📍Address: 2 Cuiyun Lang Road, Zitong County, Mianyang, Sichuan Province
🚗Transportation: We drove there
👍️Must-visit: Qiqu Mountain Temple is a sacred place of the Quanzhen School of Taoism and the birthplace of Wenchang Emperor and Wenchang culture. It is known as the "Emperor's Hometown".
In 1996, Qiqu Mountain Temple was listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit by the State Council of the People's Republic of China.
The ancient buildings of Qiqu Mountain Temple are a combination of the architectural styles of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The Pantuo Hall across the road was built in the Yuan Dynasty. The Guixiang Hall, Fengdong Tower, Baitedian, Jiaqing Hall, Qisheng Palace, Guandi Temple, Wangshui Pavilion, Guanxiang Terrace, and Jinbai Stone Railings were all built in the Ming Dynasty. The Baichi Tower and Wenchang Main Hall were also built in the Ming Dynasty, but were destroyed by a wildfire in the Qing Dynasty and then rebuilt. The rest were built in the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China.
🎟️Ticket: No reservation required, CNY 53 (📍Book 3 hours in advance)
💗Other tips: The architecture here is very distinctive.
Penelope Carmichael
Murals of Qiqushan Temple in Mianyang
📍Attraction Address: No. 2 Cuiyun Corridor, Zitong County, Mianyang City, Sichuan Province
🚗Transportation: We drove there by car
👍️Must-visit Attraction: The murals of Qiqushan Temple are rich in content and diverse in form, including woodblock prints, murals, and New Year paintings.
These murals not only showcase the profoundness of Wenchang culture but also include various cultural elements such as Confucianism and Taoism.
During the reign of Emperor Xiaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty, Taoist priests used the temple worship activities of Zhang Yazhi, the god of Qiqushan, as the main theme to write and print the "Taishang Wuji Zongzhen Wenchang Dadong Xianjing" and "Wenchang Dadong Zhenjing" using woodblock prints, which included a large number of illustrations, such as the "Wenchang Dijun" illustration, depicting the image and stories of Wenchang Dijun.
These woodblock prints and murals are not only a reflection of artistic value but also an important carrier for the dissemination of Wenchang culture.
🎟️Ticket Information: 60 yuan on-site, 53 yuan online (be sure to purchase in advance)
💗Other Tips: A place well worth visiting
Penelope Carmichael
Yingmeng Xiantai of Qiqu Mountain Temple (Part 2)
📍Attraction Address: No. 2, Cuiyun Corridor, Zitong County, Mianyang City, Sichuan Province
🚗Transportation: We drove there by ourselves
👍️Must-visit Attraction: Yingmeng Xiantai of Qiqu Mountain is an important building and cultural site within the Qiqu Mountain Scenic Area in Zitong County, Mianyang City, Sichuan Province. It has a profound historical and cultural background.
Yingmeng Xiantai was first built in the Ming Dynasty and is a Qing Dynasty building located within the Qiqu Mountain Scenic Area, covering an area of more than 50 square meters.
This building is famous for its association with the legend of Zhang Yazhi. According to the legend, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang once dreamed of Zhang Yazhi here, which foretold the end of the An Shi Rebellion. As a result, the site and the Zhang Yazhi Temple were granted titles and worshipped.
Yingmeng Xiantai also gained fame for its legendary ability to cure diseases for the devout. During the Southern Song Dynasty, the court issued an edict to grant the title of 'Lingying Temple' to the Zhang Yazhi Temple, further enhancing the site's reputation.
🎟️Ticket Information: On-site purchase 60 yuan, online purchase 53 yuan (📍need to purchase three hours in advance)
💗Other Tips: The architecture here is distinctive
📍Location: No. 2, Cuiyun Corridor, Zitong County, Mianyang City, Sichuan Province
🚗Transportation: We drove there ourselves.
