要問在全國範圍內最有名的山西歷史名人是誰？人們可能會各有各的意見，諸如荀子、衛青、霍去病、武則天、司馬光等等，莫衷一是。但要問在全世界最有名的山西人是誰？人們會不約而同地脫口而出——是關公！
不論是在唐人街的小店鋪，還是在大企業的正廳、大堂；不管是尋常百姓家的小小神龕，還是遍布世界各地的關帝廟，關公像前永遠是煙霧繚繞，香火鼎盛。人們所求的不僅是自身的幸福財運，更是一種民族的認同，一種精神的傳承。
關公的形象滲透了社會的各個階層，成為古代中國社會教化民眾、激勵上進、主持正義、懲惡揚善的精神支撐。宋元以後，關廟已經「祀遍天下」。明代文學家徐渭曾說：「關侯之神，與吾孔子之道，並行於天下。然孔子者止郡縣而已，而侯則居九州之廣，上自都城，下至墟落，……以比事孔子者，殆若過之。」「廟宇盈寰中，姓名走婦孺」，關公的崇拜者從帝王將相到巷陌婦孺，從政要富商到平民百姓，信眾範圍涵蓋之廣可見一斑。
到了近代隨著華僑們漂洋過海，信仰關公的習俗也被帶到了全球各地，有華人的地方就有關帝廟，就有對關公信仰的傳播，關公又很大程度上成為了不同行業、不同地域、甚至是不同國籍的華人們的共同代表，成為了炎黃子孫凝聚在一起的精神紐帶。
在今天「關公」這一專有名稱所指的，已經不僅僅是那位蜀漢名將關羽了。在上千年的歷史文化傳承中，在全世界崇敬關公的人民心中，「關公」已經逐漸演進成了一種文化、一種信俗、一種精神象徵！
那麼關公究竟是如何從一名蜀漢將軍逐漸成為「三界伏魔大帝神威遠震天尊關聖帝君」的？關帝廟究竟有何魔力能夠在數量上超越「至聖先師」孔夫子的孔廟呢？關公又是因何能從無數的中國歷史文化名人中脫穎而出得到全世界華人的崇拜呢？
這一切想要找到答案必須要到關公的家鄉解良縣故地去看一看。因為那裡有著被稱為「關廟之祖」、「武廟之冠」的全球最大的關帝廟——山西解州關帝廟。
位於山西省運城市鹽湖區的解州鎮，東臨浩瀚的鹽池，正南為巍巍中條山脈，這「山與海」之間相傳就是關公的家鄉——曾經的解良縣，而解州關帝廟就位於解州鎮西部，那是一座規模宏大的宮殿式建築群。
關帝廟前的結義園
解州關帝廟總面積達22萬平方米，房舍共200餘間，前朝後寢，形制完備，極具組合之美。這座始建於隋開皇九年（公元589年）的武廟，後來經過宋、金、元、明、清等諸多朝代不斷地修葺、擴建，方有今日之規模。歷朝歷代無論官方民間都對解州關帝廟極為重視，歷代修葺都集結了全省乃至全國的能工巧匠，使其營造技法和細節布置都顯得極為卓越，就算是在山西這個全國古建保存最多的文物大省，像解州關帝廟這樣熔建築、牌匾、楹聯、雕刻、壁畫、文記等多種藝術形式於一爐的宮殿式建築群也無有出其右者。康熙御筆的「義炳乾坤」、乾隆欽定的「神勇」、鹹豐御書的「萬世人極」、慈禧太后的「威靈震疊」等等，都讓其獨特的歷史人文價值超越了全球任何一座關帝廟。這座早在1988年就被列為第三批全國重點文物保護單位的「天下第一關廟」，直到今天仍然不斷吸引著全世界的華人前來參觀、朝拜。
解州關帝廟作為巨型宮殿式建築群，與北京故宮、曲阜孔廟、泰安岱廟等其他巨型宮殿式建築群有著明顯的區別，遠沒有其餘三者那種望之令人心生敬畏的感覺，少了些肅穆，多了些情趣，少了些莊嚴，多了些安逸，顯得極為親民。這與關公的信眾群體有很大關係，與皇家和孔子不同，關公從古代開始就有巨大的民間信眾群體，除了官方的祭祀外，坊間閭裡、販夫走卒中有著更多關公崇拜者。他們對於祭祀關公、修葺關帝廟的熱情遠勝於官方，其結果就是關帝廟大都成為官方與民間風格相融合的建築群。這點在解州關帝廟的建築風格上有著明顯的體現。首先，建築群在整體色彩上採用了綠色的琉璃，而非皇家專用的黃色；其次，廟前還修有一座結義園，園內的池塘、假山、牌坊很大程度上削弱了廟宇的肅穆氣氛，而這種「先園後廟」的格局在全國範圍內都是絕無僅有的；第三，解州關帝廟內數量繁多的雕刻、壁畫、楹聯，讓這座祭祀神明的廟宇更像是一座工藝美術博物館。
結義園始建於明萬曆四十八年（公元1620年），是仿照當年劉、關、張桃園結義的意境而興建的，總佔地面積55畝，由時任解州州守張起龍主持修建。結義園是一處典型明清時期風格的北方園林，園內建築包括結義亭、君子亭、結義坊等。其中最值得注意的就是結義坊，此坊與其他改擴建的建築不同，是與結義園同時興建的，這座氣勢宏偉的牌坊已然在風雨中矗立了近400年的時光。在結義坊的四面繪有大量精美的彩繪，不僅有山水、花鳥、風景，還有很多的三國人物故事。諸如桃園三結義、古城斬蔡陽、月下斬貂蟬等等，讓人眼花繚亂。這些工筆彩繪色彩豔麗、生動細膩、形態傳神、栩栩如生。結義坊正面橫額為「萬古綱常」，體現了古人對於綱常的恪守。而背面提額上書「山雄水闊」，則是對結義園景色的精妙概括。結義坊與關廟的正門——端門遙遙相望，當我們仰望兩者時，那斑駁清寒的外觀，似乎顯現出了一絲歷史的厚重力量。
