Structure of Ducheng Temple in Changzhi County
Tianxia Town God Scenic Area is located in Tianziling, Xihuo Town, 25 kilometers southeast of Changzhi County, in the southeast of Shanxi Province. After four generations of renovation in Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties, it covers an area of more than 2,000 mu. Rich in tourism resources and good ecological environment, it is an important part of the "Great Changzhi Tourism Economic Zone". The temple faces south and is divided into upper and lower houses. In the superstructure, there are main hall, Lingxiao Treasure Hall, annex hall, dedication hall and east and west wing rooms. There is a theater in the lower house, with dressing rooms and watchtowers on both sides. 108 stepped out of the mountain gate, facing the southern boundary of Shangdang. The whole building is covered with glass ridges, carved beams and painted buildings, exquisite and gorgeous, steep and spectacular. The architectural style of the temple blends with the legacy of the past dynasties, and the carving styles are different. Mountains and rivers, flowers and plants, insects, fish, birds and animals are varied and lifelike. The "World God" sits on an independent hill facing south, imposing. It stands in Tianziling, the southern boundary of Shangdang, with a long history and well-preserved. According to legend, it was built more than 2,000 years ago by Liu Xiufeng, the founding emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty. After many repairs in past dynasties, the existing main building still retains its original pattern. According to legend, at the end of the Western Han Dynasty, Wang Mang usurped the throne and led troops to hunt down Liu Xiu everywhere. One day, Liu Xiu fled here thirsty and tired. Seeing follwed coming, Liu Xiu had nowhere to run, so she had to hide in the mountain temple. Because no one has entered this mountain temple for a long time, it is covered with many cobwebs, and Liu Xiu's entry pokes a big hole in the cobwebs. Liu Xiu looked back and was afraid: If Wang Mang chased me here and saw this cave, he would definitely come to the temple to search. At that time, there would be no life for me! Thinking of this, Liu Xiu knelt before the altar and prayed: "If you save my life, if one day you ascend to the throne, you will become the world god, and all the counties in the world will be under your control." As soon as I spoke, I saw that the spider web had been bridged as before. Follwed chased him, saw the cobwebs densely covered, but Liu Xiu couldn't get in, so he chased him elsewhere. Liu Xiu therefore dodged a bullet. A few years later, Liu Xiu proclaimed himself emperor, and named this place "Tianxia Town God", which governed the world town god, and Tianziling became the town god mountain. Liu Xiu also allocated a large sum of money to expand and repair temples, reshape statues, personally write plaques and order sacrifices. For two thousand years, it has been famous in the surrounding four provinces, and there are an endless stream of believers in the temple, with incense and purple gas. In recent years, in order to develop the tourism brand of "Tianxia Zhenshen", the Changzhi County Party Committee and the county government attached great importance to it and established Changzhi Tianxia Zhenshen Tourism Development Co., Ltd. to expand the scenic spot. It has invested more than 58 million yuan to build the Clifford Palace, Guanwuxing Palace, Taiji Square, Dongshan Academy, Northern Wei Grottoes and a street in Ming and Qing Dynasties.