The Yuhua Palace in Zhending: a Memorial to Tolui

Abstract

The Yuhua Palace in Zhending was built by the order of Shizu of Yuan, Kublai, in memory of his father Tolui, and mother Sorhaghtani. It served as the family temple of Toluil The Taoist Master Wang daofu was in charge of it. Her original name was Saruq. She was once one of Tolui’s concubines and the feeding mother of Kublai. Ancestor worship is the cultural heritage of China. The royal family put the utmost importance on the Yu Hua Temple. The image hall (影堂) which is mainly originated from the traditions of local places of the Han, but mixes with cultural elements of different religions. The image hall is also called separate shrine (原庙), and the royal hall is the place in which the royal family adore the images of their forefathers.