Huangling Temple in Yichang

Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River in the Xiling Gorge, Huangling is one of the biggest and oldest ancient structures in the three gorges area.

It was originally called Yellow Ox Temple and built to commemorate Da Yu (a great man who controlled the flooding) during the spring and autumn period (770 BC-476 BC). In the period of Three Kingdoms, Zhuge Liang (a famous strategist in the Three Kingdom period) ordered it reconstructed and wrote ‘Notes of Yellow Ox Temple,’ which were later engraved on a stele outside the Hall. Ouyang Xiu (a famous writer from the Song Dynasty) changed the name to Huangling Temple because he did not believe in the artifact – the Holy Ox. The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt several times.

The stark red walls and bright yellow roofs are stunning and magnificent. The visitors climb thirty-six steps to the gateway of the Huangling Temple. The Temple Gate, Yuwang Dian (The Hall of Da Yu) and Wuhou Temple (Zhuge Liang Memorial Hall) are the main parts. The Yuwang Dian (The Hall of Da Yu) is supported by thirty-six big wooden pillars, and each pillar is inscribed with many valuable hydrology records of the Yangtze River region, including the story of a flood submerging the temple four meters from the floor.

Wuhou Temple stands on the right of the hall of Da Yu and only has a plaque in the temple.