Zhijia Temple, established in the 23rd year of the Ming Hongwu Emperor’s reign (1487), was a royal temple. Its architectural complex blends Ming Dynasty official architecture with intricate carvings, considered a gem of ancient construction art in the Jingzhou area. Inside, surviving Ming Dynasty painted wooden carvings are a remarkable technique, with the “Three Treasures Hall” paintings on the main beam of the Great Hall of the Buddha rendered in gold powder, depicting ethereal celestial maidens with flowing garments, lifelike and vibrant. The Treasure Pavilion houses remnants of the Qing Dynasty’s “Yueyao Northern Collection” scroll, with the scroll cover inlaid with mother-of-pearl, shimmering with light. The temple’s core attraction is the “Jing Music” living fossil – the Zhijia Temple Jing Music Troupe, composed of thirteen members, preserving the Ming Dynasty’s courtly elegant music system and retaining ancient melodies such as “Ten Faces Buried” and “General’s Decree.” Daily noon drum music rings out, with the interplay of the guzheng and xiao creating a timeless, reverent sound of worship. In the Stele Pavilion stands the Ming Jiajing-era “Zhijia Temple Stele,” recording the temple’s prosperous period, with vigorous and powerful stone carvings.