在端門前的官道中央有三根粗大鐵柱交叉斜豎而立，這叫做「梐枑」，俗稱「擋眾」。此物的作用相當於下馬樁，是提醒人們拜祭關公的程序正式開始了，武官下馬，文官下轎，就連皇帝也要自此開始徒步行進，以顯示對關公的尊敬。解州關帝廟門前的梐枑鑄造於清雍正五年（公元1727年），見證了不知多少懷著崇敬心情前來拜謁關公的帝王將相。
端門是關帝廟的正門，也是第一道門。端門本是帝王居所之門的專用名稱，在北京故宮的天安門與午門之間的那道門就叫做端門。關帝廟的端門自然遠不能和故宮相比，此門的規模不大，為牌樓式門，純磚結構建築，造型古樸厚重，僅闢有三門，中門較高，兩側門較低。中門正面提額為「關帝廟」，背面上書「扶漢人物」，兩側門前後提額一致，右門為「精忠貫日」，左門為「大義參天」。端門之上的提額不僅書法遒勁，字跡端正，內容更是對關羽一生的高度概括，「扶漢」是關羽畢生為之奮鬥的事業，「忠」、「義」更是關公立身處世之本，提額巧妙的將其融於聯語之中，讓人眼前一亮。
由端門進入，經過一段狹長的甬道之後，就來到了關帝廟的第二道門——雉門。「雉」實際上就是野雞，在我國古代是一種象徵富貴吉祥的瑞鳥，因此「雉門」也就成了《周禮》中「天子五門」的一種，古時候長三丈，高一丈為「一雉」，雉門也由此得名。雉門在古代是專供帝王出入的，一般情況下是不開啟的。在雉門的兩側還有兩道對稱的大門，被稱為「文經門」和「武緯門」。這兩道門與故宮太和門兩側的昭德門、貞度門形制相同，都是供文武大臣進出使用的，以「經緯」二字命名，意思是指文武官員好比經緯一般，縱橫交織，治理國家，缺一不可。當年明神宗萬曆皇帝、清朝康熙皇帝前來解州關帝廟拜祭時，便由雉門進入，而隨行的文武兩班官員也都按規則從文經門與武緯門進入拜祭。
進入雉門之後，能夠遙遙望見的高大建築就是午門，這是解州關帝廟的第三道門，也是最後一道門。午門面闊五間，進深三間，廡殿頂，七架梁，梁架結構合理巧妙，雖然是民國初年重建，然其建築手法古風濃鬱應當是出自名匠之手。午門在古代是帝王宮殿的正門，普通的廟宇是不允許有午門的，在這裡設立高大的午門一方面是體現關公「封帝成聖」的身份，另一方面也是說明解州關帝廟「關廟之祖」的特殊地位。
登上午門，就可以看到門內兩側牆壁上的巨幅彩繪畫像，左為廖化，右為周倉。他們二人都是關公的忠實部屬，放在午門來為關公做「門神」自然是再合適不過了。除了兩位「門神」外，兩側牆壁上還繪有「左青龍，右白虎」，這兩種神獸實際上是道教「四靈神君」中的兩個方位神，讓這兩位與廖化、周倉一起為關公「守門」，足見道教對關公的重視。由於在很長的歷史時期裡，解州關帝廟都是一座道教管理的廟宇，關公的道教神職一路從「崇寧真君」「升遷」到「三界伏魔大帝神威遠震天尊關聖帝君」也就不奇怪了。當然，後來發展到了儒家把「喜讀《春秋》」的關公奉為「關夫子」、「武聖人」，與「文聖」孔夫子相提並論；佛家把關公奉為「伽藍菩薩」、「護法明王佛」。儒、釋、道三家的共同推崇與重視，足見關公的影響力之大之廣。
穿過午門，就能看到一座氣勢不凡的牌坊，這就是「山海鍾靈」坊。此坊建在基臺之上，四柱三樓，簷下鬥拱協調密布，極為華美。牌坊是我國獨有的一種紀念性建築形式，現在世界各地的唐人街也建起了越來越多的牌坊，彰顯著民族文化的獨特與華美。
位於鐘樓左側的「萬代瞻仰」石坊，是主廟現存牌坊中歷史最悠久的一座
緊挨著「山海鍾靈」坊的就是解州關帝廟獨有的建築——御書樓。
在全世界眾多的關帝廟中，基本格局大致相同，在中軸線上依次建設端門、雉門、午門、崇寧殿、春秋樓等建築。但解州關帝廟不同，在中軸線上還建有一座御書樓，這是為什麼呢？據廟碑記載：「康熙四十二年（公元1703年）十一月初九，康熙皇帝玄燁聖駕西巡，途徑解州，親臨祖廟拜謁關帝，看到廟內大火後的悽慘景象，遂撥銀兩整修關廟，並留下御筆楷書『義炳乾坤』金匾一方。」