👍️Must-visit Attraction: In the fifteenth year of Tianbao, when Emperor Xuanzong of Tang passed by this mountain on his way to Shu, one of his attendants left behind a poem: 'Light rain drizzles around the seven curves, the sound of clinking resonates with the sorrow of Yuhuan.' Since then, the name 'Qiqu' has become famous worldwide and is honored by Taoism as the 'Ninth Famous Mountain in the World.'
Known since ancient times as 'East leaning on Zilin, West resting on Tongshui,' Zitong in northern Sichuan is reputed as the 'Southern Gateway of the Shu Road,' with magnificent architecture.
Qiqu Mountain Temple was first built during the Jin Dynasty as the 'Yazi Shrine' by locals to commemorate Zhang Yazi of the Jin Dynasty. In the early Yuan Dynasty, Zhang Yazi was conferred the title of 'Wenchang Emperor,' and the 'Wenchang Palace' was built here. After multiple expansions during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, it formed a grand and complete ancient architectural complex. Due to its layout, built according to the mountain's terrain, it appears extremely majestic and spectacular. The ancient buildings, ancient cypress trees, ancient paths, and the nine curves of Tongshui River complement each other, making it both a sacred place for worship and a scenic spot.
🎟️Ticket Information: On-site 60 yuan, online 53 yuan (purchase three hours in advance)
💗Other Tips: The architecture here is very worth seeing.
Penelope Carmichael
My Life FIRST｜Qiqushan Grand Temple (3)
📍Attraction Address: No. 2 Cuiyun Corridor, Zitong County, Mianyang City, Sichuan Province
🚗Attraction Transportation: We drove there
👍️Must-visit Attraction: Qiqushan Grand Temple is the ancestral temple of Wenchang Emperor, the god of literature in Chinese Taoism. It was built in the Jin Dynasty for the people of Shu to worship Zhang Yazi. The temple was first built at the end of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (around 390 AD).
In the fourth year of Xianping in the Northern Song Dynasty (1001 AD), Zhao Heng conferred the title of "Yingxian King" on Zhang Yazi in the lunar month of July.
In the sixteenth year of Shaoxing in the Southern Song Dynasty (1146 AD), the temple was expanded. From the late Southern Song Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty, over 600 years, it was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Baichi Tower was destroyed by fire. In the tenth year of Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty (1732 AD), it was rebuilt.
The seated statue of Wenchang Emperor riding a white mule in the main hall of Wenchang was cast in the first year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty (1628 AD).
The "Baite Hall" on the south side of Wenchang Hall was built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1398 AD).
In the twenty-fourth year of the Republic of China (1935 AD), the Sichuan-Shaanxi Highway was built, dividing the Qiqushan Grand Temple into two halves.
🎟️Ticket Information: 60 yuan on-site, 53 yuan online (need to purchase 3 hours in advance)
💗Other Tips: The architecture here is very distinctive
Penelope Carmichael
My Life FIRST｜Qiqushan Grand Temple (Part 2)
📍Attraction Address: No. 2 Cuiyun Corridor, Zitong County, Mianyang City, Sichuan Province
🚗Attraction Transportation: We drove there
👍️Must-visit Attraction: The Qiqushan Scenic Area Grand Temple ancient buildings cover an area of more than 13,000 square meters, with a construction area of 6,000 square meters. It is a general term for Wenchang Temple and Guandi Temple, consisting of 23 buildings from different periods. The Qiqushan Grand Temple more completely showcases the architectural styles from the Yuan Dynasty to the Republic of China, making it a valuable physical material for studying the history of ancient Chinese architecture.
On November 20, 1996, the Qiqushan Grand Temple was announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as the fourth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.
🎟️Ticket Information: On-site 60 yuan, online purchase 53 yuan (usable after purchasing 3 hours in advance)
💗Other Tips: The architecture here is very distinctive.
