Zhang Fei Temple
Brief Introduction of Zhang Fei Temple
Zhang Fei Temple is also named Zhang Huanhou Temple. It is located under the Lion Rock of the Longbao Village in Yunyang County. It is built to memorize the famous general Zhang Fei of the Three Kingdoms period.
Zhang Fei Temple was built at the end of Shu Kingdom and has a history of nearly 1700 years. It was originally located at the foot of the Feifeng Mountain. There is a great amount of valuable inscriptions and scrolls of calligraphy and painting. And it has about 200 precious cultural relics. It is known as a place of beautiful scenery and precious relics. Zhang Fei Temple was elected one of the major sites to be protected at the national level and a national scenic spot of China. It is an essential site on the gold tourist line of the Three Gorges.
Legend of Zhang Fei Temple
It is said that Zhang Fei was persecuted by his subordinates Fan Jiang and Zhang Da. They went to join Wu Kingdom with Zhang Fei's head as a gift for the King of Wu. On their way to Yunyang County they heard that Wu Kingdom had made peace agreement with Shu Kingdom, so they threw Zhang Fei's head into the river. But Zhang Fei's head was salvaged by a fisherman and was buried at the foot of the Feifeng Mountain. Since then the people built a temple here to memorize him. There is a saying goes that Zhang Fei's head is in Yunyang County while his body is in Langzhong County. Zhang Fei's brave and loyalty are admired by the people, and they will come here to hold some memorial activities on his birthday- August 28 according to the lunar calendar.
New Zhangfei Temple of Three Gorges
Due to the Three Gorges Project, the water level of Yangtze River rises above Zhang Fei Temple. Therefore, it had been moved from the foot of Feifeng Mountain across the old town city of Yunyang County to the Longan Village of Panshi Town of Yunyang County on October 8, 2002. The new Zhang Fei Temple was open to the public on July 19, 2003. The removal of the Zhang Fei Temple is the biggest "migrant" in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area no matter from its large scale or extensive fund.
The new Zhang Fei Temple and the new town of Yunyang County face each other across Yangtze River. Zhang Fei Temple was moved westward for 32 kilometers. The main hall, the side hall, the Jieyi Tower, the Zhufeng Pavilion, and the Cuckoo Pavilion forms the enormous and distinctive ancient building complex. There are many flags with a big Chinese character – Zhang, flying outside the temple. Stepping into the temple you can see a lot of famous wood engravings and scrolls of calligraphy and painting. The building in the temple is unique and it is also famous for its unique and spare calligraphies, paintings, and carvings.
Cultural Relics of Zhang Fei Temple
There are hundreds of stone sculptures, stone tablets and wooden carvings in the temple. The cultural works through the past ages could be traced back from Ming and Qing Dynasties to Han and Tang Dynasties and were made by celebrities. The following are the most famous works: Yan Zhenqing's handwriting model named "Zhengzuoweitie", Su shi's "Ode to the Chibi", Yue Fei's handwriting of Zhuge Liang's "Petition on Taking the Field", Huang Tingjian's "Ode to the Orchid of Han Boyong", and Zheng Banqiao's poetry and painting. There are also wooden carvings and paintings of Liu Yong, Zhang Boshan, Zhao Xi, Guo Shangyuan, Zhang Chaoyong, and Liu Anzhen.