當地官民百姓為了紀念康熙皇帝特意發內帑金修繕解州關帝廟的義舉，也為了保存收藏皇帝手書的匾額，決定在解州關帝廟的中軸線上加蓋了一座樓閣，取名為八卦樓，這個名字來源於樓內的八角藻井。走入樓內，抬頭向上望，就可以看到樓板中央的八角形井口，井口中八角形藻井疊架而上，繁複優美，一直到最頂端化為一木結構的八卦形圖案，猶如萬花筒般讓人迷醉，不愧「八卦樓」的美稱。
崇寧殿前簷下乾隆皇帝手書的「神勇」匾額
到了乾隆二十七年（公元1762年），同樣崇拜關公的乾隆皇帝派人重新整修了解州關帝廟，其中八卦樓增建了二層三簷歇山頂，還修了三間抱廈，皇帝大筆一揮把八卦樓改名為御書樓。從此以後御書樓不僅成為紀念康熙帝御書匾額的地方，許多後世名家也紛紛效仿康熙帝，在此書寫匾額，以自己的作品能夠陳列御書樓為榮。
御書樓內匾額眾多，其中最值得注意的是清代解州知州言如泗手書的「絕倫逸群」巨匾，這是當年諸葛亮對關公的中肯評價，匾額的字跡圓潤飽滿，流暢自然，同時言如泗也是當年奉命修繕廟宇的總指揮，給後世修繕解州關帝廟留下了寶貴的經驗。另外在樓南抱廈還有書法家龔浩的匾額「萬代瞻仰」，柳體骨骼，剛健有力，一筆不苟，很受後世書法家青睞。
穿過御書樓。就來到了解州關帝廟的主殿——崇寧殿。之所以崇寧殿能夠成為包括解州關帝廟在內的全世界所有關帝廟的主殿，不僅僅是因為崇寧殿氣勢恢宏，造型巍峨，更是因為宋徽宗冊封關公為「崇寧真君」，是關公脫離一眾蜀漢人物，獨立「封神」的起點。自此以後歷朝歷代的皇帝不斷地給關公「提升」神職，讓關公一路成為與「文聖」孔夫子齊名的「武聖」——關夫子。在崇寧殿前的月臺御路中央，還保留著宋代的丹墀，這是全國範圍內都罕見的珍品文物，同時它也見證著關公從一名普通的蜀漢將領一路成為「武聖」的全過程。
崇寧殿面闊七間，進深六間，重簷歇山頂，翠綠琉璃覆蓋屋頂，陽光下璀璨耀眼，十分華美。在崇寧殿前簷下有乾隆皇帝手書的「神勇」匾額；在廊下門楣上有鹹豐皇帝欽定的「萬世人極」匾額；另外還有從御書樓取出，安置在殿內神龕之前的康熙皇帝御筆「義炳千秋」匾額。「一殿三皇匾」！這在全國眾多的文物古蹟中只怕也極為罕見。
崇寧殿中最蔚為壯觀的是環繞在殿宇四周的26根巨大的石雕龍柱。柱高3.78米，直徑46釐米，如此形制的巨柱只有曲阜文廟大成殿方可與之媲美。曲阜大成殿的龍柱雖然要比解州崇寧殿多上兩根，但是其龍柱製成時間相較崇寧殿要晚上160多年。據考證崇寧殿現存的龍柱有23根，為嘉靖三十七年（公元1588年）所制，其餘3根為康熙年間補置。在26根龍柱上共雕有盤龍34條，8根前柱上每柱都是雙龍對翔，飛動遨遊於山海波濤和祥雲瑞霧之中，而且柱柱各異，變化多端，無一雷同。其餘三面的18根龍柱均雕單龍，雕刻粗獷有力，與柱頭額坊上的精雕細刻相互烘託，各具神韻。這26根龍柱是崇寧殿中最具有藝術價值的文物，在全國宮殿廟宇中都堪稱獨一無二。正如廟碑所云：「殿階石柱，雕龍飛騰，廟貌宏麗，甲於天下。」這絕非是過譽之詞，而是真實寫照。
從崇寧殿出來，穿過關廟最高的牌坊——「氣肅千秋」坊，就來到了解州關帝廟建築規模最大的春秋樓。
春秋樓是整個建築群的最高點，面闊七間，進深六間，為二層三簷歇山頂建築，總高度高達33米。春秋樓因樓內的「關羽夜讀《春秋》像」而得名，其結構奇巧，藻井華美，雕塑精細，為我國建築史上難得的精品。當人們站在樓外仰望時就會注意到，二樓的一圈廊柱懸於空中環繞於大殿四周，讓樓身有種騰空之勢，好似空中樓閣一般。這種結構是中國古建築史上的一種絕活，叫做懸梁吊柱。它是利用槓桿原理，看上去廊柱懸空，實際上的承重構件並非廊柱，而是隱藏於內部的腰梁與矮柱，利用腰梁外挑和平座矮柱支撐的方法來承託樓簷，承擔內外全部的載荷，同時使廊柱穩固在梁架結構之上。這樣的奇思妙想實在是讓人不得不感嘆古人的智慧與巧手。春秋樓是全國現存的樓閣類建築中唯一一個成功運用槓桿原理將「懸梁吊柱」付諸現實的成功範例，其意義不可小覷。
走入樓內，就可看到一層正中塑有關公戎裝金身坐像，面目豐滿，端莊平視，正襟穩坐，儒雅大度。在塑像上方還懸有慈禧太后手書的「威靈震疊」匾額。拾級而上，來到二樓，在正中的神龕內有關公夜讀《春秋》像，只見他左手扶案，右手捋髯，目視《春秋》，神情若有所思，簡直如同復活一般生動，讓人崇敬之心油然而生。
抬頭仰視，就能看到春秋樓的另外一絕——藻井，一般的藻井有方形、多邊形、圓形凹面等等，春秋樓的藻井獨樹一幟變成了圓形凸面，這在全國數以千計的藻井中還從未發現雷同的例子。其整體呈放射狀，分層疊構，造型好像一朵龐大的菊花盛放，又好像孔雀開屏一般的炫目，實在是讓人稱奇。
