Where is Hejin Zhenwu Temple?

Hejin Zhenwu Temple is a cultural relic protection unit in Shanxi Province.

Zhenwu Temple, also known as "Jiulong Temple", is named after the juxtaposition of the original nine peaks. Jiu Feng has built Wang Yu Temple, Leigong Temple, Baxian Temple, Wang Yao Temple, Xuanwu Temple, Shansi Temple, Dijun Temple, Huang San Temple and Shi Tian Temple from west to east. The other eight temples collapsed for various reasons, and only Xuanwu Temple survived. But the so-called Kowloon Temple has been passed down to this day.

Zhenwu Temple was rebuilt on 1980. It was built in the Xuanhe period of the Northern Song Dynasty, destroyed in the Yuan Dynasty, and rebuilt to varying degrees after the Ming Dynasty. It has a building area of over 2,500 square meters and more than 30 halls and towers. There are many landscapes such as Chaodianpo, Zhenwuxiang Hall, Zhenwuxian Hall, Zhenwu Temple, Niangniang Temple, Huang San Cave, Yuhuang Pavilion, Nantianmen, Chaotian Palace, Chunyangyuan and Lindao.

Zhenwu Temple (Xuanwu Temple) is located in Jiu Feng at the foot of Zijin Mountain in the northwest corner of Hejin City. Shaped like a dragon, it is commonly known as Jiulong Temple and Jiulongtou. Zhenwu Temple occupies a high position, facing the sky on three sides, and looks like an island. Because of the quiet pines, cypresses and bauhinia around Gangtou, it was called "Lying in Lin Gang" long before Qingganlong. In the eleventh year of Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty, Wang and others of Chongwen Society wrote the title of "Lindao" when creating Chongwen Pavilion and Chunyang Cave. As early as before the Song and Yuan Dynasties, there were temples of different sizes on nine hills near the foot of the Purple Mountain, namely Wang Yu Temple, Leigong Temple, Eight Immortals Temple, Wang Yao Temple, Zhenwu Temple, Miao Shan Temple, Dijun Temple, Huang San Temple and Tiantan Temple. With the change of time, most temples collapsed and were destroyed, but Zhenwu Temple, the largest building complex in Jiu Feng, remained. Because of the spacious temple site, later generations moved the damaged temple to Zhenwu Temple Mountain one after another. From then on, people called Zhenwu Temple Jiulong Temple. After continuous relocation, addition and Zhenwu Temple, a large-scale Taoist building complex has gradually formed.

According to textual research, Zhenwu Temple was founded in the late Yuan and early Ming Dynasties (A.D. 1357- 1368), and Jiajing, Wanli, Kangxi, Qianlong, Xianfeng and Daoguang in the Ming Dynasty were all added or rebuilt to varying degrees. Zhenwu Temple has a total area of about 3,400 square meters and a building area of about 2,500 square meters. There are as many as 34 temples, buildings, pavilions, platforms, plank roads, corridors and memorial archways. All the buildings are up the mountain, and the Miaopo plank road is strewn at random with the terrain. Its potential changes suddenly, from high to low. Looking at Tiger Hill in the east, Longmen in the west, Linfen Water in the south and Zijin in the north. Therefore, there are beautiful legends such as "Xijiang Painting Boat", "Lonely Clouds Sending Moon", "Wild Goose Pagoda Flying", "Leaning on the Golden Lotus", "Fenshui", "Primitive Forest Green"-"Eight Scenes of Lindao".

Due to disrepair and war damage, most buildings in Zhenwu Temple collapsed and were damaged. Fortunately, after the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the then county party committee and government set up the preparatory committee for the renovation of Jiulong Temple in June, 198 1, and launched a fund-raising initiative to all sectors of society and the broad masses of the people, which was strongly supported by Dong, then vice chairman of the CPPCC. In addition to financial support, after the renovation project of Zhenwu Temple was completed, Dong Lao specially wrote four characters: "Can be strong and three catties".

At present, Zhenwu Temple is undergoing continuous maintenance, painting and reinforcement with the care and support of Hejin Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government. This scenic spot in Hedong is welcoming guests from all directions with infinite enthusiasm!

Source: Yuncheng Local Records Compilation Committee