Zhang Fei Temple’s Treasure

Zhang Fei Temple's Treasure – Brief Introduction

Zhang Fei Temple, a more than 1,700–year–old temple, located on the foot of Feifeng Mountain at the southern bank of the Yangtze River, 380 km away from the downtown of Chongqing Municipality. The temple opposite to Yunyang country was first built at the end of Shu and Han dynasties (during the Three Kingdoms Period of 220-280 AD) first and later expanded by Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties. It was constructed to honor the general Zhang Fei - one of the three sworn brothers of the State of Shu. There is a legend said that in the late Three Kingdoms Period, Zhang Fei was murdered by his two subordinates named Zhangda and Fanjiang. His head was thrown into the river and later salvaged by a fisherman who got a dream from Zhang Fei. However, the fisherman salvaged a jar of gold by accident and used it to build a temple named Zhang Fei Temple. Zhang Fei Temple is known as seven halls - Main Hall, Subordinate Hall, and Hall of Sworn Brothers, Hall of Clouds Viewing, Helpful Wind Pavilion, Cuckoo Pavilion and Pavilion of Moon Viewing. Ancient Collections and Calligraphy inside Zhang Fei Temple are the treasures to our nation which are scarce to appreciate all over the world.

Zhang Fei Temple's Treasure - Calligraphy and Painting, Inscriptions

In 2002, Zhang Fei Temple was moved 20 miles westward from the original place because of the water storage of the Three Gorges Dam Project. Now it located in Panlong Town of Chongqing Municipality. The new Zhang Fei Temple remains true to original. Over 4,500 cultural relics, 127 ancient trees, 193 wood carvings and 178 steles have been moved successfully into the new Temple.

The cliff of Zhang Fei Temple is sculpted with Chinese characters "Fresh Breeze above River" with strong spirit and elegant script. There is a bronze statue of Zhang Fei inside and more than 600 kinds of Carved Stone, Woodcut, Calligraphy and Painting, and other more than 1,000 kinds of heritage which could date back to Neolithic Period. Countless famous writers left great poems and characters in Zhang Fei Temple with lofty sentiments and high aspirations. The scarce treasures are praised as "Three uniqueness" – unique articles, unique calligraphies, and unique inscriptions. Especially in the calligraphy and painting, and inscriptions with poetry are the most precious. The three most precious treasures with higher value of history, art and research, represent for different schools. Such as Zhangbei Stele during Han Dynasty, Tianlin Stele by Liang, Youlan Ode by Huang Tingjian, Qianhou Chibi Ode by Su Shi, etc. Because of the scarce treasures, Zhang Fei Temple is praised as "Magnificent Spot of Character and Rhetoric".