步出二樓的隔門，立於四周懸空的迴廊之上，憑欄遠眺，園中古柏參天，殿閣巍峨，遠處條山蒼翠，御園如畫，耳邊風鈴吟唱，空氣清新，讓人心曠神怡，遐思萬千。
根據徐渭所言至少在明代中期以後，中華民族就已經形成了「文拜孔子，武拜關公」的文化格局。關公因其忠義、誠信、正直、果敢、有原則、肯擔當的精神品格，逐漸成為民間與官方共同認可的「精神偶像」。據統計，歷朝歷代有16位皇帝共23次為關公加封，使其由侯而王，由王而帝，由帝而聖，由聖而神。在《文史參考》的統計中，關公信俗最昌盛的清朝中期，全國範圍內的關帝廟超過了30萬座，其數量之多居於各類廟宇之首。
在民間關公不僅是戰神、道德之神，同時也是商業之神、財富之神。關公之所以會成為商業之神、財富之神，有三個原因。其一，傳說關公離開曹營重新投奔劉備時，發明了一種簡明的記帳法，將曹操所賞賜的財物全數歸還。這種記帳法記載清楚，十分好用，於是商人們原封不動的照搬使用，並將這種方法稱之為「商用薄記法」，關公也由此被認定為原始財會的創始者。其二，商人們做買賣談生意，最重要的就是誠信和義氣。《論語》有云：「不義而富且貴，於我如浮雲。」而在西方價值觀中也有類似的觀點，他們認為做生意是一種契約關係，其首要原則就是誠信。關公信、義兼備，而且忠誠無雙，因此深得商人們的崇拜。其三，關公的武將形象和一身正氣，在神話傳說中最能鎮邪惡、防小人，守護安寧。有了安寧，才能守得住錢，留得住財，所以不論是商人還是普通百姓都對關公極為推崇，把關公推舉到了「武財神」地位。
在國內，每年農曆正月初五都有「接財神」習俗，而在老百姓敬奉的所有財神中，關公這位「武財神」毫無疑問是影響力最大，信奉地域最廣的。從明清時期開始，每年的正月初五，各大商店開市，一大早就金鑼鳴響，爆竹鳴放，牲醴畢陳，以接財神，祈求關聖帝君保佑新的一年財運亨通。
直到今天我還記得，小時候的每年正月初五，天還未亮的凌晨四五點鐘，父母都要叫醒一家人，一起去院子裡放鞭炮、擺祭品、接財神，而鄰居們也不約而同的放起了鞭炮，在這鞭炮聲中孩子們歡呼打鬧，接財神的活動成了歡樂的海洋……
在海外，華人華僑作為少數族裔，想要更好的生產生活就更加需要團結友愛，守望相助，於是海外華人就把興建關廟，敬拜關公作為傳承中華傳統文化的一種約定俗成的方式，而關帝廟也成為了各國華人祭先祖、睦族群、敘鄉誼、通商事、議民情的重要場所。
遍布全球各地的關帝廟，承載的是漂洋過海的華人先輩們篳路藍縷的歷史記憶，體現的是飄零四海的「葉」對華夏大地這個「根」的眷戀。而關公信俗是中華民族特殊的生活習慣、倫理規範的集中體現，是華夏子孫浩然大氣、彪炳日月的道德靈魂。
HaiZhou Guandi Temple and Guan Gong
Author Wen Kuo (Shanxi)
Translator Jin Zi(Beijing)
Who is the most famous Shanxi historical celebrity in the country? People may have their own opinions, such as Xunzi, Wei Qing, Huo Gou, Wu Zetian, Sima Guang, etc. But who is the most famous Shanxi person in the world? People will blurt out in the same way - it is Guan Gong!
Whether it is in a small shop in Chinatown or in the main hall and lobby of a large enterprise, whether it is a small god of ordinary people's home or a Guandi temple all over the world, Guan Gong is always full of smoke and incense. What people ask for is not only their own happy fortune, but also a national identity and a spiritual inheritance.
