Wusheng Palace is located in Pumiao Town, Yongning District, Nanning. It is located at the foot of the east side of Yinzhen Peak, about 20 miles from the city center. Since the ancient times, Wusheng Palace has been a holy place for tourists where local people pray and worship. It is a relatively well-preserved building of Qing Dynasty with great historic research values. Now, it is a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Nanning City.
History of Wusheng Palace
According to the records of the existing stone steles in the temple, the Wusheng Palace was built in 1743 of the Qing Dynasty, and was rebuilt twice in 1794 and 1886. It is one of the five famous temples in Guangxi. The temple has already existed when Pumiao Town was built.
The Wusheng Palace enshrines five gods in ancient Taoist folks, including the Northern Emperor, Queen of Heaven, Dragon Mother, Fubo and Sanjie, hence the name. The five gods are worshipped together in one temple, which is very rare in the Taoist history. It fully reflects the tolerance and coexistence of local people in the past. The temple has become a holy place for Taoist believers, which attracts many tourists coming to visit. Every month, on the first or fifteenth day of the lunar calendar, many pilgrims come to pray and worship.
The ravages of wind and rain have caused serious damages on the gate tower, main hall and the roofs. Many horizontal bars, tiles, beams and columns have been decayed and almost collapsed. The murals were submerged by the wind and sand, and the artistic sculptures on the ridges almost disappeared. In 2004, the government raised funds to renovate and rebuild the palace.
Features of Wusheng Palace
Wusheng Palace has the brick-wood structure, with double-layer blue bricks and glazed tiles. It covers a total area of 600 square meters, with a building area of 483 square meters. There are chambers and passages on both sides of yard, connecting the buildings together.
The walls on the buildings are all decorated with the reliefs and murals with such as figures, flowers and plants. The top ridge of the front hall is carved with the patterns of dragon and figures. The eaves and ceiling are decorated with stone lions, carp and other sculptures. It shows the unique and intelligent architectural crafts and art skills, belonging to the Lingnan styles.