Under the spring temple fair, the Wa Huang Palace is crowded with people

Climbing to the top of Wa Huang Pavilion, one can experience the magic of the 'living building hanging temple'. Deep in the Taihang Mountains, surrounded by mountains and water, there is an ancient relic hanging on almost vertical cliffs by several iron chains. It seems to be teetering, but in fact, it has stood for a thousand years. This is the Wa Huang Palace. With the arrival of the rejuvenating spring season, Wa Huang Palace also welcomes its annual grand temple fair. Amidst the greenery and the blooming flowers, the sound of gongs and drums fills the air. The temple fair activities start from the first day of March and continue until the fifteenth. On the first day of March, Wa Huang Palace is packed with people and the incense is strong. This day is like a festival. In addition to local societies from Xie County, people who worship Mazu from surrounding areas including Changzhi, Yuci, and even Zhangzhou and Xiamen also come to Wa Huang Palace to participate in the Shangshe festival. This large-scale worship of the goddess Nüwa is also a traditional intangible cultural heritage. Following the Shangshe procession up the mountain, the green branches are adorned with red ribbons, which are the hopes left by each person who climbs the mountain to pray for blessings. Upon reaching the top of Wa Huang Palace, we can see Wa Huang Pavilion. The pavilion was built during the Northern Qi dynasty and is the main structure of Wa Huang Palace. The entire building hangs on the cliff, supported only by nine iron chains connected to the cliff face. The columns of the first floor are deeply embedded in the mountain cliff, ensuring a solid foundation; there is a gap between the second-floor pavilion and the mountain cliff; the third-floor pavilion is connected to the mountain cliff by iron chains. When the building encounters external forces, the foundation becomes unstable, the building shakes, and the nine iron chains immediately tense up, stabilizing the building. Therefore, it is also known as the 'living building hanging temple'. Wa Huang Pavilion has withstood countless geological disasters and remains standing, a testament to the superb and bold architectural skills that bear witness to the resilience and heritage of Chinese civilization.