The image of Guan Gong has infiltrated all levels of society and has become the spiritual support for the ancient Chinese society to educate the people, to encourage progress, to uphold justice, to punish evil and to promote good. After the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the Guan Temple had already "smashed the world." The Ming Dynasty writer Xu Wei once said: "The god of Guan Hou, and the way of my Confucius, parallel to the world. However, the Confucius is only the county, but Hou is in the wide area of Kyushu, from the capital city, down to the market, ...If you are more than a Confucius, you will pass it." "In the temple, the name goes away," the worshippers of Guan Gong will be from the emperor to the alleys, from the political to the civilians, and the scope of the believers can be seen.
In the modern times, as the overseas Chinese drifted across the ocean, the customs of Guan Gong were also brought to all parts of the world. Where there are Chinese people, there is a spread of Guan Gong’s beliefs about the temple. Guan Gong has largely become a different industry. The common representatives of Chinese people from different regions and even different nationalities have become the spiritual bonds that the descendants of Yan and Huang have gathered together.
In today's "Guan Gong", the exclusive name refers to more than just the famous Han Han Guan Yu. In the history and culture of the past millennium, in the hearts of the people who respected Guan Gong all over the world, "Guan Gong" has gradually evolved into a culture, a belief, and a spiritual symbol!
So how did Guan Gong gradually become a "three-environment demon emperor Shenwei Yuanzheng Tianzun Guan Shengdijun" from a general of Shuhan? What magical power does the Guandi Temple have in the number of Confucius Temples in the number of Confucius? How can Guan Gong be able to stand out from countless Chinese historical and cultural celebrities and get the worship of Chinese people all over the world?
All these want to find the answer must go to the hometown of Guanliang, the hometown of Guan Gong, to have a look. Because there is the world's largest Guandi Temple, known as the "ancestor of the temple" and the "the crown of the martial arts temple" - the Shanxi Haizhou Guandi Temple.
Located in Haizhou Town, Yuncheng District, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province, it is adjacent to the vast salt pond in the east and Zhengzhong Mountain in the south. This 「mountain and sea」 is the hometown of Guangong – once the Jieliang County, and the Haizhouguan The temple is located in the west of Haizhou Town, which is a large-scale palace-style building complex.
The total area of Xiezhou Guandi Temple is 220,000 square meters, and there are more than 200 houses. The front and back are sleeping, the shape is complete, and the combination is very beautiful. This martial temple was built in the ninth year of Emperor Kaihuang (AD 589). Later, it was continuously repaired and expanded by Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The ancient dynasties, regardless of the official folks, attach great importance to the Haizhou Guandi Temple. The repairs of the past dynasties have assembled the craftsmen of the whole province and even the whole country, making their construction techniques and details are extremely excellent, even in Shanxi, the country’s ancient construction. The cultural relics province, such as the Haizhou Guandi Temple, such as melting buildings, plaques, couplets, sculptures, murals, literary works and other art forms in the palace-style buildings in the furnace, there is no such thing. Kangxi Yu's "Yi Bing Qiankun", Qianlong's "Dragon", the "Feng Shiren" of the Xianfeng Royal Book, and the Empress Dowager's "Welling Shock" have made their unique historical and human values surpass any of the world. A Guandi Temple. This 1988 was listed as the third batch of national key cultural relics protection units, "the world's first Guan Temple", and today continues to attract Chinese people from all over the world to visit and worship.
As a giant palace-style building complex, Xiezhou Guandi Temple is obviously different from other giant palace-style buildings such as the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Confucius Temple in Qufu, and the Tai』an Temple. There is no such thing as awe-inspiring feelings of the other three. Less solemn, more fun, less solemn, more comfortable, and extremely close to the people. This has a lot to do with Guan Gong's believers. Unlike the Royal and Confucius, Guan Gong has a huge group of folk believers since ancient times. In addition to the official sacrifices, there are more Guan Gong worshippers in the streets. Their enthusiasm for sacrificing Guan Gong and repairing the Guandi Temple is far better than the official. The result is that the Guandi Temple has become a complex of official and folk styles. This point is evident in the architectural style of the Haizhou Guandi Temple. First of all, the building group used green glaze instead of royal yellow for the overall color. Secondly, there was a knot garden in front of the temple. The pond, rockery and archway in the park greatly weakened the solemn atmosphere of the temple. The pattern of this 「first garden after the temple」 is unique in the whole country. Thirdly, the numerous sculptures, murals and couplets in the Haizhou Guandi Temple make this temple of worshipping the gods more like a Museum of arts and crafts.
The Jieyi Garden was built in the forty-eight years of Ming Wanli (AD 1620). It was built in the same mood as Liu, Guan and Zhang Taoyuan. It covers an area of 55 mu and was built by Zhang Zhelong, then the governor of Xiezhou. Jieyi Garden is a typical northern garden in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The buildings in the park include Jieyi Pavilion, Junzi Pavilion and Jieyi Square. The most notable of these is the Jieyi Square, which, unlike other buildings that have been expanded and expanded, was built at the same time as the Jieyi Garden. This imposing archway has been standing in the storm for nearly 400 years. There are a lot of beautiful paintings on the four sides of the Jieyi Square. There are not only landscapes, flowers, birds, scenery, but also many stories of the Three Kingdoms. Such as Taoyuan Sanjieyi, the ancient city of Caiyang, the moon, and so on, dazzling. These meticulous paintings are colorful, vivid and delicate, and the shapes are vivid and lifelike. The frontal banner of Jieyifang is 「Wang Gu Gang Chang」, which reflects the ancient people’s observance of the outline. On the back, the amount of the book "Mountain Xiongshui" is a subtle summary of the scenery of the Jieyi Garden. Jieyifang and the main entrance of Guanmiao, the front door, are facing each other. When we look up to the two, the faint and cold appearance seems to show a lot of historical strength.
