A heroic past

Zhaohua ancient town marks scene of dueling heroes and staunch generals come to life, Huang Zhiling reports in Chengdu.

After the opening ceremony of the Culture and Tourism Development Conference of Sichuan Province was held on the square in front of the Zhang Fei Temple in Langzhong city in early November, participants visited the time-honored temple holding the tomb of Zhang Fei.

This legendary general in the Three Kingdoms (220-280) guarded the city for seven years and is the personification of bravery.

The temple, first built 1,700 years ago and rebuilt 152 years ago after a flood, has many statues honoring Zhang. Visitors are captivated by their vivid depiction of the duel between him and Ma Chao, another great hero of their time.