Beiji Palace

Taiyuan has two Beiji Palaces. The larger one stands in Xizhai Park, Jinyuan District. The smaller one is in Xiaodian District. Today, the Jinyuan palace hosts Taoist activities. It started as Yuwang Temple more than 1,000 years ago. Now it holds Taiyuan's biggest Zhengyi Daoist center. The complex has a main courtyard. The main hall for Zhenwu Emperor worship, Lingguan Hall, and four side halls are all located in this area. All these buildings were first built in the Ming Dynasty. Seen from above, this ten-acre south-facing site resembles a spreading phoenix.

Highlights of Beiji Palace

Main Hall

The main hall is called Tianyi Zhenqing Hall. It has a sloped roof with single eaves. The building measures three rooms wide and three rooms deep. Its wooden frame uses traditional support beams. The open space within exudes a sense of solemnity, and this design offers strong, simple support. Zhenwu Emperor stands at the center. On his left are Zhou Gong and Taohua Nu. On his right are Snake General and Turtle General. Behind them stand the Ten Heavenly Generals. These generals help the Zhenwu Emperor fight disasters and monsters. Besides these fine statues, the hall has colorful wall paintings of Zhenwu Emperor. These artworks show bright colors and smooth lines.

Four Side Hall

The Beiji Palace has four side halls, each for a different god: Doumu Yuanjun, Taiyi Jiusku Tianzun, Wenchang Dijun, and Zhao Gongming Yuanshuai. Doumu Yuanjun controls the fates of the Big Dipper's seven stars. People say Taiyi Jiusku Tianzun helps immediately if you call his name when in trouble. Wenchang Dijun is in charge of exam luck. Nearby students often pray to him before important tests. Zhao Gongming is the Taoist god of wealth. All are important Taoist figures. These gods show different sides of local Taoist beliefs.

Lingguan Hall

Upon entering Xizhai Park, visitors can spot the North Gate, also known as Lingguan Hall. The hall is home to the deity Ma Lingguan. Legends describe him as having three eyes and being surrounded by flames, thus making him the god of fire. Lingguan Hall has a three-bay front-and-back corridor with a gable roof. The roof is covered with yellow glazed tiles. A large Yin-Yang Taiji diagram is placed in the center. Symmetrical small mountain gates are located on both sides of the main gate. Each gate is accompanied by a bell tower and a drum tower. Under each tower, there stands a brick-carved screen wall. The characters for "dragon" and "tiger" are inscribed on the left and right sides, respectively, representing the Azure Dragon on the left and the White Tiger on the right.

Educational Value

The Beiji Palace started as Yuwang Temple, honoring Yu the Great who stopped floods. Later it became a Taoist temple. This change shows how beliefs and society shifted in Taiyuan during Ming and Qing times. The move from flood worship to Taoist gods helps us study the area's cultural growth. Here you can explore how Taiyuan's religious beliefs changed, including the start of Zhenwu Emperor worship.

Activities to do at Beiji Palace

Temple Fair: Every year on the eighth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, a temple fair is held at the Beiji Palace to celebrate. During this time, various distinctive Taoist activities take place, such as iron rod temple worship and folk performances. All believers will come to the main hall of the Beiji Palace to pay homage to Zhenwu Emperor, making it a bustling and lively event.