In the center of the official road in front of the end door, there are three large iron pillars standing diagonally and standing vertically. This is called,commonly known as "blocking the public." The function of this object is equivalent to the next horse pile. It is a formal procedure to remind people to worship Guan Gong. The military commander dismounts and the civil official gets off the sedan. Even the emperor has to start walking on foot to show respect for Guan Gong. The shackles in front of the Haizhou Guandi Temple were cast in the Qing Dynasty for five years (AD 1727), and witnessed the unknown emperor who came to worship Guan Gong with a reverence.
The terminal is the main entrance of the Guandi Temple and the first door. The door is the special name for the door of the emperor's residence. The door between Tiananmen and Wumen in the Forbidden City in Beijing is called the end door. The end of the Guandi Temple is far from the Forbidden City. The size of this door is not large. It is a sign-style door, a pure brick structure, and the shape is simple and heavy. There are only three doors, the middle door is high, and the two sides are lower. The front door of the middle gate is the "Guandi Temple", and the back of the book is the "Fuhan character". The front and rear doors are consistently raised, the right door is "fine loyalty to the day", and the left door is "the big right to join the sky." The amount of money on the top door is not only calligraphy, but also the writing is correct. The content is a high-level summary of Guan Yu's life. "Fu Han" is the cause of Guan Yu's lifelong struggle. "Loyalty" and "righteousness" are the foundation of the public. The ingeniously blending it into the joint language makes people shine.
Entered by the end door, after a long narrow road, it came to the second door of the Guandi Temple - Tuen Mun. "雉" is actually a pheasant. In ancient China, it was a kind of bird that symbolized wealth and auspiciousness. Therefore, "Tuen Mun" became a kind of "the five sons of the emperor" in "Zhou Li". Gao Yizhang is a "one glimpse", and Tuen Mun is named after it. In ancient times, Tuen Mun was dedicated to the emperor's entry and exit. Under normal circumstances, it was not opened. There are also two symmetrical gates on both sides of Tuen Mun, known as the "Wen Jing Men" and "Wu Wei Men". These two doors are the same as the Zhaodemen and Yudumen on both sides of the Forbidden Palace. They are used by the Minister of Civil and Military Affairs. They are named after the word "latitude and longitude", which means that the civil and military officials are like the latitude and longitude. Governing the country is indispensable. When Emperor Mingzong Wanli Emperor and Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty came to Haizhou Guandi Temple to worship, they were entered by Tuen Mun, and the accompanying officials of the civil and military classes also entered the worship ceremony from Wenjingmen and Wuweimen according to the rules.
After entering Tuen Mun, the tall building that can be seen from afar is the Wumen Gate, which is the third and final gate of the Haizhou Guandi Temple. The afternoon facade is five wide, three deep into the deep, the top of the temple, seven beams, and the beam structure is reasonable and ingenious. Although it was rebuilt in the early years of the Republic of China, its architectural style and ancient style should be from the hands of famous artists. Wumen was the main entrance of the imperial palace in ancient times. The ordinary temple is not allowed to have a noon gate. The establishment of a tall noon gate here is on the one hand to reflect the identity of Guan Gong, 「the emperor’s sanctification」, and on the other hand, the explanation of Haizhouguan. The special status of the temple "the ancestor of the temple".
On the morning gate, you can see the huge color painting on the walls on both sides of the door. The left is Liao Hua and the right is Zhou Cang. Both of them are loyal subordinates of Guan Gong, and it is natural to put them at the gate of the gate to make a "gate god" for Guan Gong. In addition to the two "door gods", on both sides of the wall are also painted "Zuo Qinglong, right white tiger", these two beasts are actually two orientation gods in the Taoist "Four Spirits God", let these two and Liaohua, Zhou Cang together "gates the door" for Guan Gong, which shows that Taoism attaches importance to Guan Gong. Because in a long period of history, the Haizhou Guandi Temple is a temple of Taoist management. The Taoist priesthood of Guan Gong has been promoted from "Chongning Zhenjun" to "Three Realms of the Emperor of the Three Kingdoms". "It is not surprising." Of course, later developed into Confucianism, Guan Guan, who liked to read "Spring and Autumn Annals", was regarded as "Guanfuzi" and "Wushengren", and compared with "Wensheng" Confucius; Buddhism regarded Guan Gong as "Gala Bodhisattva" and "protecting the law" Ming Wang Buddha." The common respect and attention of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism can be seen in the influence of Guan Gong.
Through the midday gate, you can see an imposing archway. This is the "Shanhai Zhongling" workshop. The square is built on the abutment, four columns and three floors, and the underarm arches are well-coordinated and extremely beautiful. The archway is a unique form of commemorative architecture in China. Nowadays, more and more arches are built in Chinatown around the world, highlighting the uniqueness and beauty of national culture.
Next to the "Shanhai Zhongling" square is the unique building of the Haizhou Guandi Temple - Yushulou.
