A golden structure in Changzhi pulled me into a mythical world

I went to Xiahuo Village in Changzi County under Changzhi to visit the Huo Huguo Lingquan King Temple. I arrived too late and couldn't enter the main hall, but the light was very good in the evening. As soon as I entered the temple, I saw the sunlight shining on the wall sculptures in the main hall. It was like I had accidentally encountered a corner of the mythological world, and I felt that the trip was worthwhile. The construction date of Xiahuo Huguo Lingfuwang Temple is unknown. It is a temple dedicated to Houyi. Houyi was named "King of Guardian of the Country" during the Northern Song Dynasty and was revered as "Three Lords" in the Shangdang area. This was not only because the ancients had the concept of hero worship, but also because according to legend, Houyi could bring rain and stop hail, which was an important folk belief in the local area. It is said that there are many temples dedicated to Houyi in Changzhi and its surrounding areas. However, the scale of this Xia Huo Huguo Lingquanwang Temple is relatively large, which may be related to the official background at that time. As the seventh batch of national protected relics, the most important relic in the Xiahuo Huguo Lingquanwang Temple is the wooden structure hall of the Jin Dynasty. The hall is three bays wide and six rafters deep, with a hip roof and tiled roof. The beams and brackets are very gorgeous and basically original. According to investigation, the characteristics are close to those in the "Yingzaofashi", and it has extremely high research value, making it very suitable for professionals to count the brackets. As a non-professional, it is easier to be attracted to wall sculpture at first. On both sides of the gables of the main hall are the four gods of wind, rain, thunder and lightning. The three-dimensional sense brings a strong visual impact, and it always feels like they can pull you up to the clouds with just a stretch of your hand. The reliefs on both sides of the offering hall are also very interesting. One group is Houyi shooting the sun and beheading monsters, and the other group is Chang'e flying to the moon. However, the Chang'e flying to the moon here tells a different version of the story: Chang'e abandoned Houyi because she was forced by the bad guys... (I only understood it after I went home and looked up the information 😎) In addition to this hall, another major attraction here is the stage. It is rare to see three stages in one temple. One is a pair of stages facing each other. It is said that this is called "singing opposite plays", that is, in order to express sincerity to the gods, two troupes compete in singing... Involution is indeed a belief engraved in our genes 😭Singing opposite plays is to repay the gods, and people and gods can enjoy together, while the other stage inside is for praying to the gods, and the repertoire is very particular, and only a small number of people can watch it with the gods. A series of activities such as burning incense, worshipping, singing operas to thank the gods, etc. are the famous folk traditions here called "welcoming the gods and holding festivals". Xiahuo Huguo Lingquanwang Temple is also one of the most influential "welcoming gods and holding festivals" venues in Changzi County. [○]Tips: Tickets are currently free. But it’s best to check the opening hours, otherwise you’ll miss the main hall like I did.