Pingshan Sangu Temple: Exploring the stories of the local deities in Southern Anhui

This is about the millennium-old village of Pingshan Village, the second chapter of a trilogy. The village currently preserves nearly 300 ancient Ming and Qing buildings, with 3 national protected units, offering a wealth of attractions. The previous article detailed the Shu Family Ancestral Hall, and this one will talk about another national protected unit in Pingshan—Xianji Temple. ⭐Sangu Legend The legend of Pingshan Sangu can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty. It is said that the three daughters of Shu Jun, the governor of Danyang during the Western Han Dynasty, turned into three mountain peaks due to the use of red peaches. Their mother, overwhelmed by grief, also transformed into a mountain peak, known as 'Crying Peak'. The story reached the imperial court, and the emperor decreed the three daughters as 'Three Holy Dragon Maidens' and built a temple to worship them, known as 'Sangu Temple'. ⭐Historical Establishment The current Sangu Temple was originally built in the year 11147 of the Southern Song Dynasty. Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty personally inscribed the temple plaque with the words 'Xianji'. The existing main building is believed to be from the Ming and Qing periods. The exterior walls are mottled dark red, and there is an ancient camphor tree with lush foliage in the square outside. The interior is a single-story building with two corridors. The corridor has three bays, eight rafters, and seven steps, while the rear part has eleven rafters and ten steps. The front corridor features a herringbone veranda. The Sangu Temple, along with its legend, has withstood the test of time for a thousand years and still shines brightly. It is a dazzling pearl among the ancient temple buildings in the Huizhou region and is a national treasure. 📣Note: Enter the temple from the left and exit from the right. ⭐Other attractions in the village: Pingshan Archway, Imperial Guard Office, Shu Family Ancestral Hall, Xianyi Hall, Red Temple, Xianji Temple (Sangu Temple), etc. Address: Hongcun Town, Yi County, Anhui Province Navigation: 'Pingshan Village' Tickets: Usually around 50 yuan, free in the first quarter of 2024, and free every Wednesday. Surroundings: Hongcun, Nanping, Guanlu, Bishan (Bishan Bookstore), Shouzhuo Garden, etc.

Anhui Pingshan Shu Family Ancestral Hall: Magnificent gate tower and ancient ancestral hall from the Ming Dynasty

The thousand-year-old Pingshan Village in southern Anhui is a famous historical and cultural village in China, as well as a traditional Chinese village. Historically, Pingshan could boast 'three thousand stoves and a five-li-long street', not only situated by the mountain and facing the water, but also with a long and profound cultural history. Currently, nearly 300 ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties are preserved, among which the Guangyu Hall, Chengdao Hall, Daoguang Tang, Xianyi Hall, and other 7 ancestral halls are exquisitely grand. ⭐The Shu Family Ancestral Hall⭐ includes the Shu Qingyu Hall from the Ming Wanli period and the Shu Guangyu Hall from the Qing Qianlong period. The two halls are connected by a corridor, both constructed based on Zhu Xi's 'Family Rituals'. The architectural scale is grand, with a reasonable and compact layout, the spatial progression is appropriately handled, following the closed, inward, complete, and independent style of ancestral temple architecture, yet rich in spatial rhythm and cadence, representing the typical style of ancient Huizhou ancestral halls. ⭐Nine-eaved five-colored gate tower: Also known as 'Bodhisattva Hall'. The nine eaves represent the highest level of ancestral halls, and the five colors were historically exclusive to the emperor. In ancient Yixian County, there was a saying: 'Having seen the Bodhisattva Hall of Jiudu, one would not be startled even when entering a government office.' This illustrates the grandeur and high status of the Bodhisattva Hall; The two characters 'En Rong' in the upper middle part mean 'vast imperial grace and family prosperity'. The lower middle part reads 'Number one scholar in the imperial examination', indicating that the village has produced a top scholar. The gate tower has over 300 different, lifelike carved figures, such as dragons soaring in the sky, civil and military officials, various Bodhisattvas, jubilant lions, young lion protectors, cranes extending life, plum blossom deer, etc. ⭐Shu Guangyu Hall: From the Qing Dynasty, with a front hall, middle hall, and back hall, it is tall and grand, with majestic beams and columns, orderly brackets, and exquisite carvings. The eaves and columns use a combination of stone and wood techniques; ⭐Shu Qingyu Hall: Built during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli period, it represents the Ming ancestral halls of Huizhou. Constructed with ginkgo wood, it uses large materials and has a distinct Ming Dynasty architectural style, with shuttle columns as the main feature; The beam frames often use gorgeously carved moon beams, which have a circular cross-section. The column bases, sumeru bases, and the hall for offerings all have auxiliary steps and other features typical of the Ming Dynasty. ⭐Other attractions: Pingshan arching, Imperial Guard Hall, Xianyi Hall, Red Temple, Xianji Temple (Three Maiden Temple), etc. Address: Hongcun Town, Yixian County, Anhui Province Tickets: Free

