Nanhua Temple is located in Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province, 7 kilometers southeast of MaBa in Qujiang County, beside the Caoxi River. It is one of the famous Buddhist temples in China and the birthplace where the Sixth Patriarch Huineng of Zen Buddhism promoted the ‘Southern School of Zen’. Upon passing the grand and majestic archway, one sees the characters ‘Caoxi’ on the mountain gate protected by ancient trees, marking the ‘Three Gates’.
After entering the Three Gates, one encounters the ‘Wuxiang Pavilion’ and the release pond, where many turtles swim leisurely. Beyond the quaint ‘Wuxiang Pavilion’ and the release pond, the four large characters ‘Baolin Dharma Field’ are visible on the lintel of the second gate. Beside the gate, there is a couplet that reads ‘The First Treasure of Eastern Guangdong, The Unique Door of Zen’. Inside the second gate lies the magnificent Hall of Heavenly Kings, housing a statue of Maitreya Buddha, flanked by the statues of the Four Heavenly Kings. Behind the Hall of Heavenly Kings, there is a statue of Wei Tuo. Behind the Hall of Heavenly Kings, there is a small garden with exquisite arrangements, featuring a bell tower on the east and a drum tower on the west. Further back, to the north, is the grand Mahavira Hall, where the central figures are Sakyamuni, the Medicine Buddha, and Amitabha. The walls of the hall are carved with images of the 500 Arhats. Moving forward, behind the Three Worlds Buddhas, is a golden Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara holding a vase. Behind the hall is the Scripture Pavilion and Lingzhao Pagoda, followed by the Ancestral Hall, where the true body of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng is enshrined. Exiting the hall and passing by the Fuhu Pavilion and Feisi Bridge, one ascends the stairs and enters the stone gate inscribed with ‘World’s Treasured Forest’, leading to Zhuoxi Spring, where one can wash their hands and drink the spring water. Heading west from Zhuoxi Spring, not far away, is the Memorial Hall of the Venerable Xuyun, with a couplet that reads, ‘To meet the patriarch, one must be empty-hearted and without self; to come to the Buddha’s land is always predestined by past lives.’ Continuing west for about a hundred meters is the stupa of the Venerable Xuyun, which records the life and deeds of the Venerable Xuyun. Moving forward, one arrives at the Endless Hermitage, and after passing the nun’s quarters, one returns to the Caoxi Gate. The temple is open all year round from 08:00 to 17:00, with specific business hours subject to the daily opening conditions. A must-see tip: All incense burning must be done outdoors, with the Wuxiang Pavilion as the dividing line. Beyond the Wuxiang Pavilion, it is a fire-free environment.
