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Longhu Temple

Longhu Temple is on the peak of Longshou Mountain measuring 1,568 meters in height, to the east of “Tenggang” at the center of Sanqingshan. Together with Sanqing Palace, Yanjiao Palace, and Lingong Palace, Longhu Temple forms the symmetrical layout of main Taoist temples and palaces in Sanqingshan. This Palace shares the same shape with the one (old Zheng Yi Yuan Tan Palace) built on Liaoyang Temple in Longhu Mountain in Guixi City. Unlike the latter, Longhu Temple is east off the axis, which is in accordance with architecture layout of Eight Diagrams applied by Cinnabar School. This represents the architecture features by combining characteristics of south Tian shi Taoist sect and north Quan zhen Taoist Sect.
     With a coverage of 46 square meters, this temple with a front courtyard and back granite palace which imitates structure of wood bracket is an architecture of Ming Dynasty, can be seen from closed porticos and palaces on both sides and gable and hip roof. In front of main hall is a stone arch-style gate. Inside, three stone shrines are respectively laid from left to right, all built in granite. Few of once twenty-one stone sculptures remain in Palace, head off. Located in a steep terrain, this palace faces cliff and back to vast sky. Though small in size, it boasts magnificent momentum to breath sun and moon. Stone sculpture of Blue Dragon and White Tiger sit on both sides of front palace. Out of the fact that they are natural stones slightly chipped by axe, though having been weathered, it still can be vividly seen that Tiger half crouches gazing at gate and Dragon lies on ground, head high raised and whisker curled. Behind the Palace, a round man-dug hole lying in west of rock flat is known as “treasure basin” with cliff at its back. In legend, a Zhejiang boatman poor and living on fishing, can’t stand his elder brother’s wife who often insulted him with mean words, jumped off the cliff with anger. He was still alive after the whole seven days, and got rescued by pilgrims. So it is called “sacrifice cliff”.
    The magnificence of Longhu Temple is that it locates on the steep peak of  Longshou Mountain as if grandly breathing sun and moon. Naturally and ingeniously carved by cliff rocks, a white tiger and a blue dragon pose like a crouching tiger and a hidden dragon with the former standing out of cliff and the latter hiding on rock. This is exactly the same as in Taoism where blue dragon, white tiger, black tortoise and vermilion bird are guards of God to demonstrate dignity. In spring and summer when azaleas of various colors blossom all over the mountain, one standing by palace surrounded by erecting verdant can stretch sights far into the opposite grand and grotesque peaks and rocks. Beneath is a steep cliff abyss. Among mist there is a stone ancient path winding along the rock to Heaven Gate. With magnificent sight and picturesque scenery, this Palace is one of best scenic spots in Sanqingshan.

 

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