Take a free tour around~ Pingshan Village

Coming out of Nanping, it's already evening. Then go to Pingshan Village and take advantage of the free time to visit several ancient villages. Pingshan Village is a typical Jiangnan water village. Jiyang Creek twists and turns, passing through the village. The Weizhou houses with green bricks and black tiles and horse-head walls are interspersed on both sides of the creek. The quaint stone bridges and the babbling water under the bridge constitute the unique charm of the Jiangnan water village 'small bridge, flowing water, people's home'. Pingshan is one of the most important sketching bases in the ancient villages of southern Anhui. In the ancient village by the creek and in front of and behind the old houses, there are students sketching and painting everywhere. Pingshan Village

Stop blaming Anhui Culture and Tourism, us outsiders will help promote it

The unique charm of Anhui can only be deeply felt by those who have truly been there. Without exaggeration, Anhui is one of the few places that I want to visit again after going once, it really has a strong appeal. Leaving Anhui feels like a breakup😭, I'm already looking forward to the next meeting. - ⛰️"Climb Huangshan, there are no mountains in the world, and the view is enough." In a so-called off-season of Huangshan tourism, without Lotus Peak, without Tiandu Peak, without West Sea Grand Canyon, I climbed Huangshan for the first time and finally understood why everyone says "After returning from the Five Mountains, don't look at the mountains, after returning from Huangshan, don't look at the mountains." The beauty of Huangshan is the vigorous pines growing in the stone cracks, the endless mountains and seas when looking far away, the ink and wash real scenes of people traveling in the painting, the lifelike monkey watching the sea, the strange peaks and rocks under the magic axe and god work. When people come to Huangshan, they know what a strange mountain is and what a pine is. - 📍"Green water and green tiles·Ink Hongcun" Green bricks and grey tiles horse head wall, Huizhou's ink painting town, Hongcun deserves its name. Hongcun backs the mountain and faces the water, a never-drying spring, two rivers encircling the left and right, lying in the shape of a cow under the mountain. Hongcun has a history of about 900 years and still well preserves hundreds of ancient residential groups with pink walls and green tiles. Walking in the old streets and alleys to appreciate the profound cultural heritage of Huizhou. Walk on the stone bridge where Li Mubai led the horse in South Lake, feel the beautiful scenery like ink painting; watch the red lanterns hanging in the ancient houses and the hanging corridors and flower windows in Moon Marsh, experience the tranquility of ancient Huizhou. - 📍"Ink Jiangnan·Huizhou Lucun" I saw the most beautiful sunrise in my life in Lucun. The morning mist has not yet dissipated, the cooking smoke is rising, and Lucun, like an ink painting, wakes up leisurely in the crisp crowing of chickens, showing the Eastern aesthetics to the fullest. The Zhicheng Hall in Lucun is known as the "First Floor of Huizhou Woodcarving", and the ingenious woodcarving skills, every detail can make people praise. Lucun does not have a strong commercial atmosphere, but retains a more original ancient village form. - 📍"Pillow Mountain and Surrounding Water·Xidi Ancient Village" People say "Hongcun sees the scenery, Xidi sees the architecture", Xidi Village is boat-shaped, all streets and alleys are paved with Yixian green stone, rows of houses, like the cabins of a big boat; the archway and big tree at the head of the village are like masts and sails; nearby farmland and lake fields surround the village, like a big boat moored in the harbor. There are more than 300 existing Ming and Qing residences, these ancient residences are unique in style, beautiful in shape, a model of Huizhou architecture, and enjoy the reputation of "China's Ming and Qing Residential Museum". - 📍"Sketching Holy Land·Pingshan Village" Pingshan Village is much rougher than Hongcun. Most of the people who come here are sketching students. There are many small shops in the village dedicated to sketching, KTV, snack shops, etc., and there are also dedicated sketching bases. The first impression of Pingshan Village is simplicity and tranquility, not commercialized development, ancient villages plus more life-like sketching services, I really want to live here for a long time. - ＊Recently, Yixian County has launched a high-speed rail tour activity, including all scenic spots in Yixian County such as Hongcun, Xidi, etc., all free of admission, and you can also use the ticket to offset the accommodation on the same day. The next note will share a detailed two-day tour strategy, if you are interested, please follow it, your attention is my motivation to update

