[2024 Wanrong Attraction] Travel Guide for Houtu Temple (Updated Jun)

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#Houtu Temple Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)

Memorial Temples

Address:

Bank of the Yellow River, Miaoqian Village, Ronghe Town, Wanrong County, Yuncheng City

Opening times:

Opens at 09:00-17:00Open

Recommended sightseeing time:

2-3 hour

Phone:

救援电话：0359-4873580,投诉电话：0359-4588580

The Temple of Earth is the predecessor of the Temple of Heaven, and a poem about the autumn wind tells the story of its past and present lives

She is the crown of temples within the sea, and the source of the Chinese ancestral roots. 4000 years ago, on the banks of the Fen River, the Sweeping Earth Altar was built by the river, and the culture of worship was born. The ancients said, 'The great affairs of the state are in sacrifice and in war.' More than 2000 years later, at the confluence of the Fen and Yellow Rivers, the worship of Hou Tu became institutionalized. The Hou Tu Temple, where people sought their roots and ancestors, prayed for the nation's peace and the people's safety, and for a harmonious world. Over thousands of years, the Hou Tu Temple, though repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, and now only a fraction of its size during its heyday, still stands as the center of ancestral worship for Chinese people worldwide on the banks of the Yellow River in Wanrong County, Shanxi Province, continuing to tell its own story. ✔️The existing buildings in the Hou Tu Temple include the mountain gate, '品'-shaped stage, offering hall, main hall, east and west Five Tiger Halls, and the Autumn Wind Tower, etc. The architecture is magnificent and the layout is exquisite. Although the scale of the existing Hou Tu Temple is much smaller compared to the Tang and Song dynasties, it is still a vast and splendid ancient temple complex. Moreover, due to its exquisite architectural craftsmanship and dazzling brilliance, it has high historical, cultural, and artistic value. ✔️Additionally, from the Han to the Song dynasty, a total of 9 emperors, including Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Zhenzong of Song, came to the Hou Tu Temple in Wanrong to worship 24 times. As the source of worship culture, the imperial worship undoubtedly indicates that it represents the highest level of worship culture activities and also represents the ancient emperors' recognition of the status of the Hou Tu Temple as 'the crown of temples within the sea'❗️. Why was the worship later changed to the Temple of Heaven and Earth in Beijing during the Ming and Qing dynasties? It is said that after Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he originally wanted to go to the Hou Tu Temple to worship in person, but due to busy state affairs and the long journey, he sent a high official to take soil from here for the sacrificial rites, and built a Hou Tu Temple in Beijing, which is the Temple of Heaven and Earth. Later, the Earth Temple was built, and the Temple of Heaven and Earth was renamed the Temple of Heaven. This is why the Hou Tu Temple, as the 'source of the Temple of Heaven'❗️, can be called a temple, while all other Hou Tu temples in the country are called temples. It is commonly believed that the association of buildings with poetry began in the Tang dynasty, but in the earlier Han dynasty, a timeless masterpiece gave rise to the Autumn Wind Tower on the banks of the Fen River! 'The autumn wind rises, the white clouds fly, the grass and trees turn yellow, and the geese return south. The orchid is elegant, the chrysanthemum is fragrant, thinking of the beloved one, I cannot forget. Sailing the tower boat on the Fen River, crossing the midstream, raising the white waves. The flute and drum sound, the oarsmen sing, joy reaches its peak, but sorrow is plentiful. How can one resist aging when youth is fleeting'❗️The Autumn Wind Tower is named after Emperor Wu of Han's poem 'The Song of the Autumn Wind', and it stands majestic and beautiful on the banks of the Fen and Yellow Rivers. Inside the Autumn Wind Tower, each floor has a stele of 'The Song of the Autumn Wind', especially the Yuan dynasty stone stele on the third floor, which is the most ancient. Unfortunately, to better protect it, climbing the tower is no longer allowed, which is a pity! ✔️Just as 'The Song of the Autumn Wind' says, 'How can one resist aging when youth is fleeting'! Today, the Hou Tu Temple in Wanrong, Shanxi, has become a place for people from all walks of life in China, as well as compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese, to seek their roots and worship Hou Tu. It is also a bond of national unity, connecting the feelings of Chinese people at home and abroad❗️As the source of Chinese ancestral culture, it is increasingly showing its profound historical and cultural connotations. 📍Ronghe Town, Wanrong County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province 🚗Shanxi attractions are scattered, it is recommended to drive or charter a car 💰20 yuan, no reservation required ⏰️8:30-18:00, the tour lasts 2 hours

