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Quyuan Temple

Qu Yuan (Chu Yuan) was a great statesman and patriotic poet in the Warring States Period (475 BC- 221BC). Qu Yuan Temple was first constructed in the year 820 in his birthplace, Quyuan Village of Zigui County . Many relics concerning Qu Yuan and his deeds are well preserved there such as the Lepingli Gateway, and Qu Yuan Residence, with vivid legends told by each.

Since the original construction of the Quyuan Temple in the year 820, it has undergone several renovations during later ages. In 1080, the Emperor Shenzong of Song Dynasty (960-1279) honored Quyuan as 'Qinglie Gong' thus the temple was renamed as 'Temple of Qinglie Gong'. However, the construction of the Gezhouba Water Control Project in 1987 made the Yangtze River level ascended and the 'Qingliegong Temple' was moved to Xiangjiaping, 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) away from the Zigui County. 'Quyuan Temple', as it changed, was opened to the public in 1980 and took on a new look.

Covering an area of 14,000 square kilometers (3,459,475 acres), the Quyuan Temple structure consists of front door, and statue of Quyuan, inside are two corridors for steles, an exhibition hall and the Quyuan cenotaph, with its five parts dotted among the forests of cypresses giving a solemn and secret atmosphere.

Because of the Three Gorges Project , parts of the Zigui County will become submerged when the new dam and reservoir are completed. In November 2006, the Quyuan Temple began its move to the new site-the Fenghuang Mountain in the east of the new Zigui County. It is reported that the new temple is five times larger than the original size. Except for the tomb and the steles that were kept from the original temple, the pavilions and halls are newly built in archaized style. Quyuan Temple together with the ancient buildings on Fenghuang Mountain is attracting increasing numbers of visitors, as new Zigui becomes ever more famous.