Pingshan Mountain, the mountains and rivers show, because the village has a mountain on the north side, the shape is like a screen and named. Pingshan Village is the same as Xidi and Lucun. The village is mostly Shu, and it has a history of more than 1,100 years. In the history of Jixian, there is a saying of "three-six-nine-large villages", so Pingshan has been "three thousand smoke stoves, Wulichang Street" since ancient times. The villagers have many poems and rituals, and there are many talented people. In the history, there is a bright and unrecognized Ming Wanli Jinshi Shurong, the emperor is entrusted to build the Jiuyimen Building, and there is a well-known Qing Guangxu Jinshi Shusi; there is a famous performance artist in modern times. Xiu Wen, her starring "One River Spring Water to the East" is a household name.

Pingshan Mountain, the mountain is full of water, because the village has a mountain in the north, the shape is like a screen and named, but because of its culture, it exudes endless charm. Pingshan was built in Jiudu County because of its ancient system. The village is home to the Shu family, so it is also known as Jiudu Shu Village. It has a history of more than 1,100 years. In the history of Jixian, there is a saying of "three-six-nine-large villages". Therefore, as the Pingshan of Jiudu, it has been "three thousand smoke stoves, Wulichang Street" since ancient times.

It is located in Pingfeng Mountain, about 4 kilometers northeast of Jixian County, Huangshan City, and the foothills of Jiyang Mountain. Because Pingshan Village is a village where Shu is a family, it is also known as Shu Village. The roads in Pingshan Village are winding and winding, and the gardens in Jiangnan are quite gentle and meticulous. The Jiyang water, which originated in Jiyang Mountain, flows from north to south, bringing vitality to the ancient village. There are many students in Pingshan Village who sketch and use the colorful brushstrokes to display the lively village in a static form. The buildings in Pingshan Village are mostly worn out and have not been repaired. I dont know whether it is intentional or lack of conditions, but it also adds a bit of historical vicissitudes.

Pingshan, the mountains and waters show, the village is mostly Shu surname, the village since ancient times poetry and family, so talented people come forth. It is far from the city, quiet and peaceful. If you like, Ping County Pingshan is willing to remove the noise of your life. If you want to be free, let the reality bind you!

Yu Fengchen, a poet of the Qing Dynasty, wrote a verse when he was in Youpingshan: "Qingshan has a painting screen, and Yu Yucui wants to drop. Autumn leaves are more spring flowers, and they are like brocade." This describes the beautiful scenery of Pingshan Village. Pingshan Village is located in the foothills of Pingfeng Mountain and Jiyang Mountain, about 4 kilometers northeast of Jixian County, Huangshan City. Raiders