Goodmorning!Ladiesandgentlemen:
TodaywewillgoandvisittheNanyueTemple,NanyueTempleissituatedonthenortherntipofNanyueTownshipandatthesouthernfootofChidiPeak.Inalayoutofninerows,Itisthelargestandbest-preservedancientpalatialarchitecturalcomplexofsouthChina.Magnificentandsplendidwithresplendentupturnedeaves.InsidetheeastinparalleltoeightBuddhistpalacesonthewest,ItisindeedawonderinthehistoryofreligionthatTaoism.BuddhismandConfucianculturecanco-existwithinasingletemple.
TheexacttimeoftheconstructionofNanyueTempleisunknown.ItexistedasearlyasintheQinandHanDynastis.OriginallyLocatedonthesummitofZhurongPeak,Thetemplewaslatermovedtothemountainfoottofacilitatethereligiousactivities.ThebeginningoftheTangDynastywitnessedtheformalconstructionoftheHeavenlyLordHuo"sTemple"the"HeavenlyMasterTemple".SoastoenshrineandworshiptheGodsofthefivesacredmountains,DuringtheSongDynastytheimmortaloftheHengshanMountainwasreveredasthe"HeavenlyMasterZhaosheng",asaresultthetemplewasgraduallyexpandedandenlarged.SincetheTangDynastyNanyueTemplehadbeedsubjecttosixfiresand16reconstructionsallthroughtheSong.Yuan,MingandQingDynasties.Inthe8thyearofEmperorGuangxu"sreignintheQingDynasty(1882A.D),theImperialCourtorderedtherbuildingofNanyueTemple.Whichhadbeenruinedbylightning,Theprojectwasimitative.CopyingthestylesoftheImperialPalace.Andeventothepresentdayitisstillwellpreserved.
Fencedwithred-brickwalls.NanyueTempleccupiesanareaofsome70.000squaremetres.Fromnorthtosouthliesinsequenceninerowsandfourcourtyards-LingxingGate.KuixingTower.ChuanGate.PavilionofImperialStudy,MainHall,DwellingPalaceandtheNorthernRearExit.Thewholearchitecturecomplexstretchesacrossonaxisextendingfromsouthtonorthwithitshallslinkeduptogether.Thewindingcorridorsandwing-roomsonbothsidesmergewitheachother.Accentuatingthemagnificenceofthestatureoftheprincipalpart.OntheeastsideofthemaintemplethereareeightTaoistpalaces.CoordinatingwitheightBuddhistpalacesonthewestside.
ThefirstrowisLingxingGate.TwogildedChinesecharacters"MountainTemple"areshiningonthewhitemarbleatthetopofthegate.Themarblegatestandsashighas20metreswithawidthof1.1metresandismeanttoimplythatduringthepastdynastiesallthereligiousactivitieswereofficiatedbyrealknowledgeablepeople.ThesecondrowiskuixingTower.ThemostperfectlypreservedancientstageinHumanProvince.withabreadthof35metresandalengthof12.Itsfa?adefacingthemainpalace,thestageistheplacewherepeopleholdreligiousactivitiesandperformlocaloperasduringpilgrimage.Beforethetowerstandsapairof2-metretallstoneKylin(Chineseunicorn).Withtheirfuriouseyeswidelyopen.Theyareliketwosolemnlookingsentinelsguardingthetower.
ThepebblepathundertheKuixingTowerleadstothethirdrow-MainChuanGate.EastandWestGates.Thegatewayismadeofgraybrickswithanawesomedepthandheightof15metres.Thecourtyardwithinisfilledwithdensecypresstreesandcarpetedwithgreengrass.ThefourthrowisthePavilionofImperialStudy.Distinguishedbyitsgildedtiles.Octagonaldoubleeavedroofsandexquisitely-craftedarches.InsidethepavilionthereisaBixiintheshapeofalegendaryanimalliketortoise.LegendhasitthatBixiistheninthsonofthedragon.TheBixicarriesanimperialsteleonwhichthefulltextofOnRebuildingNanyueTemplewascarvedinthe47thyearofKangxi"sreign(1780A.D.)intheQingdynasty.
ThefifthrowisJiayingGate.NamedafterthelinefromTheAnnalsofHan-BooksofRitesandJoys:"Thisrowistheplacewherelocalmagistratesandmonkswelcomedritualofficialsdispatchedfromthecapital.AftertheJiayingGatethesixthrowcomesintoview-TowerofImperialStudy.Whichisthestorehouseofthecollectionofimperialcalligraphies.messagesandinscribedboardsconcerningthepastemperors"ritualpresentationstothemountain.Sweeetosmanthusaheadofthetowersubmergesthebuildingwithitsrefreshingscentwhenitblossomseveryautumn.