EpicOdysseys

Houtu Temple

Houtu Temple is a widely worshipped deity in Chinese folk religion, known as the supreme god of the land. Located 40 kilometers southwest of Wanrong County in Shanxi Province, on the banks of the Yellow River near Miaoqian Village to the north, it is the oldest temple in China dedicated to the worship of Houtu (Earth Mother). In 1996, the State Council designated the Wanrong Houtu Temple as a national key cultural relics protection unit. The existing Houtu Temple, although not as magnificent as it was during the Tang and Song dynasties, still has a rigorous and complete layout, and remains the most prominent Houtu temple in the country. People from all walks of life within the country, including compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese, come to seek their roots and pay homage to Houtu in an endless stream. They pray to the Holy Mother of Houtu for the Nine Provinces to have abundant harvests, national peace and prosperity, social harmony, and wealth among the people; and for the blessing of health, safety, and prosperity for the whole family, wishing everything to go well. Especially on the birthday of the Holy Mother of Houtu (the 18th day of the third lunar month) and during the temple fair on the fifth day of the tenth lunar month, devout men and women, merchants, and tourists rub shoulders with each other, creating an exceptionally lively atmosphere.

Ophelia_Blackwooden-66

The Wantong Houtu Temple in Shanxi

The Wantong Houtu Temple, also known as the Wantong Houtu Shrine, was historically called the Fen Yin Houtu Shrine. It is bordered by the Yellow River and the Fen River to the west and north, situated by the mountain and near the water, with an open terrain, facing south from the north, covering an area of 25,335.62 square meters. The overall layout is a long rectangle from south to north, a typical temple complex with a strict layout and clear structure, consisting of the spirit path, mountain gate, '品' character platform, east and west 'Five Tigers' side halls, altar, offering hall, incense pavilion, main hall, Autumn Wind Tower, Zhang Yi Path, and other components. The Fen Yin Temple was built in the first year of the Hou Yuan era of Emperor Wen of Han (163 BC), and the Houtu Shrine was built in the second year of the Yuan Shou era of Emperor Wu of Han (121 BC). The Houtu Shrine was relocated again in the ninth year of the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty (1870) and has been preserved to this day, with a history of over 150 years. The Wantong Houtu Temple is the oldest existing temple in China dedicated to the worship of the goddess Nüwa. Its glazed decorations are dazzling, and the wooden and brick carvings of the Autumn Wind Tower stand harmoniously, majestic and spectacular. Inside the tower, there is a stele inscribed with Emperor Wu of Han's 'Autumn Wind Ode' from the eighth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1271), as well as the 'Fen Yin Two Saints Offering Inscription' (Xiao Wall Stele) handwritten by Emperor Zhenzong of Song and the 'Houtu Shrine Appearance' stele from the Jin Dynasty. These are precious historical materials for understanding the imperial Fengshan sacrifices to the earth and the appearance of the Houtu Temple during the Song and Jin periods, with unique value in calligraphy, literature, and academia. It is a national key cultural relics protection unit.

