The Temple of Earth is the predecessor of the Temple of Heaven, and a poem about the autumn wind tells the story of its past and present lives

She is the crown of temples within the sea, and the source of the Chinese ancestral roots. 4000 years ago, on the banks of the Fen River, the Sweeping Earth Altar was built by the river, and the culture of worship was born. The ancients said, 'The great affairs of the state are in sacrifice and in war.' More than 2000 years later, at the confluence of the Fen and Yellow Rivers, the worship of Hou Tu became institutionalized. The Hou Tu Temple, where people sought their roots and ancestors, prayed for the nation's peace and the people's safety, and for a harmonious world. Over thousands of years, the Hou Tu Temple, though repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, and now only a fraction of its size during its heyday, still stands as the center of ancestral worship for Chinese people worldwide on the banks of the Yellow River in Wanrong County, Shanxi Province, continuing to tell its own story. ✔️The existing buildings in the Hou Tu Temple include the mountain gate, '品'-shaped stage, offering hall, main hall, east and west Five Tiger Halls, and the Autumn Wind Tower, etc. The architecture is magnificent and the layout is exquisite. Although the scale of the existing Hou Tu Temple is much smaller compared to the Tang and Song dynasties, it is still a vast and splendid ancient temple complex. Moreover, due to its exquisite architectural craftsmanship and dazzling brilliance, it has high historical, cultural, and artistic value. ✔️Additionally, from the Han to the Song dynasty, a total of 9 emperors, including Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Zhenzong of Song, came to the Hou Tu Temple in Wanrong to worship 24 times. As the source of worship culture, the imperial worship undoubtedly indicates that it represents the highest level of worship culture activities and also represents the ancient emperors' recognition of the status of the Hou Tu Temple as 'the crown of temples within the sea'❗️. Why was the worship later changed to the Temple of Heaven and Earth in Beijing during the Ming and Qing dynasties? It is said that after Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he originally wanted to go to the Hou Tu Temple to worship in person, but due to busy state affairs and the long journey, he sent a high official to take soil from here for the sacrificial rites, and built a Hou Tu Temple in Beijing, which is the Temple of Heaven and Earth. Later, the Earth Temple was built, and the Temple of Heaven and Earth was renamed the Temple of Heaven. This is why the Hou Tu Temple, as the 'source of the Temple of Heaven'❗️, can be called a temple, while all other Hou Tu temples in the country are called temples. It is commonly believed that the association of buildings with poetry began in the Tang dynasty, but in the earlier Han dynasty, a timeless masterpiece gave rise to the Autumn Wind Tower on the banks of the Fen River! 'The autumn wind rises, the white clouds fly, the grass and trees turn yellow, and the geese return south. The orchid is elegant, the chrysanthemum is fragrant, thinking of the beloved one, I cannot forget. Sailing the tower boat on the Fen River, crossing the midstream, raising the white waves. The flute and drum sound, the oarsmen sing, joy reaches its peak, but sorrow is plentiful. How can one resist aging when youth is fleeting'❗️The Autumn Wind Tower is named after Emperor Wu of Han's poem 'The Song of the Autumn Wind', and it stands majestic and beautiful on the banks of the Fen and Yellow Rivers. Inside the Autumn Wind Tower, each floor has a stele of 'The Song of the Autumn Wind', especially the Yuan dynasty stone stele on the third floor, which is the most ancient. Unfortunately, to better protect it, climbing the tower is no longer allowed, which is a pity! ✔️Just as 'The Song of the Autumn Wind' says, 'How can one resist aging when youth is fleeting'! Today, the Hou Tu Temple in Wanrong, Shanxi, has become a place for people from all walks of life in China, as well as compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese, to seek their roots and worship Hou Tu. It is also a bond of national unity, connecting the feelings of Chinese people at home and abroad❗️As the source of Chinese ancestral culture, it is increasingly showing its profound historical and cultural connotations. 📍Ronghe Town, Wanrong County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province 🚗Shanxi attractions are scattered, it is recommended to drive or charter a car 💰20 yuan, no reservation required ⏰️8:30-18:00, the tour lasts 2 hours