The overall structure of Guanlin is square and symmetrical, which is the dance building, gate, instrument door, main hall, bedroom hall, back hall and Guanzhong in turn. The dance building, which stands at the southern end of the square, was built in the 56th year of Qing Qianlong. It is a place where lights, shadows, gongs and drums came and went. The architecture of the Dance Building is unique. Its stage is convex, eight exposed columns support the bucket arch and girder, and the golden purlin and the dragon head corner column stir the cornice of the phoenix head. The golden bell under the eaves is accompanied by the breeze, which adds a bit of leisure and ancient charm. The white marble and stone lions of the Ming Dynasty, which are separated on both sides of the gate, are simple and elegant, dignified and solemn. The word "loyalty and benevolence" on the eight-character wall sums up Guan Yu's life of loyalty and benevolence, which makes people admire this feudal model of loyalty and morality.
Entering the gate, the instrument door is in sight. The Golden Gate Nail of Guan Lin Yimen shows Guan Yu's lofty feudal status and supreme glory behind him. Stepping into these two feudal gates, you will see the magnificent buildings in the north. A pair of iron lions in the Ming Dynasty, weighing more than 3,000 kilograms, stood around Yimen, still solemn despite more than 400 years of wind and rain. The word "Guanlin" hanging under the eaves of Yimen is Wang Duo Mo Bao, a great calligrapher in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, and the plaque "Weiyang Liuhe" on the door is the imperial pen of Cixi Lafayette, which is precious.
The Imperial Road connecting Yimen and Baidian was built in the forty-seventh year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty, and the Shishi Zhu Yong was built in the fifty-sixth year of Qianlong. There are 104 stone lions carved on the top of 42 Yong columns, with various lion shapes. The big lion sits quietly, giving people a sense of intimacy. The little lion has different manners, some playing with his back, some fighting for the ball and color, some scratching his stomach, and he is happy in the temple without formality. Shishi is round and vivid, representing the highest achievement of folk stone carving art in the Central Plains during the Qianlong period.
Temple worship, also known as "opening a temple", is a sacrificial area where Guan Yu sets up an altar for his birthday, burns incense and candles, spends money to burn silks, and worships and prays. In the temple, there are plaques and couplets written by Emperor Qianlong when he visited Zhongzhou: "In the lower Han Dynasty, the power of Longmen was combined with rigor, the steel platform was extended, and the water flowed with it." Chongdian Jade Seal weighs more than 3,000 Jin, which is the largest Guandi seal in Guandi Temple in China and the largest high-quality seal in the world.
Guanlin Hall, also known as the main hall, was inscribed by Empress Dowager Cixi with dignified writing and lofty atmosphere. There are 12 Guan Yu stories engraved on the door panel of the main hall, such as "Making a vow in Taoyuan", "Driving Seven Armies", "Visiting the Caotang" and "Going to the meeting with a single knife". There are five statues in the temple, which is also the largest indoor sitting statue in China. Like Optimus Prime before, the main hall is more spacious and magnificent. Carved flowers, grass, vines, and stories of the characters of the Three Kingdoms are hung on the wooden door, and the layout is exquisite and dense, just like a three-dimensional painter. There are auspicious beasts and immortals on the ridge of the temple, which are beautifully made and covered with yellow-green glazed tiles.
The beams of the bedroom are decorated with colorful dragons, and the skirts of the doors are embossed with dragons and phoenixes, peonies and unicorns. The forehead square is painted with Guan Yu 12 life stories, such as "Chopping Yan Liang", "Killing Wen Chou" and "Picking Brocade", which reflects Guan Yu's invincible magical history.