Liuzi Temple, Ancient temple monument in Yongzhou, China

Liuzi Temple is a wooden and brick structure with three connected halls arranged along a stream in Hunan Province. The complex shows building styles from different periods that you can observe in various architectural elements throughout the site.

The temple was founded in 1056 during the Northern Song Dynasty to honor writer Liu Zongyuan. Major rebuilding efforts over the following centuries shaped the structure you see today.

The temple honors Tang Dynasty writer Liu Zongyuan through its architecture and stone carvings that visitors can see throughout the complex. The spaces reflect how people celebrated this literary figure over centuries.

The site offers parking and marked pathways to guide you through the buildings and help you navigate easily. Information signs at various locations help you understand the key features and spaces.

The couplet flanking the main doorway, "Mountains and waters return; yellow bananas and red lychees; spring and autumn rites bring fortune and long life to the people", was written by Yongzhou magistrate Yang Han during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing dynasty. The stone lions stand on either side of the entrance, but the verses are on the doorframe, not on the lions.