Penelope Carmichael
My Life FIRST｜Qiqushan Grand Temple
📍Attraction Address: No. 2 Cuiyun Corridor, Zitong County, Mianyang City, Sichuan Province
🚗Attraction Transportation: We drove there by ourselves
👍️Must-visit Attraction: The Qiqushan Scenic Area Grand Temple ancient buildings cover an area of more than 13,000 square meters, with a construction area of 6,000 square meters. It is a general term for Wenchang Temple and Guandi Temple, consisting of 23 buildings from different periods. The Qiqushan Grand Temple more completely showcases the architectural styles from the Yuan Dynasty to the Republic of China, making it a valuable physical material for studying the history of ancient Chinese architecture.
On November 20, 1996, the Qiqushan Grand Temple was announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as the fourth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.
The ancient building complex of Qiqushan Grand Temple is relatively well-preserved. The temple is built in the style of a prince's mansion, with palace walls surrounding it outside and halls and courtyards inside. All the buildings consist of 23 halls and pavilions, covering an area of more than 13,000 square meters, with a construction area of 5,611 square meters. The ancient building complex of Qiqushan Grand Temple integrates ancient buildings from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The Pantuo Hall across the road is a Yuan Dynasty building. The Guixiang Hall, Fengdong Tower, Baite Hall, Jiaqing Hall, Qisheng Palace, Guandi Temple, Wangshui Pavilion, Guaxiang Terrace, Jinbai Stone Railing, and other 10 places are all Ming Dynasty buildings. The Baichi Tower and Wenchang Main Hall are also Ming Dynasty buildings, which were rebuilt after being destroyed by wildfire in the Qing Dynasty. The rest are all Qing Dynasty and Republic of China buildings.
🎟️Ticket Information: On-site 60 yuan, online 53 yuan (can only be verified three hours in advance😅)
💗Other Tips: This place is very worth visiting, the architecture is very distinctive.
Penelope Carmichael
My Life FIRST | The Kui Xing Lou of Qiqu Mountain Great Temple
📍Attraction Address: No.2 Cuiyun Corridor, Zitong County, Mianyang City, Sichuan Province
🚗Transportation to Attraction: We went there by self-driving car
👍️Must-Visit Attraction: The Kui Xing Lou of Qiqu Mountain, also known as the Hundred Feet Tower, is a majestic three-story pavilion located beside National Highway 108, with a height of 33.15 meters, named for its height which is approximately a hundred feet. This pavilion is not only renowned for its grand scale and spectacular presence as the 'Famous Tower of Western Sichuan', but it can also be compared to the Yellow Crane Tower of Jingchu.
In front of Kui Xing Lou is the Jinniu Shu Road, and behind it are layers of palaces, supported by 48 pillars that reach to the sky, demonstrating its magnificent architectural style and profound cultural heritage.
The Kui Xing deity enshrined on the top floor, as the 'First Incarnation of Wen Chang', holds a supreme position in the hearts of Confucian scholars and students. The statue of Kui Xing is distinctive, with a blue face and red hair, holding a vermilion pen high in the right hand and a 'wealth and honor flower' in the left, standing on the head of a turtle with the right foot, and the left leg bent backward, with red hair and angry eyes, a blue face with fangs, bulging muscles, and a square hole coin placed on the right knee, showing its important position and symbolic meaning in culture.
🎟️Ticket Information: 60 yuan on-site, 53 yuan online, valid for three hours after purchase 😅
💗Other tips: This place is very worth visiting
Penelope Carmichael
My Life FIRST | Guanyin Hall at Qiqu Mountain
📍Attraction Address: No. 2 Cuiyun Corridor, Zitong County, Youxian District, Mianyang City, Sichuan Province
🚗Transportation to Attraction: We drove there ourselves, and the road was very easy to navigate
👍️Must-Visit Attraction: According to the Qing Dynasty 'Zitong County Annals', the county magistrate at the time, Zhou Biao, did many good deeds for the people of Zitong under such harsh historical conditions. To develop Zitong's economy, he introduced a large number of talented individuals; he also placed great emphasis on education, founding an academy for scholars to study and prepare for exams. The people, touched by his virtue, built the 'Shanjiao Ci' in his honor.
