The Temple of Successive Emperors is a national AA tourist attraction, and a key historic site under national protection. It lies at No.131 Fuchengmen Inner Street, Xicheng District, west of the Fujing Cultural Street, and is close to White Dagoba Temple and Guangji Temple. It is accessible by many buses. With grand and well-preserved buildings, it is a well-known place of historical and cultural tourism.
The temple was built 470 years ago in 1530, or the 9th year of Emperor Jiajing's reign in the Ming Dynasty. It was the only imperial temple in the Ming and Qing dynasties for worshiping the Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors, distinguished emperors, ministers, and generals of Chinese in successive dynasties. As time passed by, more and more honored persons were enshrined. During Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty, Jingde Chongsheng Hall housed the tablets of 188 emperors, and the east and west wing halls housed those of 79 ministers and generals, Guandi Temple was built to worship Guan Yu, a hero of the Three Kingdoms period. By then the temple had housed the greatest number of tablets in the country. The fact that great leaders of all dynasties were enshrined in this temple suggests an important trait of Chinese civilization–continuity.
After the Republic of China was founded, the temple was diverted into non-sacrificial uses, serving first as PekingLadies' Preschool Teacher's Schooland then as No.3 Girls High School of Peking. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was renamed No.3 Girls High School of Beijing. In 1972, it merged into No.159 High School of Beijing. In 2000, governments at various levels began to finance a three-year renovation. It was officially opened to the public in April 2004.
The temple covers an area of 21,500 square meters, of which 6,000 square meters are covered by ancient buildings. The whole complex faces south. The main buildings——the screen wall, the gate of the temple, Jingde Gate, Jingde Chongsheng Hall, the warehouse of ritual vessels——are situated along a central axis. These are flanked by the east and west wing halls, the stele pavilions, the sacrificial burners, and the bell tower. In the southeast are the bell tower, the Divine kitchen, the Divine Depot, the Slaughter pavilion, and the well pavilion; in the southwest are the Music Official Rooms, the Guard Official Rooms, the Fasting Rooms, and the GuandiTemple, a temple within a temple. With a majestic layout, the complex is a classic example of Chinese traditional architecture.
Jingde Chongsheng Hall, the main hall, has been refurnished the way it was in Emperor Qianlong's reign. Prominently displayed in its center are the spiritual tablets of the Three Sovereigns——Fuxi, Emperor Yan, Emperor Huangdi, and the Five Emperors——Shaohao, Zhuanxu, Diku, Tangyao, and Yushun. They are flanked by those of the emperors of successive dynasties. Visitors may feel the solemnity and worship in the hall. In the east wing hall is an exhibition on the historical evolution of the temple; in the west wing hall, an exhibition of the major worshiped figures. These two may help visitors learn more about the temple and the founding, development and consummation of the sacrificial system.
In the Divine Depot is held the exhibition on Family Names and the Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors, showing how the 100 major Chinese family names originated from the Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors and evolved, and stories of emperors of successive dynasties. This may help visitors learn more about the Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors who were the common ancestors of Chinese people.
In Guandi Temple is held the Guan Yu Cultural Exhibition on the life of Guan Yu, Guan Yu’s Tomb in Dangyang, the Cemetery of Guan Yu in Luoyang, and Guandi Temple in Xiezhou. The exhibition tells the story of “his body lies in Dangyang, his head rests in Luoyang, his soul is back in his hometown, and his statue is worshipped in Temples”, and A Life of Heroic Tragedy, A Sage of Eternal Sanctity.
Address:No.131 Fuchengmen Inner Street, Xicheng District, Beijing |
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