In the heart of Sideng Village, within Yunnan’s Shaxi Ancient Town, stands the Benzhu Monastery. Established in 1418 during the Ming dynasty’s Yongle era, this single-courtyard sanctuary serves as the spiritual home for the Bai people’s native protector deities. The temple survived centuries of caravan trade along the Ancient Tea Horse Road, underwent a Qing dynasty renovation in 1881. In the early 2000s, local villagers joined hands with Swiss conservationist Dr. Jacques Feiner and the World Monuments Fund to rebuild the temple, using traditional materials to restore its historical form.

Today, a local village custodian opens the wooden doors at dawn, sweeping the stone floors beneath the shade of tall pines and slender bamboo. Inside the three-bay main hall, the scent of burning incense fills the air. Visitors encounter the principal deity, Vaisravana, whom locals call Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King. He stands clad in golden armor, a red war robe, and a green crown, holding a pagoda in his right hand. Beside him, two attendants in Han-style garments hold a ceremonial umbrella and an official seal, while a red wooden City God tablet sits nearby.

In the side corridors, statues of Lu Ban, the patron of carpenters, and the Medicine King stand ready to receive prayers. On the right, statues of the Smallpox Goddess and the Goddess of Child-Sending offer comfort to families. During the annual Prince Festival in the second lunar month, the community carries a statue of the young Siddhartha Gautama from the neighboring Xingjiao Temple to this courtyard, celebrating with theatrical performances and shared meals.

On quiet afternoons, local grandmothers gather in the courtyard, offering bowls of warm, sweet fermented rice ball soup to travelers. Their hospitality bridges the gap between the sacred and the domestic. The Benzhu Monastery remains a living sanctuary where ancient stone, hand-carved cypress wood, and daily human devotion preserve the quiet rhythm of Bai village life.