Building Name: | Heilongdawang Temple |
Location: | Shanbei, Shaanxi, China |
Religious Affiliation: | Shenism, Black Dragon culture |
Architecture: | yes |
Architecture Style: | Chinese architecture, native religion's temple |
Year Completed: | 1982, current building |
Specifications: | no |
The Heilongdawang Temple (literally Temple of the Great Black Dragon King) is a prominent Chinese folk religion/Shenist temple located in Shanbei, Shaanxi province, in China.[1] The temple enshrines the Black Dragon King with the imperially conferred title of Marquis of the Efficacious Response (灵应侯, Lingyinghou).[1] Dragon kings (龙王, longwang) are water deities popular in droughty Northern China.[1]
The temple was completely destroyed during the anti-religious campaigns of the Cultural Revolution, but rebuilt from scratch in 1982,[1] and since then has enjoyed growing popularity in Shanbei, becoming a case study of the revival of Chinese folk religion in sociological research, as hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and other visitors come for the annual six-day festival.[1] The temple is located in an area known as the Dragon King Valley (Longwanggou).[1]