A gem of ancient architecture in a small county: the only remaining Zoroastrian site.

Jiexiu Zoroastrian Temple has high historical and cultural value and unique architectural charm. It is definitely worth a visit. I give it a rating of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Here are the reasons: 1. High historical value: • Unique religious culture: It is the only remaining Zoroastrian building in China, and it is extremely important for studying the spread and development of Zoroastrian culture in China and its integration with Chinese local culture. Zoroastrianism originated in ancient Persia, that is, fire worship, and has unique religious beliefs and cultural traditions. The Zoroastrian Temple is a precious relic of this exotic religious culture in China. • Witness to historical changes: From its establishment in the Northern Song Dynasty to several renovations and reconstructions during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Zoroastrian Temple witnessed the changes in political, cultural, and religious policies in different dynasties in Chinese history. For example, the suppression of religion by the court during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty caused the main statue of the Zoroastrian Temple to be replaced. This historical event was reflected in the changes of the Zoroastrian Temple, providing physical evidence for historical research. 2. Unique architectural style: • Exquisite and complex structure: It integrates the mountain gate, the music building, and the street building into one, and the plane is in the shape of "convex". This unique architectural structure is rare in ancient Chinese architecture. The building is about 25 meters high and has two floors. The waist is equipped with a flat seat color railing, and the upper part is covered with a heavy eaves, which is actually four floors. The four pillars directly support the upper beam frame, and the mountain gate and the stage are stacked up and down, forming a unique spatial layout, which is both practical and artistic. • Exquisite decorative art: The roof adopts a cross-hipped design, and the eaves protrude from the mountain flowers in all four directions, making the entire building more three-dimensional and vivid. The tiles and ridge decorations on the roof are all made of glazed products, which are colorful, magnificent, and spectacular. The decorative style of glazed products has a strong Western Asian Persian style, such as the awe-inspiring sky god and the glazed statue of the Hu costume riding a beast on the ridge, which is different from the glazed decoration of traditional Chinese architecture and has unique artistic value. • Novel wood carving patterns: There are many peculiar animal patterns in the wood carvings under the eaves, such as tigers, sheepdogs, sacred cows, elephants, etc. These are all sacred beasts in Zoroastrianism, which basically do not appear in traditional ancient Chinese architecture. It shows the architectural features of the combination of Chinese and Western cultures, and provides important references for the study of ancient Chinese and Western cultural exchanges. 3. Rich cultural connotations: • Association with literary works: The story of Wen Yanbo's help from the gods was written by Luo Guanzhong, a novelist at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, into "Three Sui Ping Yao Biography". In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, novelist Feng Menglong changed it to "Ping Yao Biography" based on Luo Guanzhong, making this story known to the world, adding literary and legendary colors to the Zoroastrian Temple. • Unique digital culture: The architectural complex hides the worship of the number "three", the main building is three stories high, divided into three parts, the music building has three rooms, the roof is decorated with three-color glazed tiles, there are three temples, and the phenomenon of the coexistence of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. This unique worship of the number "three" is quite different in traditional Chinese culture, which arouses people's deep thinking about its cultural connotation. In short, Jiexiu Zoroastrian Temple has irreplaceable value from the perspectives of history, architecture, and culture. It is a treasure of ancient Chinese architectural art and is definitely worth a visit. However, it should be noted that the scenic spot is closed from 12 noon to 14 pm, and visitors need to arrange their visit time reasonably.