In the eighth year of the Xianfeng era, after renovations by the county magistrate Zhang Xianghai, all the county magistrates with achievements were worshipped here. Shanjiao Ci has developed to this day into a place that commemorates good officials from past generations and commends them, as well as a place where many officials with aspirations to seek welfare for the people come to set their intentions and philosophies. Now, Shanjiao Ci has been renovated and renamed 'Guanyin Hall'.
🎟️Ticket Information: Tickets are 53 yuan online and 60 yuan offline; it is recommended to purchase in advance
💗Other Tips: Dining here is not convenient; it is more reliable to eat in Zitong county town.
Penelope Carmichael
My Life FIRST | Guandi Temple at Qiqu Mountain
Address, No. 2 Cuiyun Lang Road, Zitong County, Mianyang City, Sichuan Province
The Guandi Temple in Zitong County, Sichuan is located to the north of the Kuixing Tower of the Da Temple on Qiqu Mountain, and is quite imposing. The Guandi Temple on Qiqu Mountain consists of the Gaomen, the Worship Hall, and the Guan Sheng Hall, which was originally built during the Ming Dynasty. The Guan Sheng Hall still retains the architectural features of the Ming Dynasty, while the Gaomen and Worship Hall were repaired during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. The entire ancient building gives people a feeling of simplicity, elegance, and grandeur.
The Guandi Temple is located on the right side of the Wenchang Main Hall of the Da Temple on Qiqu Mountain, and was originally built during the Ming Dynasty. It has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof (also known as a nine-ridge roof, which is one of the styles of ancient Chinese architectural roofs and is second only to the Wudian roof in terms of specifications), with a width of three bays (15m), using the method of reducing columns (a method that originated during the Song and Liao dynasties, which involves reducing some of the inner columns to increase the interior space of the building, also known as the reducing column method), forming a square shape, with a building area of 225 square meters.
Penelope Carmichael
Mianyang Qiqu Mountain Grand Temple—The Birthplace of Wen Chang Emperor and Wen Chang Culture | You're really having a blast!
Address, Mianyang City, Zitong County, Sichuan Province
Qiqu Mountain Grand Temple is the ancestral temple of Wen Chang Emperor, the god of literature in the native Chinese religion Taoism, originally built during the Jin dynasty for the worship of Zhang Yazhi by the people of Shu. The Qiqu Mountain Grand Temple was initially established at the end of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (around 390 AD).
In the fourth year of Xianping in the Northern Song Dynasty (1001 AD), the lunar July, Zhao Heng conferred the title 'Yingxian Wang' on Zhang Yazhi.
In the sixteenth year of Shaoxing in the Southern Song Dynasty (1146 AD), the Grand Temple was expanded, and thereafter, from the end of the Southern Song Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty, a period of 600 years, it was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Hundred-Foot Tower was destroyed by fire. In the tenth year of Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty (1732 AD), it was rebuilt.
The statue of Wen Chang Emperor riding a white mule in the Wen Chang Main Hall was cast in the first year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty (1628 AD).
To the south of the Wen Chang Hall is the 'Bai Te Hall,' built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty (1368—1398 AD).
In the twenty-fourth year of the Republic of China (1935 AD), during the construction of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Highway, the Qiqu Mountain Grand Temple was divided in two.
Penelope Carmichael
Chengdu Suburban Tour - Qiqu Mountain Wenchang Temple
Sichuan Province Mianyang City Zitong County Qiqu Mountain Wenchang Ancestral Temple
————————————————————
✨Beautiful natural and cultural scenery
✨Ancient architectural complex spanning the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties with a long history
✨The oldest nearly 2000-year-old ancient cypress forest
✨In the north there is Confucius, in the south there is Wenchang, known as the ancestral home of the Wenchang Emperor
✨Kuixing Tower has left countless marks of scholars seeking education
✨It's also a great spot for taking photos and checking in
HARRISON MATHIS
Mianyang·Dadian
Built in the 15th year of Taiyuan during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, rebuilt in the 12th year of Hongwu during the Ming Dynasty, and renovated in the 10th year of Yongzheng during the Qing Dynasty.