In many Guandi temples around the world, the basic pattern is roughly the same. On the central axis, buildings such as Duanmen, Qimen, Wumen, Chongning Hall and Chunqiu Building are constructed in turn. But the Haizhou Guandi Temple is different, and there is also a Yushu Building on the central axis. Why? According to the temple monument: "In the forty-two years of Emperor Kangxi (AD 1703), the Emperor Kangxi of the Kangxi Emperor Xuan Xun drove the West to tour the state, visit the ancestral temple to worship the Emperor, and see the miserable scene after the fire in the temple. In order to commemorate the righteousness of Emperor Kangxi’s deliberately in the Jinxiu Temple to solve the problem of the Guandi Temple, and to save the plaque of the Emperor’s handwritten book, the local officials and civilians decided to add a pavilion to the central axis of the Haizhou Guandi Temple. Bagua House, the name comes from the octagonal well in the building. Walk into the building, look up, you can see the octagonal wellhead in the center of the slab, the octagonal algae well in the wellhead is stacked up, complicated and beautiful, until the top is turned into a wooden structure of the gossip pattern, like a kaleidoscope It is fascinating and does not deserve the reputation of the "Bagua Tower".
In the 27th year of Emperor Qianlong (AD 1762), the Emperor Qianlong, who also worshiped Guan Gong, sent people to renovate and understand the Guandi Temple. Among them, the Bagua Building added a second floor to the top of the mountain, and also built three houses, the Emperor The pen changed the name of the Eight Diagram House to Yushulou. Since then, Yushulou has not only become a place to commemorate the plaques of Emperor Kangxi, but many later masters have followed the example of Emperor Kangxi, writing plaques here, and proudly displaying their works.
There are a lot of plaques in the Yushulou, the most notable of which is the 「extraordinary singular group」 of the Haizhou dialect in the Qing Dynasty. This is the pertinent evaluation of Zhuge Liang on Guan Gong. The plaques are round and full, smooth and natural. At the same time, Ruo Ruo was also the commander of the temple that was ordered to repair the temple, leaving valuable experience for the later generations of Haizhou Guandi Temple. In addition, in the south of the building, there is also the calligrapher Gong Hao's plaque, "Wan Dynasty to pay tribute", the body of the willow body, strong and powerful, a lot of praise, very popular with later calligraphers.
Cross the Imperial Palace. I came to know the main hall of the Guandi Temple, Chongning Hall. The reason why Chongning Temple can become the main hall of the world's temples, including the Haizhou Guandi Temple, is not only because the Chongning Temple is magnificent, but also because of the poetry of the Song Huizong. "Zhen Jun" is the starting point for Guan Gong to break away from the characters of a group of people and to "close the gods" independently. Since then, the emperors of the dynasties have continually given Guan Gong "improvement" of the priesthood, and made Guan Gong all the way to become the "Wu Sheng" who is the same as the "Wen Sheng" Confucius - Guan Fuzi. In the center of the Yuetai Imperial Road in front of the Chongning Temple, the Tang Dynasty’s Tanjung was preserved. This is a treasured cultural relic that is rare all over the country. At the same time, it also witnessed Guan Gong’s becoming an 「Wushan」 from an ordinary Shuhan general. The whole process.
The Chongning Temple is seven wide and six deep, with a heavy topping on the top of the mountain. The green glaze covers the roof, and the sun shines brightly. In front of the Chongning Temple, there is the "Fa Yong" plaque of the Qianlong Emperor's handwritten book; on the porch of the corridor, there is the "Wanshirenji" plaque appointed by the Emperor Xianfeng; in addition, the Kangxi Emperor who took it out from the Yushulou and placed it in the temple. The royal pen "Yi Bing Qian Qiu" plaque. "One hall, three emperors"! This is extremely rare in many cultural relics and monuments throughout the country.
The most spectacular of the Chongning Hall is the 26 huge stone dragon pillars that surround the temple. The height of the column is 3.78 meters and the diameter is 46 centimeters. The giant pillars of this shape can only be compared with the Dacheng Temple of the Qufu Temple. Although the Longzhu of the Dacheng Hall of Qufu is two more than the Chongning Hall of Haizhou, its dragon column is made more than 160 years later than the Chongning Hall. According to the evidence, there are 23 dragon columns in the Chongning Hall, which were made in the 37th year of Jiajing (AD 1588), and the remaining three were replenished during the Kangxi period. There are 34 dragons on the 26 dragon pillars. Each of the 8 pillars on the front pillars is a pair of dragons. It flies in the mountains and seas and the clouds in Xiangyun, and the columns are varied and varied. A similar. The rest of the three sides of the 18 dragon columns are carved with a single dragon. The carvings are thick and powerful, and they are contrasted with the carvings on the column heads. Each has its own charm. These 26 dragon pillars are the most artistically valuable cultural relics in the Chongning Temple, and are unique among the national palaces and temples. Just like the temple monument: "The stone pillars of the temple, the dragons are carved, the temples are magnificent, and the world is in the world." This is not a famous word, but a true portrayal.
From the Chongning Temple, through the highest archway of the Guan Temple, 「Qi Su Qian Qiu」, you will come to the Spring and Autumn Building, the largest building in the Guandi Temple.
