EAST PEAK TEMPLE

According to ancient Chinese cosmology, it was associated with the rising sun and, to worship the father and prodigal aspid to the Chinese, every major city of the Empire had to raise its temple «from the Eastern Peak».

History

Beijing was founded under the Yuan, at first by the master of Chinese Taoism, Zhang Liu Sun, who died quickly, and then by one of his disciples, Wu Quan Jie, who was building the building, giving him the name of «Palate of the Eastern Peak» (Dong Yue) Ren Shou Gong). It was enlarged under the Ming, then completely destroyed by a fire in 1698 under the reign of Kang Xi. He rebuilt it in 1700. Then the emperors Qian Long and Dao Guang of the Qing embraced it in turn.

Visit

The temple revolves around three main courses, the central courtyard, the court is and the west court. Most buildings have preserved the architectural style of the Yuan.

The central court. Once the front door is passed (Shan Men), we find the honor door with both Hen and Ha guards, and the ten Tai Bao protectors. Then comes the palace of Eastern Peak (Dai Zong Bao Dian) with, to the east, the palaces of the worship of the Three Divine Brothers (Mao Yin, Mao Gu and Mao Zhong) then the palace of the cult of Zhang Liu Sun and the palace of La Grande Fortune and, in the west, the palace of worship Wu Quan Jie, the palace of Princes and the Palace of Fertility. Behind are the palace of food and virtue (Yu De Dian) and the palace of the emperor of Jade (Yu Huang Dian).

The door of the last palace gives access to a courtyard around which the «72 services of hell» will be noticed with 84 holy judges. In the adjoining classes, the calligraphy of Zhao Mengdao (calligrapher under the Yuan) will be noted as «stowage of the Holy Law of the Celestial Master Zhang». On another nearby stack, a very nice detail of a bas-relief shows two children with very lively expression, hairstyled, another showing two monkeys pursued by bees after destroying their hive. On the west side of the palace terrace of the Emperor of the Eastern Peak, there is a strange slab with small shattered copper shards, known as the gold pellet slab, and suspended on the wall, a large slut serving the Emperor of the Eastern Peak. to settle his accounts with people by dosing good and evil, because no mischief can hope to escape the sanctions of the Governor of Hell. There is also a marble statue representing a mule as well as a bronze mulet, both renowned for their healing powers. He who had ear ache touched them, the one who suffered from the eyes passed his hand on their eyes and the woman who wanted to be pregnant touched the genitals' genitals.

The temple was open to the faithful on the 1 ^st and 15 th of each month, as well as the 2 nd ^{fortnight of the 3 rd lunar month. For a long time, he hosted a very important fair and came from everywhere to trade and pray for a divinity, to get happiness, longevity, healing, prosperity… In 1947, students from the north destroyed many statues… and in 1952 the temple was transformed into a police school.}