Located at No. 2 Cuiyun Lang Road, Zitong County, Mianyang City, covering an area of over 13,000 square meters, it consists of 23 halls and pavilions. The Gui Xiang Hall and Pan Tuo Hall are Yuan Dynasty buildings, the Feng Dong Tower, Bai Te Hall, Jia Qing Hall, Qi Sheng Palace, Guan Di Temple, Wang Shui Pavilion, and Guan Xiang Tower are Ming Dynasty buildings, the Bai Chi Tower and Wen Chang Main Hall are Qing Dynasty buildings, and the rest are buildings from the Republic of China.
1️⃣ The main gate of the Dadian is named Bai Chi Tower, known as a famous building in Western Shu, also known as Zhong Xiao Tower, with a width of 21 meters, a depth of 12 meters, a triple hip-and-gable roof, and in the center of the second floor, there is a sculpture of Kuixing that is over 4 meters tall.
2️⃣ The Wen Chang Main Hall is 12.3 meters high, 22.5 meters wide, 21.5 meters deep with four bays, a single hip-and-gable roof, flanked by bell and drum towers, and connected to the Gui Xiang Hall at the back.
3️⃣ The Gui Xiang Hall is 11.2 meters high, 19.94 meters wide, 15.67 meters deep, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof, housing an iron-cast image of Wen Chang Di Jun from the 15th year of Hongzhi during the Ming Dynasty, which is 4 meters tall, accompanied by two attendant deities each 2.5 meters tall, and both sides feature murals of Wen Chang faith painted during the Qianlong period.
4️⃣ The Guan Di Temple is located to the right of the Wen Chang Main Hall, with a building area of 225 square meters, 15 meters high, 15 meters wide, 15 meters deep, a single-eave hip-and-gable roof, housing a statue of Guan Di that is 5 meters tall.
The Dadian of Qiqu Mountain is the ancestral temple of the God of Prosperity, Wen Chang Di Jun, and the birthplace of Wen Chang culture, hence also known as 'Di Xiang'. The Dadian more completely displays the architectural styles from the Yuan Dynasty to the Republic of China, making it a precious material resource for studying the history of ancient Chinese architecture.
⭐ Zhang Yazi was a person from the Eastern Jin Dynasty, exhibited miracles, and later became Wen Chang Di Jun, in charge of literature affairs, presiding over the imperial examinations.
⭐ Emperor Xuanzong of Tang fled westward and passed Qiqu Mountain, where he dreamed of Zhang Yazi, and later held a grand sacrifice in memory, posthumously appointing Zhang Yazi as the Left Prime Minister, with successive emperors bestowing further titles, until Emperor Renzong of Yuan officially titled him Wen Chang Di Jun.
⭐ Inside the Guan Di Temple, to the left of the statue of Guan Yu are Guan Ping, Guan Xing, and Wang Fu, and to the right are Zhou Cang, Guan Suo, and Zhao Lei.
JOSIAH LUCAS
The ancient cypress forest that has been around for thousands of years is hidden here, it's worth a visit!
-
📍: Qiqu Mountain Temple Scenic Area
🚗: 2.5h drive from Chengdu
-
The ancient architectural complex of Qiqu Mountain Temple is relatively well preserved
The temple is built in the style of a royal palace
There are palace walls on the outside
There are halls and gardens inside
There are countless ancient cypresses around the temple
It's really too spectacular and shocking
Walking in the ancient cypress forest, there is a feeling of time travel
Choose a good weather, invite your friends and family to set off!
-
Thank you for reading
See you next time!
-