[2025 Beizhen Attraction] Travel Guide for Beizhen Temple (Updated Apr)

There are very few ancient buildings that still exist on a large scale. However, Beizhen Temple at the foot of Yiwulü Mountain was once glorious due to the worship of successive Qing emperors, and it has also left a treasure trove of Zhenshan culture. The poem "I set off from Taiyi in the morning, and arrived at Yiwulü in the evening" by the great doctor San Chuang made Yiwulü Mountain in Youzhou a synonym for the ends of the earth. Beizhen Temple is a national third-class temple, and the existing buildings are relics of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The extraordinary thing about this temple is that it is the only remaining ancient building among the five Zhenshan temples, and the huge number of stone inscriptions is rare in the northeast. The mountain gate has three rooms and a single-eave hip roof. The plaque in the middle of the gate is said to be written by Yan Song. There are four stone lions around the archway outside the mountain gate, each with a different expression, which is quite interesting. Passing through the Shenma Hall, you can see four stele pavilions lined up in a row. These four stele pavilions contain four imperial steles from the Qing Dynasty, which are witnesses of the sacrifices made by the three Qing emperors, Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, to Beizhen Mountain. However, the stele pavilions were severely damaged, and the stone steles inside were also broken in the 1970s, and the handwriting is slightly scattered. In front of the Imperial Incense Hall facing the stele pavilion, there are many stone inscriptions, most of which are written by Emperor Qianlong, and some are from the Kangxi period. However, the themes are quite unified, all of which are poems praising the god Guangning King of Yiwulü Mountain. The Qing emperors believed that the Jianzhou Jurchens could not have entered the pass without the protection of Beizhen Mountain. It is understandable that Emperor Taizu of the Qing Dynasty once served under Li Rusong in Guangning City and had a generational admiration for this famous mountain. Not only were the three emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong fond of their hometown Beizhen Mountain, but even Jiaqing and Daoguang also left stone inscriptions on Yiwulü Mountain.

China's Five Towns Famous Mountains ⛰️ East Town Yishan (Shandong) ⛰️ South Town Kuaiji Mountain (Zhejiang) ⛰️ West Town Wushan (Shaanxi) ⛰️ North Town Yiwulu Mountain (Liaoning) ⛰️ Central Town Huoshan (Shanxi) The Five Towns and the Five Great Mountains are collectively known as China's ten famous mountains. The Five Great Mountains are for offering sacrifices to heaven, and the Five Towns are for offering sacrifices to earth. They are all places where emperors of past dynasties held their enfeoffment and sacrificial ceremonies. It is said that there is an imperial temple built under each of the Five Towns' mountains, and now the only one preserved seems to be the North Town Temple under Yiwulu Mountain in Jinzhou, Liaoning. 🐲The cleaning lady in the temple said that Jinzhou's North Town Temple is the largest mountain god temple in the entire three northeastern provinces. Emperors of past dynasties had to come here for all big and small matters to offer sacrifices. Emperor Qianlong even had a palace here (which has collapsed, and it is said that it will be rebuilt). A mountain god temple that is over 1400 years old, with five layers of temple buildings and red walls and green tiles, seems not so simple. However, most of the buildings are newly built and renovated. When I smelled the strong scent of paint, I knew that not much of the historical remains were left... 📸Some highlights ✅The stone lions at the entrance: Representing happiness, anger, sorrow, and fear (feels like speculation) ✅Stone steles from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties: They symbolize identity and are also the last defiance, 56 stone steles, 56 ethnic groups, somewhat coincidentally aligned ✅Ming dynasty colored murals: 32 founding heroes of the Ming dynasty (Xu Da, Tang He, Chang Yuchun...), somewhat reminiscent of the Tang dynasty's Lingyan Pavilion ✅Stone plaque 'North Town Temple': Written by Yan Song during the Ming dynasty's Jiajing era, he was a treacherous official, but that doesn't stop him from being a master calligrapher

⛰【Travel Guide】 📍Detailed address: Guanyin Pavilion Street, Beizhen City, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province. 🚗Transportation guide: Self-driving. 🕙Opening hours: 8:30～16:30 💰Ticket price: 20 yuan/person 🌟Highlights: 1. Long history: Beizhen Temple, built during the Sui Dynasty, has a history of over 1400 years. It is the temple of the mountain god of Mount Yi Wu Lue, historically known as 'Yi Wu Lue Mountain God Temple'. It is the most well-preserved of the five great Zhen Shan temples in China, ranking alongside the first Zhen Shan, Yishan in the east, Wushan in the west, Huoshan in the center, and Kuaijishan in the south, collectively known as the 'Five Great Zhen Shan of China'. 2. Architectural style: Beizhen Temple is built against the mountain, facing south from the north, and is the most intact ancient architectural complex. There are 56 completely preserved steles from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties inside the temple, especially the 'Guangning Traveling Palace' site from the Qianlong era on the east side of Beizhen Temple. 3. Beizhen Temple, from the entrance, consists of the stone archway→mountain gate→Shenma Hall→bell/drum towers on both sides→main hall→Royal Incense Hall→Inner Incense Hall→Changing Hall→Bedroom Hall→Transport Platform→Stele Pavilion, and so on. Additionally, the rear hall of the Inner Incense Hall is the inner residence of the mountain god couple, with statues of the couple and child servants inside. ❤Recommended reason: 1. Since its establishment, Beizhen Temple has been the venue for emperors of successive dynasties to conduct sacrificial ceremonies, praying for divine protection. 2. The 56 steles are precious historical materials for studying the culture, economy, and politics of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. 📌Little Tips: The scenic area is vast, and it takes a long time to walk, so it is recommended to wear a pair of comfortable sports shoes for convenience.