VictoriaMcDermott99

The exquisite Hou Tu Temple is the epitome of Jie Xiu's colored glaze craftsmanship

🌈In Shanxi, if the best glazed pagoda is in Guangsheng Temple, then the finest glazed hall is undoubtedly the Hou Tu Temple. 🗼Jie Xiu has been famous for producing exquisite colored glaze since ancient times. As early as the Ming Dynasty, the colored glaze industry became a well-known industry in the southern region of Shanxi, with Jie Xiu being the most famous and popular center for colored glaze manufacturing. However, due to the increasing scarcity of raw materials and the gradual loss of craftsmanship, many of the ancient colored glaze pieces in Hou Tu Temple, the last great achievement of Jie Xiu's colored glaze products, are now unique (many originals have been placed in museums). 🛕The exact founding date of Hou Tu Temple is unknown, but it existed more than 1500 years ago during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. It was rebuilt and expanded over the dynasties, and it took on its current size after expansion during the Ming Zhengde years. In the eighth year of the Qing Yongzheng era (1730), the construction of the new Earth God Temple led to the current layout of the ancient building complex, which includes eight Taoist temples and shrines such as Sanqing Temple, Hou Tu Temple, Zhenwu Hall, Sanguan Temple, Niangniang Temple, Lüzu Pavilion, Guandi Temple, and Earth God Temple, with dozens of halls. Among the existing buildings, the Sanqing Tower is from the Yuan Dynasty, while the rest are from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. 🐉'Hou Tu worship' was an important deity worship during the Qin and Han dynasties in China. It originated from the Fen Yin Hou Tu Temple by the Yellow River in Wanrong. Later, the concept of 'Yellow Earth Hou Tu' gradually evolved to include the worship of heaven, earth, sun, and moon, which is reflected in the layout of Beijing during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In folk customs, the Earth God Hou Tu is also mixed with secular concepts. 🐲'Hou Tu' is a term of respect for the Earth Goddess and female worship in the ancient primitive matriarchal society within the worship of the land. The vastness and boundlessness of the land, bearing all things, and being the fundamental basis for the nurturing and survival of all living beings, led to the supreme worship of the land by people, which gradually became personified, hence the term 'Hou Tu Niangniang', becoming a widely worshipped deity among the people of southern Shanxi. 🌈The largest and most magnificent place of worship for the Earth God Hou Tu is this Hou Tu Temple. After repairs and renovations over the generations, Hou Tu Temple and the surrounding Taoist buildings have merged into a grand architectural complex. It is known as the 'Taoist Earth'. Ticket🎫: Free🆓, enter with ID card🆔 Opening hours: 8:30～17:30

atticus_valerianhawthorne

The ancient temple complex with a simple and exquisite structure

The Hou Tu Shrine is located in Miaqian Village, Ronghe Town, Wanrong County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. Hou Tu, the Mother Earth, is the oldest ancestor and the most respected god of the land in China. Emperor Wu of Han enshrined and worshipped her in Fenyin, Dongyue, and designated the Hou Tu Shrine as a national temple. He visited the shrine six times. The Hou Tu Shrine is also the crown of temples at home and abroad, and the source of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Behind the main hall of the Hou Tu Shrine, there is a building named Qiu Feng Lou because it hides the inscription of Emperor Wu of Han's 'Autumn Wind Poem'. Qiu Feng Lou stands by the river, lofty and vigorous. The building is divided into three layers, more than ten meters high, with a hip and gable roof, flying eaves, bright pillars, and densely distributed brackets. The lower part is built on a high platform called the Sweeping Ground Altar. It runs through from east to west, with a horizontal plaque on each side. The east is called 'Zhan Lu' and the west is called 'Wang Qin'. It is said that the famous scholar Zhang Yi entered Qin from here. Many literati and ink guests have also gathered here since ancient times. The time of the initial construction of the Hou Tu Shrine is unknown. The original site was on the Sui in Fenyin. It was expanded during the Tang and Song dynasties, but was destroyed by the Yellow River flood during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was rebuilt during the Tongzhi years. The existing buildings in the temple include the mountain gate, the well platform, the offering hall, the incense pavilion, the main hall, the Qiu Feng Lou, the East and West Five Tigers' side halls, etc. The glazed ornaments are dazzling, and the hanging carving craftsmanship is lifelike. The mountain gate and the well platform form a rare 'product' character stage in China, providing an important example for the study of the form of ancient Chinese stages. Although the existing buildings are not as magnificent as those in the Tang and Song dynasties, they are still a group of ancient temple buildings with a simple and exquisite structure.

TrekkingTale

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