Wu Hou Temple

Wu Hou Temple is the major shrine to Sichuan’s ancient Shu past and the heroes that made the Shu Kingdom legendary during the Three Kingdoms period.

The temple is now divided into three major parts: the cultural relics with Zhaolie Temple, Wu Hou Temple and the Brotherhood Shrine, the park with its ponds, rock sculptures and willow trees and Brocade Street, known as Jinli, the arts, crafts and snacks street adjacent to the temple.

The Sichuan Opera at back of the temple has a nightly performance from 8pm to 10pm for 180 yuan includes tea and snacks. The opera is spendy, but the face-changing, fire-breathing, flute and lyre playing ensemble might make you forget that. If that doesn’t work, get a free massage from one of the elegantly dressed masseuses touring the audience area.

The temple was originally built to house Shu Emperor Liu Bei’s remains in 221, but during the Ming Dynasty, Liu Bei’s subjects were also housed here, most notably Zhu Ge Liang. Zhu Ge Liang was Liu Bei’s right-hand man and advisor during the wars of the Three Kingdoms Period — he is a legendary figure in Sichuan and is, in some respects, honored more than his master. The temple burned during the wars that toppled the Ming Dynasty and was rebuilt in 1671-72 during the Qing Dynasty. The main shrine, Zhaolie Temple, is dedicated to the Emperor Liu Bei, the back shrine, Wu Hou Temple, to his advisor Zhu Ge Liang and there is also the “Sworn Brotherhood Shrine” which commemorates Liu Bei, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu’s “Oath in the Peach Garden.”

Directly next to Wu Hou Temple is Jinli Street: a winding cobblestone lane lined with Qing Dynasty mansions selling local tea, books, souveniers, musical instruments and caricatures. There are several large restaurants here but the real charm lies in the small snack alley between the temple and Jinli. Here the aggressive odor of stinky tofu is soothed by sweet caramel, spicy beef, rice cakes and sesame buns — made to order amidst the cries and pleas of hawkers and touts.