Guangfu Temple is located within the Taohu Turtle Head Isle Scenic Area, and it is one of the earliest temples in Wuxi to open to the public. Situated at the junction of ‘Yuanchu Spring Waves’ and ‘Ten Thousand Waves Rolling Snow’, the temple leans against the mountain and faces the lake, with its main entrance facing south. During the Southern Dynasty Xiao Liang period, a temple named Guangfu An, also known as Qiaoyan Temple, was built on the back mountain of Turtle Head Isle. The ancient temple, surrounded by tall trees, has experienced periods of decline and revival. In the autumn of 1925, Monk Liangru raised funds from local gentry Yang Hanxi to rebuild the temple on ten acres of mountain land. The temple was named ‘Guangfu Temple’, meaning ‘a vast land where all people can ascend to the blessed land and heavenly realms’. In 1980, Guangfu Temple returned to the jurisdiction of the Municipal Buddhist Association. The temple was restored with the re-sculpting of the Four Heavenly Kings, Maitreya Buddha, and the Bodhisattvas Guanyin and Ksitigarbha, and eighteen Arhats were invited from Beijing. The plaque ‘Great Perfect Enlightenment’ was inscribed by Zhao Puchu, the president of the Chinese Buddhist Association, and ‘Guangfu Temple’ was inscribed by Wei Tianchi. Religious activities were resumed. Inside the temple, the monk’s quarters ‘Huayan Jing She’ houses the three treasures of the temple: an ostrich egg, an ancient painting ‘Hundred Birds’, and the iron whip of the anti-Qing hero Yang Ziyuan from the late Ming Dynasty; there are also five rooms of ‘Tui Lu’ by Cai Jiansan. The architectural layout follows a traditional pattern, with the bell and drum tower, Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, and auxiliary buildings such as Taozhu Pavilion, Bo Yuan Hall, Hua Yu Pavilion, Huayan Jing She, and Tui Lu. Although there are only more than twenty rooms, the layout is well-organized, scattered orderly, and the environment is tranquil, allowing one to overlook Lake Taohu and enjoy the best views of the lake and mountains. To the east of Guangfu Temple, lies ‘Xiao Nanhai’, shaded by bamboo forests, built by monk Pushan, which is a place of practice for the Bodhisattva Guanyin. The vegetarian noodles and dishes here are famous far and wide. The opening hours and specific business status are subject to the actual opening conditions of the day.
Taohu Turtle Head Isle Scenic Area – Guangfu Temple
Guangfu Temple is located within the Taohu Turtle Head Isle Scenic Area, and it is one of the earlie[...]
