Visit Guandi Temple

Yuncheng Jiezhou is Guan Yu’s hometown. When you come to Yuncheng, you must visit the "Guan Yu Ancestral Temple". Not long after leaving Ruicheng and heading north, you will arrive at the Jiezhou Guandi Temple. The construction of the Jiezhou Guandi Temple can be traced back to the ninth year of Kaihuang in the Sui Dynasty (589 AD). It has undergone expansion and reconstruction during the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, forming the magnificent scene we see today. The temple covers an area of ​​220,000 square meters and is divided into two parts: the main temple and the Jieyi Garden. When you enter the Jiezhou Guandi Temple, the first thing that catches your eye is the Duanmen Gate. As the first gate of the main temple, Duanmen is made entirely of red bricks. It looks simple and solemn, as if telling the vicissitudes of a thousand years. After passing through Duanmen, you will reach Zhimen, the second gate, which is reserved for the emperor to enter and exit. The gate is three bays wide and two bays deep, with a single-eaved hip roof. It is magnificent and demonstrates the dignity and majesty of the temple. The Meridian Gate is the third gate. It is seven bays wide and five bays deep, with a hip roof and seven beams. It was the place where civil and military officials waited for the court, presented their victories, awaited the emperor's orders and issued decrees. On the east and west sides of the front of the Meridian Gate are painted standing statues of Zhou Cang and Liao Hua, who were Guan Yu's loyal subordinates and are used as door gods in the Guandi Temple. On the north side is a painting of Guan Gong passing through five passes and beheading six generals. The gables at the east and west ends are also painted with Taoist directional gods, the Azure Dragon on the left and the White Tiger on the right. Continuing forward, we arrived at Chongning Hall. Chongning Hall was named after Emperor Huizong of Song Dynasty conferred the title of "Chongning Zhenjun" on Guan Yu. It is the main building of Guandi Temple. Chunqiu Tower is Guandi's sleeping palace, a two-story, three-eaved hip-and-gable style building. The shrine on the first floor enshrines a statue of Guan Gong in military uniform, while the shrine on the second floor enshrines a real statue of Guan Gong reading the "Spring and Autumn Annals" at night. The caisson above the Spring and Autumn Building is convex in shape, with an inverted lotus column hanging in the center and radially extending out from the surrounding raised mouths. There are a total of 204 caissons in the entire square caisson, all of which are of the same shape and equal size, and are layered and stacked. Its shape resembles a blooming chrysanthemum or a peacock spreading its tail. The wood carvings under the eaves include dragons and phoenixes, flowing clouds, flowers, figures, and animals, which are exquisitely detailed.