[2025 Wanrong Attraction] Travel Guide for Jiwang Temple (Updated Feb)

| The Ancestor of Agriculture. Ji King Temple was built to commemorate Hou Ji, the ancestor of agriculture. Hou Ji is the symbol of the God of Grains and the guardian of ancient agriculture. The history of Ji King Temple can be traced back to the Northern Song Dynasty, and the Wudian-style main hall is unique in China. The chiwen on both sides of the roof ridge is in the shape of a whole dragon, and the ridge in the middle is Lingxiao Hall, the residence of the Jade Emperor. The main hall is not supported by beams, so it is called the Beamless Hall. The stage was rebuilt during the Republic of China period, and its roof is a combination of various styles, with rough columns and paintings in the style of the Yuan Dynasty, and exquisite wood carvings. There is a big bell from the fourth year of the Xuanhe period of the Song Dynasty at the entrance of Wanrong, but it is not the original bell of Ji King Temple. The original bell was destroyed in 1958 during the Great Leap Forward. Wanrong Ji King Temple is not only the guardian of the God of Agriculture, but also a witness to history. Address: Taizhao Village, Wanrong County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province Opening hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Admission is free, but registration is required. Parking is available on the roadside in the village, which is very convenient.

There is a Ji King Temple in almost every county in Yuncheng. Wanrong Ji King Temple is located in Taizhao Village, Wanrong County. It is a national protected site and free to visit. Wanrong Ji King Temple is not large, with only two main buildings: the opera stage (photo 2) and the main hall (photo 3). The opera stage was built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated in the Republic of China. The main hall is the only existing Song Dynasty building with a hipped roof in China, and is the most exquisite part of the temple. There are no large beams inside the hall, so it is commonly known as the "beamless hall." The paintings on the brackets under the eaves are still clearly visible (photo 10). There is an ancient bell from the Song Dynasty in front of the main hall (photo 11), which can still be rung. There is also a colorful coiled dragon column (photo 12).

Step into Ji Wang Temple and you will be greeted by a simple yet solemn atmosphere. The temple is magnificent, with exquisite flying eaves and brackets, and the sunlight highlights its historical charm. Inside the main hall, the statue of Ji Wang is solemn and dignified, as if quietly telling the story of ancient farming civilization. The surrounding murals are colorful yet simple, vividly depicting the scene of Hou Ji teaching people to farm. From sowing to harvesting, each picture shows the ancient people's exploration and wisdom of agriculture. The temple is lined with ancient steles, and the words on the steles record the historical changes of Ji Wang Temple, witnessing its ups and downs in the long river of time, and carrying people's respect for the ancestor of agriculture. It is like a living history museum, showing the world the splendor and brilliance of the farming culture of the Chinese nation.

In ancient my country, there has always been a system of "Sheji Sacrifice". The place for worshipping the god of land is called "She", and the place for worshipping the god of grain is called "Ji". Sheji is a general term for the god of land and the god of grains. Specifically speaking, She is the god of the land, and Ji is the god of the five grains. The gods of land and grains are the most important primitive objects of worship for the agriculture-based Chinese nation. In ancient times, in order to pray for peace in the country and a good harvest, the monarchs would go to the suburbs every year to offer sacrifices to the land and grain gods, that is, to the gods of land and grain. Later, "sheji" was used to refer to the country. ✔️The "Jiwang Temple" located in Wanrong County, Yuncheng, Shanxi Province is the only remaining Northern Song Dynasty hip-roofed building in China. It was built to worship Houji, the god of grains. In 2001, it was listed as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. ✔️The main hall of Jiwang Temple was built in the first year of Tiansheng in the Northern Song Dynasty (1023 AD). It has been a thousand years old and has been preserved to this day after many repairs. The main hall faces south and is five bays wide and six rafters deep. It has a single-eaved hip roof, and the front and rear corridors and the two mountain-facing chessboards are all five-layered, double-lower-angled and heart-shaped. There is a row of central pillars in the hall, which goes straight to the bottom of the flat beam. The main beam is divided into two sections, front and back, which are interspersed with each other. There is no full-length beam, so it is called the Beamless Hall locally. ✔️Wudian roof, also known as Wudian roof, was called "Wudian" or "Si'a Ding" in the Song Dynasty, "Wudian" or "Wujidian" in the Qing Dynasty, and "Yidongzukuri" in Japanese. It is an ancient building in China, Japan, and Korea. A roof style. In China, it is the highest level of all roof styles. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, only the royal family and Confucius Temple could use it. It was also seen in Buddhist temple architecture during the Tang Dynasty and in Japan. The hip roof is divided into two types: single-eaved and double-eaved. The so-called double-eaved means adding a short eave at each of the four corners under the roof to form a second eave. The Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City has a double-eaved hipped roof, while the Wanrong Jiwang Temple has a single-eaved hipped roof. ✔️There are 7 existing Houji Temples in southern Shanxi. Wanrong Jiwang Temple is the most famous. It is the only single-eaved hip-roofed building from the Northern Song Dynasty. Be sure to check its location before visiting. Liang Sicheng saw the architectural style of Jiwang Temple in Wanrong in the book "Yingzaofashi", a professional book on Song Dynasty architecture. He and his wife Lin Huiyin visited Shanxi to inspect ancient buildings in 1933, 1934 and 1937, but did not find this temple. Temples are also a place that makes people feel sad and regretful for the rest of their lives. When people visit historical sites, they often pay more attention to the stories and cultural connotations behind the buildings. However, many ancient sites in Shanxi are just the opposite. Although the ancient buildings scattered in unknown places in the countryside have no historical records, the beauty of the buildings themselves makes people linger. 📍Jiwang Temple in Taizhao Village, Wanrong County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province 🚗Shanxi attractions are scattered, it is recommended to drive or charter a car 💰Free, no reservation required ⏰️8:00-17:00, tour duration 1 hour 💡Wanrong County also has a Qiufeng Tower, which is famous for its eternal masterpiece "Autumn Wind Ode", and Feiyun Tower, which is said to be built by Lu Ban and the first wooden building in China. It is worth visiting for a day. 😂

🏰 The main hall of the Wanrong Ji Wang Temple, as the only existing Wu Dian roof building in our country, has stood there since the first year of Tiansheng (AD 1023), witnessing countless historical changes. 📜 Every brick and tile embodies the wisdom and exquisite craftsmanship of the ancients. 🕋️ The main hall is five rooms wide and six trusses deep. Under the eaves, the column heads are decorated with two jumps of Ang-shaped Hua Dou Gong, the first jump steals the heart, and the second jump supports the Ling Dou to play the head; each of the supplements is decorated with five paves to make a Dou Gong, double down Ang, the first jump steals the heart, the second jump is the real Ang, the tail of the Ang picks up the flat tie, which supports the Ling Dou. 🔨 These fine constructions not only show the rigor of Song Dynasty architecture, but also make people marvel. 🏛️ The main hall beam frame is a hall style, two trusses connect the front and back breast trusses to use four columns, surrounded by corridors, auxiliary steps around, such design is convenient for sacrificial activities, and also suitable for circumambulation worship. 👣 Walking in the corridor, as if you can hear the chanting of ancient monks, feel the solemn solemnity. 🚪 Because it does not use through beams, it is also called 'beamless hall'. This unique building is not only a heritage of Song Dynasty architectural skills, but also a memory of the culture of that time. 📜 Here, history and reality intertwine, making people think. 📷 Coming to the main hall of Wanrong Ji Wang Temple is like walking into a living history book, every step can feel the heavy historical atmosphere. 📷 Whether you are a lover of architecture or an explorer of history and culture, this is a rare destination