| Foshan
Temple (built 1078-85, rebuilt 1392 onward)
other
sites in Foshan |
Foshan, China |
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The Ancestor Temple was first built during the Northern Song dynasty between 1078 and 1085. Originally, it may have been a temple to the ancestor of a local clan, but by the time it was rebuilt in 1372 at the beginning of the Ming dynasty it was a Taoist temple dedicated to Beidi, the Northern Emperor and god of the waters. The present temple grounds include the original temple on the East side and a Confucian temple from 1911 on the southwest corner, along with shops, restaurants, and examples of the old architecture scattered all over the grounds. The temple has been almost continuously added to and repaired and renovated over the years. Some of the more interesting bits of architecture on display were some stone carvings with caricatures of Europeans that were made during the Qing dynasty.
The main temple complex on the east side is divided into two parts. The north part is a series of covered buildings on a north-south axis. To the south are two courtyards divided by a large archway, called the Lingying Archway. The first has a pond in the middle with drum and bell towers on the east and west sides. The southernmost courtyard was used for Guangdong Opera and has a large stage, the Wanfu Stage at the southern end. The Lingying Archway was built in 1451 when the temple was known as Lingying Temple. The stage dates to the Qing dynasty. It was originally known as Huafeng Stage, but was renamed on the 60th birthday of the Empress Dowager, Cixi.
The northern part of the temple is entered through the Sanmon, a gate facing south with three arched doorways in it. Inside is a court that is open to the sky with towers on the east and west sides. To the north of this there is a hall known as the Qiandian (front hall) with various Taoist decorative items. Along the walls to the left and right are 10 gold colored guardian deities. To the north of this there is another court, but this one is covered with a freestanding pavilion that is called the Qingzhenlou (Pavilion of Truth Celebration). Finally to the north of this is the hall with the main altar to Beidi, called the Dadian (big hall). Two smaller altars to other deities flank the main altar.
Bibliography
All images copyright 2001 Professor
Kerk L. Phillips of Brigham Young University, Utah, USA.
Visit his webpage at www.pomosa.com
Boyd, Andrew. Chinese
Architecture and Town Planning: 1500 B.C. - A.D. 1911
Holmesdale Press Ltd., London.
1962
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~hangying/foshan/foshan.html
http://www.travelchinaguide.com
http://www.guangxiaosi.sz.js.cn/english/zhuye.htm