Yong'an Temple Introduction
Yong'an Temple is oriented southeast to northwest and has a spacious area of over 300 ping. It features a three-hall, five-gate structure. The front hall is adorned with a ridge decoration of two dragons facing the immortal, with deities riding upon a green dragon. The middle ridge is accentuated by a colorful phoenix spreading its wings, while the figures are lively. The two side ridges show a green dragon soaring, radiating vitality. The ridge decorations depict dragons and phoenixes, supported by intricately carved single dragon pillars standing on the red terrace, with human-bird figures interspersed. The pillars are octagonal, and the wall decoration resembles a grand assembly of deities, appearing quite vivid. The main deity in the middle hall is the Heavenly Mother, while the inner hall predominantly worships Avalokiteshvara. The second floor is dedicated to the deities of Buddhism and Taoism. Visitors to Yong'an Temple can not only admire the rich cut and paste artwork but also discover some interesting little details. For instance, inside the temple, a plaque hanging over the offerings area reads "Eternal Blessings for Peace," symbolizing the spirit of Yong'an. Additionally, the couplet at the entrance contains a hidden interest: the content reads "Holy Virtue Matches Heaven, Vast Mercy Deeply Bestowed under the Eternal Sun; Motherly Figure Embodies Empress, Yangtze River Waves Calmly Celebrating Peaceful Times." Unlike the typical temple name acrostic couplets, the first characters of the upper and lower couplet do not combine to form "Yong'an," but rather "Holy Mother," while the temple's name is hidden in the second to last character, cleverly pointing out the worshiped deity and location.
