Found the Original "Gourd Temple" from Dream of the Red Chamber in Xinjiang

📍 Shanxi · Yuncheng · Xinjiang
📖 "Outside the city gate there is a Ten-Mile Street, on which there is a Renqing Lane, and in the lane there is an ancient temple. Because the place is narrow, people call it the Gourd Temple."
🔸 The story of "Dream of the Red Chamber" begins with this "Gourd Temple." It's said that after Cao Xueqin sought refuge with the Cao family in Jiangzhou, he lived in Kang Family Lane, just steps away from the Gourd Temple.

🔸 This temple is located at the intersection of Han Family Lane and Renyi Road in the bustling Jiangzhou Ancient City. It was commonly called the "Gourd Temple" because there used to be a large stone gourd in front of it. Its official name is the Three Officials Temple.

🔸 The Three Officials Temple is an exquisite miniature temple established in 1341 during the Yuan Dynasty, with renovations during both Ming and Qing dynasties.

🔸 The existing offering hall and main hall share the same axis. The offering hall has a cross-shaped xieshan roof, while the main hall has a suspended gable roof. The north and south walls of both buildings are connected (with a side door at the southern wall junction and a window sill on the northern side). The eaves intersect to form a gutter, and the front eaves of the offering hall face the street. The total building area is just over 100 square meters.

🔸 There was originally a stage opposite the temple that was demolished in 1978 during street expansion. According to stone inscriptions, the original Three Officials Temple was of extremely high status, but sadly, most of its halls no longer exist due to the passage of time.

💫 The main hall is dimly lit, housing exquisite statues. On the altar sits the Primordial Heavenly Lord in the center, the Supreme Dao Lord to the north, and Laozi to the south. All three ancestors are seated on sumeru thrones with their feet on sumeru pedestals. The statues have dark faces with vividly carved clothing folds, characteristic of southern Shanxi sculpture.
🔸 There are also colorful statues of generals Tianpeng and Heisha, along with 4 scholar statues, 2 elder statues, and 2 beast-faced human-bodied guardian deities.

🔸 The main hall architecture and colored clay sculptures serve as physical evidence of Taoist cultural prosperity during the Yuan Dynasty.

💫 The Three Officials Temple was once grand in scale with numerous halls—at least six large halls and market rooms—and of very high status. After passing through difficult times, not everything was preserved. It's truly fortunate to see this small temple still standing in the busy marketplace today!

🎯 The Xinjiang Three Officials Temple is a national protected site that was previously closed to the public. Before, visitors needed an introduction letter from the Cultural Preservation Center to enter. Now it's finally open to the public, allowing orderly visits to see this mysterious small temple.

🕑 Recommended visiting time: Half an hour

🚗 Transportation: The Three Officials Temple is in the most prosperous area of Xinjiang. If you're staying in the county town, you can reach it on foot.

🎫 Admission: The gates are open for visitors.

⏰ Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 9:00am-5:00pm