Travel in China
China's only temple where ruler and minister are worshipped together - Liu Bei and the strategist Zhuge Liang in cypress-shaded halls recalling the Three Kingdoms era.
The Wuhou Shrine (Temple of the Marquis Wu) is dedicated to Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD), the legendary strategist of the Three Kingdoms period, and his lord Liu Bei, the founder of the Shu Han kingdom. It is the only temple in China where a ruler and his minister are venerated together, reflecting the extraordinary respect Zhuge Liang commanded.
The temple complex was first built in 223 AD, shortly after Liu Bei's death, and rebuilt and expanded many times over the centuries. The current layout dates mainly from the Qing dynasty: stone-paved courtyards, ancient cypresses, and a series of halls leading from Liu Bei's temple to Zhuge Liang's more modest shrine, their relative sizes reflecting the proper Confucian hierarchy.
The Red Wall - a meandering corridor of vermilion brick between the shrine and the adjacent Jinli Street - has become one of Chengdu's most photographed locations, its colour intensified by the green bamboo leaning over it. The temple's museum of Three Kingdoms artefacts and the adjacent Jinli Ancient Street make this one of Chengdu's most rewarding half-day visits.
Highlights
The Red Wall Bamboo Lane
A corridor of vermilion brick beneath green bamboo - the most photographed spot in Chengdu.
The Hall of Liu Bei
The founder of Shu Han, his statue flanked by his sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.
The Hall of Zhuge Liang
The strategist's shrine, deliberately smaller than his lord's - a lesson in Confucian humility.
The Three Kingdoms Stone Inscriptions
The famous 'Chu Shi Biao' memorial to the throne, carved in stone.
The Ancient Cypress Courtyard
400-year-old cypresses shading the temple's main courtyards.
The Sanyi Temple
The 'Peach Garden Oath' temple commemorating the brotherhood of Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.
Photo Gallery
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