Xingguo Zen Temple is located on the hillside of Qianfo Mountain, covering an area of 3000 square meters, and is a renowned sacred site for incense burning in Shandong. According to the stone inscriptions from the Ming Dynasty’s Chenghua period (1471 AD), the temple was once destroyed by war. On August 3rd of Chenghua’s fourth year (1468 AD), Su Xian, an inner official of the De王府, visited Qianfo Mountain and, moved by the scene, donated funds to build Buddha halls, monk’s quarters, kitchens, granaries, and more. Inside the hall, statues of Sakyamuni, the Great Compassionate Avalokitesvara, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the Eighteen Arhats, and the Four Heavenly Kings are enshrined. The temple gate faces west, with the inscription ‘Xingguo Zen Temple’ written by Zhao Puchu, the former chairman of the Chinese Buddhist Association and a calligrapher. The stone couplet reads: ‘The evening drum and morning bell awaken worldly seekers of fame and fortune; the sound of sutras and Buddha’s name calls back those lost in the sea of suffering,’ written by Yang Zhaoqing, a scholar from the late Qing Dynasty in Jinan. Inside the gate, on both sides, there are two buildings for bells and drums. To the south of the temple gate, the Qianfo Cliff is engraved with numerous Buddha statues. From west to east along the cliff, there are Longquan Cave, Jile Cave, Dongtian Fudi stone archway, and Duihuating. The courtyard contains halls dedicated to Maitreya, Avalokitesvara, Bodhidharma, Jade Buddha, and a meditation hall. The eastern Mahavira Hall houses statues of Sakyamuni, Avalokitesvara, and many Arhats. For specific opening hours, please consult the scenic area.
