[2024 Zhangzi Attraction] Travel Guide for Tianwang Temple (Updated Oct)
Historical Sites
Address:
128 Dabei Street, Changzi County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province
Tianwang Temple, Changzi County.
Tianwang Temple is located on the east side of South Street in Changzi County. Only the main hall and rear hall remain. Experts have identified the temple as a Jin Dynasty building based on the beam structure and bracket set components. The bracket set of the main hall is particularly noteworthy, with the inner part visible from the outside. The column head is curled and the beam head is larger than the column circumference. The temple has great archaeological value and is a typical example of a Jin Dynasty building. It is a highlight of Chinese architectural history and a testament to the hard work and wisdom of ancient laborers. It is a national key cultural relic protection unit.
To the south of Tianwang Temple, a wide cultural square has been built, forming a landmark in the center of Changzi County. It is also an important place for locals to relax and have fun. Looking around, all the surrounding buildings have been demolished, leaving Tianwang Temple like an island. In the future, a street of Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings will be built around Tianwang Temple, making the ancient county even more dazzling.
Tianwang Temple
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Black Myth: Wukong filming location Shanxi, don't miss this national treasure
✅️ In Changzhi, Shanxi, there is a county with a long history. It is the hometown of Emperor Yan, the birthplace of King Yao, the fief of Dan Zhu, and the hometown of Jingwei. It was also the capital of the Western Yan state. The name of Changzi is also related to Dan Zhu, the eldest son of King Yao in ancient times, who was enfeoffed here, hence the county name.
✅️ Throughout its long history, this place has always been a gathering place for culture and talent. The ancestor Emperor Yan tasted hundreds of herbs here, and the well-known legend "Jingwei Fills the Sea" was also born here. In 2007, it was named a "Millennium Ancient County" by the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names.
✅️ Due to its long history, it preserves rich ancient relics, among which 13 national cultural heritage sites are the most precious. For example, Faxing Temple and Chongqing Temple are located within Changzi. Today, I want to share the relatively lesser-known Tianwang Temple. Image
✅️ The so-called Tianwang Temple originated from the worship of the military god "Bishamonten" during the Tang and Song dynasties. From the late Warring States period as a strategic location, to the Qin and Han dynasties as the governance site of Shangdang County, and the capital of the Western Yan state, Changzi has always been a military stronghold.
Thus, the "Military God Temple"—Tianwang Temple—came into being, becoming the only temple relic dedicated to the military god in the area.
Tianwang Temple in Changzi is located within Changzi County. According to the Ming Dynasty's "Changzi County Chronicle • Temple Records": Tianwang Temple was founded by the monk Hongman during the Yonghui period of the Tang Dynasty. Master Hongman was also the supervising monk for the construction of the Faxing Temple relic pagoda.
After undergoing repairs during the Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, it has formed the current scale of the mountain gate, middle hall, rear hall, and the east and west side halls. The middle hall and rear hall are relics from the Jin Dynasty, while the other buildings are imitations of ancient architecture.
The main reason why Tianwang Temple in Changzi has been preserved is that it was used as a granary during special periods, allowing it to survive to this day. Because of this, the dougong brackets and beams have undergone various degrees of modification and painting.
✅️ After passing through the mountain gate, you can immediately see the middle hall, a single-eaved hip-and-gable roof building with three bays in width and six rafters in depth. The purlins extend out, and the dougong brackets are single-step, single-eave, five-bracket sets with heavy brackets. The eaves are false eaves with a qin face, and the inner turns are double-step, with the second jump brackets supporting the beams without intermediate brackets.
✅️ After opening the door and entering the hall, it is relatively dark, and you need to wait for a while for the hall to gradually brighten. At this moment, you will find mold on the columns, which is somewhat heartbreaking.
The central columns form a dividing groove, a unique column arrangement style among the existing Song and Jin wooden structures in Changzi.
You will also see the remaining murals and inscriptions on the walls, but they are not well preserved and the shapes are unclear.
✅️ Next, let's look at the rear hall, a five-bay wide, six-rafter deep building with a suspended gable roof. The column heads are single-step, single-eave, five-bracket sets with qin face false eaves, horizontal brackets with oblique cuts, and locust-shaped eaves heads.
✅️ After viewing the rear hall, there isn't much else to see at Tianwang Temple. Although it may not seem rich in content, its unique form and Jin Dynasty architecture make it worth the visit, especially when combined with other national heritage buildings in Changzi, enriching the experience.
🚗: Regarding transportation to Tianwang Temple in Changzi, if you are not driving, public transportation is very convenient. You can take the Changzi bus from Changzhi City, with frequent and convenient schedules.
There are also other ancient buildings in Changzi city, such as the Guandi Temple and the Confucian Temple, which can be visited along the way.