The ancient temple complex with a simple and exquisite structure

The Hou Tu Shrine is located in Miaqian Village, Ronghe Town, Wanrong County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. Hou Tu, the Mother Earth, is the oldest ancestor and the most respected god of the land in China. Emperor Wu of Han enshrined and worshipped her in Fenyin, Dongyue, and designated the Hou Tu Shrine as a national temple. He visited the shrine six times. The Hou Tu Shrine is also the crown of temples at home and abroad, and the source of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Behind the main hall of the Hou Tu Shrine, there is a building named Qiu Feng Lou because it hides the inscription of Emperor Wu of Han's 'Autumn Wind Poem'. Qiu Feng Lou stands by the river, lofty and vigorous. The building is divided into three layers, more than ten meters high, with a hip and gable roof, flying eaves, bright pillars, and densely distributed brackets. The lower part is built on a high platform called the Sweeping Ground Altar. It runs through from east to west, with a horizontal plaque on each side. The east is called 'Zhan Lu' and the west is called 'Wang Qin'. It is said that the famous scholar Zhang Yi entered Qin from here. Many literati and ink guests have also gathered here since ancient times. The time of the initial construction of the Hou Tu Shrine is unknown. The original site was on the Sui in Fenyin. It was expanded during the Tang and Song dynasties, but was destroyed by the Yellow River flood during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was rebuilt during the Tongzhi years. The existing buildings in the temple include the mountain gate, the well platform, the offering hall, the incense pavilion, the main hall, the Qiu Feng Lou, the East and West Five Tigers' side halls, etc. The glazed ornaments are dazzling, and the hanging carving craftsmanship is lifelike. The mountain gate and the well platform form a rare 'product' character stage in China, providing an important example for the study of the form of ancient Chinese stages. Although the existing buildings are not as magnificent as those in the Tang and Song dynasties, they are still a group of ancient temple buildings with a simple and exquisite structure.