Captivated at First Sight in the City God Temple! This Ming Dynasty Stage Will Leave You Speechless

Just a few steps into the City God Temple, I encountered Hancheng's most beautiful stage. This performance stage was originally built in the 44th year of the Ming Dynasty's Wanli period (1616). After weathering hundreds of years, it still preserves the architectural characteristics of the Ming Dynasty, though some parts were renovated during the Qing Dynasty. The performance stage originally consisted of eastern and western stages, but the eastern one has been destroyed. Only the western stage remains, standing quietly in the City God Temple, telling tales of history's vicissitudes. The performance stage is a platform-style building with a five-beam structure and a double-eaved cross-shaped hipped roof design that appears dignified and elegant. The roof is covered with gray tiles and barrel tiles, with glazed peony patterns adorning the main ridge that shimmer with a warm luster in the sunlight. The stage platform is rectangular, with a width of 9.3 meters and a total depth of 4.8 meters. The platform base rises 1.29 meters above the ground, a design that ensures spectators can clearly see the performances from any position. Upon closer inspection, the architectural details of the performance stage are even more impressive. Square wooden pillars support the front eaves, holding up the main beam, flat beam, and railing beam that bear the weight of the entire stage. The flat beam features five bracket sets, with a wishbone-shaped bracket in the center and the others constructed in a double-tier five-step four-support style. These brackets not only support the eaves but also enhance the building's aesthetic appeal. The wooden screen divides the depth into front and back sections, serving as the front and back stage areas. The upper part of the screen is carved with the three characters "Ge Wu Tai" (Performance Stage) in regular script negative carving, appearing simple yet elegant. Beyond its architectural charm, the performance stage also carries rich cultural activities. Every year on the 20th day of the eighth lunar month, the Hancheng City God Temple holds a temple fair where locals traditionally invite two major opera troupes to perform competitively on the stages. Although the eastern stage has been destroyed, this tradition continues on the remaining performance stage, becoming an integral part of local cultural life.