Temple of City God

Covering a total area of 7,302 square meters, Pingyao City God Temple is located in the southeast of Pingyao with long history and unique art form. It is famed for its size and ingenious construction. Here, you can study the ceremonial system of the city, the system of religions, the architecture and culture of temple through its layout that shows the features of both Taoism and Confucianism.

Inside of the Temple of the City GodPingyao City God Temple was built in the Ming Dynasty, rebuilt in 1544, and repaired in the early Qing Dynasty. In 1859 the Temple burned down during a temple fair and was rebuilt in 1864. The current buildings are Qing-style. Unlike most city god temples, Pingyao City God Temple includes buildings dedicated to the city god, the god of wealth and the kitchen god. There are Hall of the City God, Theatre Hall, and Sleep Hall within the temple. According to the legend, the Hall of City God was the court for the gods, thus the atmosphere in the Hall of the City God is grandiose, serious and gloomy. Right in the middle of the hall sits a large statue of the City God with statues of serious judges and ghost guards standing by his side. Sleep Hall is the place where the city god lives with family dependants.

The construction of Pingyao City God Temple is exquisite and consummate. The roofs in the temple are adorned with the colored glaze with the predominant colors of blue and green. The wonderful woodcarvings, stone sculptures, painted sculptures and mural paintings in it reflect excellent craftsmanship. The beautiful colored glaze decoration forms a feature of particular interest in the temple. The two murals in the temple are art treasures that are rarely seen in China.


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