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General
Guan Yu's Temple features a small arsenal.
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Temple on Dongshan Island |
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A
recent face-lift has given Ciji Palace an even more
impressive appearance.
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Yunxiao County, situated beside the Zhangjiang
River and on the way from Zhangpu County to Dongshan Island,
was the earliest seat of the government of Zhangzhou. Weihui
Temple, which is dedicated to the founding father of Zhangzhou,
is located here.
The temple is a thriving religious centre. In the main hall
is a statue of Chen Yuangguang in red armour and official
crown, looking awe-inspiring with his heavy mustache and red
face. Sculptures of his parents and wife can also be seen
here. The couplets hung on the 20-odd stone pillars inside
the hall are full of praise for Chen, for being the first
to open up southern Fujian. The temple is at its most festive
on Chen's birthday (the 15th day of the second lunar month)
and the anniversary of his death (the 5th day of the 11th
lunar month). On both occasions the temple comes alive with
people burning incense and full-length operas that are performed
in the square. Effigies of Chen and other deities are paraded
down the streets with much pomp and pageantry.
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Old
women are often seen among the pilgrims who visit General
Guan Yu's Temple.
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A sea dyke built in the 1960s in the southern
part of Yunxiao County links Dongshan Island to the continent,
and has turned it into a new tourist zone . In southern Fujian.
The island is famous for its beautiful beaches, which extend
for dozens of kilometres. The most famous of all Dongshan places
of historical interest and scenic spots is a fort built 600
years ago. This is where Qi jiguang, a famous Ming-dynasty general,
repeatedly held Japanese invaders at bay.
A stone wall stands at the edge of the sea,
and a pavilion atop the eastern end provides a good vantage
point for watching the sunrise or sunset. Inside the fort there
is a temple dedicated to the memory of General Guan Yu.
The upturned eaves of its glazed roofs are decorated with porcelain
sculptures done in the indigenous southern Fujian style, and
include images such as twin phoenixes, the rising sun, two dragons
playing with a pearl, historical figures and strange beasts
and birds. Despite the ravages of time and the elements, all
the sculptures are still in excellent condition. |
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