Qu Yuan Temple, Miluo
屈子祠
A Qing-dynasty shrine on Yusi Mountain beside the Miluo River, where Qu Yuan drowned himself. It is the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival and dragon boat racing. The Qu Yuan Cultural Park houses China's largest statue of Qu Yuan and his tomb.
Qu Zi Temple stands on Yusi Mountain in Quzi Temple Town, Miluo City, on the north bank of the Miluo River. Tradition holds that Qu Yuan spent his final years in exile here before drowning himself. A shrine was built on the site as early as the Han dynasty. The present buildings were rebuilt in 1756, in the 21st year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty. They consist of three courtyards with five light wells, built of brick and timber. Inside are a statue of Qu Yuan, stone inscriptions from successive dynasties and a stele gallery with the complete Li Sao poem. Around the temple are historic sites including Duxing Pavilion, Saotan and Zhuoying Bridge. The Qu Yuan Cultural Park, centred on Qu Zi Temple, covers 10 square km. It includes Qu Zi Academy, which displays the Chu Ci and Qu Yuan's life; the Qu Yuan Tomb Protection Area, said to contain twelve decoy tombs; the Miluo River wetland; and a Dragon Boat Festival folk area. The bronze statue of Qu Yuan in the park is the largest Qu Yuan statue in China. Each Dragon Boat Festival, a memorial ceremony and an international dragon boat race are held here. The Miluo River dragon boat racing custom has been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Opening hours: Qu Zi Temple 9:00 to 16:30, closed Mondays; Qu Zi Academy 9:00 to 17:00; the cultural park 9:00 to 17:30. The park is free to enter, though some venues require reservations. Getting there: Miluo is about 70 km from Yueyang city and about 70 km from Changsha. From Miluo East railway station on the Beijing–Guangzhou high-speed line, take a taxi for about 30 minutes, or take bus No. 8 in Miluo to the Qu Zi Cultural Park stop. By car from Yueyang, it takes about 1.5 hours, and it can be combined with Zhangguying Village on the same day. Tips: crowds are large during the Dragon Boat Festival, so book ahead. Keep quiet inside the temple. The park is large, and a round-trip shuttle cart costs about RMB 20.
Opening hours
Qu Yuan Temple 09:00–16:30 (closed Mon); cultural park 09:00–17:30