Jingju Temple is a renowned scenic spot nestled within Qingyuan Mountain. Originally constructed in the first year of the Shenlong era of the Tang Dynasty (705 AD) and initially named ‘Anyin Temple’, it was later renamed to its current title during the fourth year of the Chongning era of the Song Dynasty (1105 AD). Throughout its history, Jingju Temple has experienced periods of prosperity and decay, but recent restoration efforts have brought it back to life. The temple now boasts a collection of Ming Dynasty architectural complexes, rich in the essence of Jiangnan courtyards, which are both majestic and splendid.
Above the temple gate, the three characters ‘Qingyuan Mountain’ are a handwritten work by Wen Tianxiang, exuding an aura of righteousness. Along the central axis, one can find the mountain gate, the Mahavira Hall, and the Bilu Pavilion in succession. The Mahavira Hall is surrounded by ponds connected by arch bridges, with side rooms serving as the Buddha Recitation Hall, the Medicine Tree Hall, and the monks’ quarters. Additional structures include the Earth Storey Hall and the Sutra Repository. At the temple’s entrance, there stands a stone archway inscribed with the characters ‘Zuguan’, a calligraphic piece by Yan Zhenqing. Further up the mountain, a pagoda dedicated to the Seventh Patriarch of Zen, Xing Si, serves as a memorial site. Xing Si, a native of Luling, received the true teachings from the Sixth Patriarch Huineng at Nanhua Temple in Caoxi Mountain, Shaoguan (present-day Guangdong Shaoguan). He established the temple in Qingyuan Mountain in the first year of the Shenlong era of the Tang Dynasty, gathering followers and spreading Buddhist teachings, which eventually developed into the Qingyuan school of the Southern Zen, one of the two major schools of the Southern Song Dynasty. This lineage later evolved into the Caodong, Yunmen, and Fayan schools, exerting a far-reaching influence across Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia.Jingju Temple – A Historic Buddhist Sanctuary in Danxia Mountain
Jingju Temple is a renowned scenic spot nestled within Qingyuan Mountain. Originally constructed in the first year of the Shenlong […]
