"Amateur archeologists found the statues during an adventure along an unfrequented mountain track. The discoveries stand on the exact site of Shixian Temple," Yu explained to reporters in the wake of the exciting discovery.

To be precise, the explorers had uncovered a pair of carved granite statues between the communities of Rongheqiao and Gaotang, which rest in Beishan. One depicted a man and the other a horse. Despite having suffered considerable damage- the body of the horse is detached from its saddle and the man is missing his hands- Yu was able to confirm their dating from the early Qing Dynasty on account of his expert period knowledge.

A local identifies an incomplete part of the stone horse found in the Changsha county forest. [Photo/csxrmt.com]

In the vicinity of theses statues are the half-collapsed, half-standing remains of the Shixian temple structure. The question immediately facing the site, bound to go from being utterly undocumented to having its every nook and cranny pored over by the authorities, is how to preserve the temple's unique cultural charm while promoting its inherent educational value.

One development that should aid the preservation of Shixian is the fact it rests in a protected provincial forest. This came to pass through the 2015 establishment of the Beishan forest area that sought to preserve the region's natural beauty.

The desire to rapidly develop the site into a tourist hub and raise local incomes is an understandable desire of many Beishan residents.

"I hope more historical sites can be found in my hometown so it can be developed into a famous tourist destination," said one resident.

The ultimate decisions will remain in the capable hands of the Changsha county authorities but a penny for Yu's thoughts wouldn't go amiss.

Irrespective of the future developments of the site, Yu must surely be glad that the temple wasn't simply a beautiful figment of his and Wu Jingzhang's imagination.