountain in Xixi Town, and this section of mountain road has been transformed into a fitness area, which should be quite lively on weekdays. 2. Probably because of its geographical location, there is always a wind in the Xixi Temple, which sometimes blows up the dust on the ground. There were not many people when I went there, and I sat under the eaves of the middle hall, listening to the wind blowing the leaves, and it felt like time stood still. 3. You can park at the entrance of Erxian Temple for free. If you come during the temple fair, please note that the lanes will become one-way, so don't go against the flow. 4. There is a large viewing platform at the entrance of the mountain, where you can see the valley scenery, which has a bit of a Tuscan feel. 5. The two immortals were originally ordinary sisters from Huguan County, but later became "Chong Hui" and "Chong Shu" after showing their divine powers. The Jin Dongnan Erxian faith originated from this.