The Spring and Autumn Building is the highest point of the entire complex. It is seven wide and six deep. It is a two-story, three-story mountaintop building with a total height of 33 meters. Chunqiu Building is named after Guan Yu’s 「Spring and Autumn」 image in the building. Its structure is wonderful, the algae is gorgeous, and the sculpture is fine. It is a rare boutique in the history of Chinese architecture. When people stand outside and look up, they will notice that a circle of columns on the second floor hangs around the main hall in the air, so that the building has a kind of vacant space, just like a castle in the air. This kind of structure is a kind of unique work in the history of Chinese ancient architecture, called the hanging beam hanging column. It uses the principle of leverage. It seems that the pillars are suspended. In fact, the load-bearing members are not the pillars, but the waist beams and the short columns hidden inside, and the support of the low-column and the short pillars of the waist beam is used to support the building. , bear all the internal and external loads, and at the same time make the pillars firmly above the beam structure. Such whimsy is really a sigh of the wisdom and skill of the ancients. Chunqiu Building is the only successful example of the existing pavilion building in the country that successfully uses the principle of leverage to put the 「cantilever hanging column」 into reality. Its significance cannot be underestimated.
Walking into the building, you can see a layer of Zhengzhong plastic about the public attire of the golden body, full face, dignified and flat, sitting firmly, elegant and generous. On the top of the statue, there is also a "Welling Shock" plaque on the Empress Dowager Cixi. Going up to the second floor, I went to the second floor and read the "Spring and Autumn" image in the middle of the temple. I saw his left hand and the right hand, and looked at the Spring and Autumn Period. Vivid, revered hearts come to life.
Looking up, you can see another one of the Spring and Autumn Buildings - the algae well. The general algae well has square, polygonal, circular concave surface, etc. The algae well of the Spring and Autumn Building has become a circular convex surface, which is thousands of in the country. The same example has never been found in the algae well. The whole is radial, layered, and the shape is like a huge chrysanthemum, and it looks like a peacock's glare. It is amazing.
Stepping out of the second floor of the door, standing on the cloister of the surrounding vacant space, overlooking the porch, the ancient cypress in the garden, the temple, the distant mountains, the royal garden, the wind, the air, the air, the air, the air I am very happy and thoughtful.
According to Xu Wei’s statement, at least after the middle period of the Ming Dynasty, the Chinese nation has formed a cultural pattern of 「Beibo Confucius and Wubai Guangong」. Guan Gong has gradually become a "spiritual idol" jointly recognized by the people and the government because of its loyalty, integrity, integrity, courage, principle, and willingness to bear the spirit. According to statistics, there were 16 emperors in the dynasties who had sealed the Guan Gong 23 times, so that they would be made up of Hou and Wang, by the Emperor and by the Emperor and by the Holy Spirit. In the statistics of the "History of Literature and History", in the middle of the Qing Dynasty, the Guanzhong Temple was the most prosperous in the Qing Dynasty. There were more than 300,000 Guandi Temples in the country, and the number of them was the first in various temples.
In the civil customs, it is not only the god of war, the god of morality, but also the god of business and the god of wealth. There are three reasons why Guan Gong will become the god of business and the god of wealth. First, when the legendary Guan Gong left Cao Ying to re-enter Liu Bei, he invented a concise bookkeeping method to return all the property that Cao Cao had rewarded. This kind of bookkeeping method is well documented and very easy to use, so the merchants use it as it is, and call this method "commercial bookkeeping method". Guan Gong is thus recognized as the founder of the original accounting. Second, the most important thing for businessmen to do business is to be honest and loyal. "The Analects of Confucius" has a cloud: "I am not righteous and rich, and I am like a cloud." And there are similar views in Western values. They think that doing business is a contractual relationship, and its first principle is integrity. Guan Gongxin, both righteous and loyal, and loyal and unparalleled, so won the worship of business people. Third, the image of Guan Gong’s military commander and the righteousness, in the myths and legends, the best in the town of evil, anti-small people, guarding peace, peace, in order to keep money, to live, so whether it is a businessman or ordinary people He is highly respected by Guan Gong and has elected Guan Gong to the status of "Wu Cai Shen".
In China, every year on the fifth day of the first lunar month, there is a custom of 「accommodating the god of wealth」. Among all the gods and gods worshipped by the common people, Guan Gong’s 「Wu Cai Shen」 is undoubtedly the most influential and the most extensive. From the Ming and Qing Dynasties, every year on the fifth day of the first month.
Until today, I still remember that when I was young, the first five days of the first month of the first month, and the four or five o'clock in the morning, my parents had to wake up the family, go to the yard to set off firecrackers, set up sacrifices, and collect wealth, and the neighbors also In the same breath, the firecrackers were set aside. In the sound of the firecrackers, the children cheered and screamed, and the activity of the god of wealth became a sea of joy...
Overseas, Chinese overseas Chinese, as ethnic minorities, need to be more united and friendly, and hope to help each other. Therefore, overseas Chinese will build a temple and worship Guan Gong as a customary way of inheriting Chinese traditional culture. The Guandi Temple has also become an important place for the Chinese to worship the ancestors, the Yi people, the Syrian community, the business, and the people.
The Guandi Temple, which is spread all over the world, bears the historical memory of the Chinese ancestors who crossed the ocean and swayed the blue sky. It reflects the love of the 「roots」 of the Chinese land. Guan Gongxin is a concentrated expression of the special living habits and ethical norms of the Chinese nation. It is the moral soul of the Chinese children's grandfather's atmosphere and the sun and the moon.