China Reopens Temple to Commemorate Ancient Ancestor

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, November 25, 2001

China Reopens Temple to Commemorate Ancient Ancestor

China has reopened an ancient temple to commemorate Shun, one of the nation's ancestors, who is believed to have been a tribal chief 5,000 years ago.

China has reopened an ancient temple to commemorate Shun, one of the nation's ancestors, who is believed to have been a tribal chief 5,000 years ago.

The 1,200 year old temple is located in Yuncheng County, north China's Shanxi Province. It has been severely damaged by earthquakes, war, wind and rain.

Historians say that Shun was the idol of the Chinese nation, and his reign was a golden age. Even today he is still regarded as a person of high moral standing.

The local government began restoration of the temple last July. After restoration the temple is 664.5 meters long and 300 meters wide with a total area of 20.1 hectares.

It consists of three parts: an outer court, a cemetery and an inner court, with sacred halls, a bell tower and a drum tower.

Ancient trees add attraction to the temple, especially two one-thousand-year old cedars and a dead cypress embraced by living trees.