Dalian Puming Chan Temple

Dalian Puming Chan Temple

Dalian Puming Chan Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Puming Chan Temple is located at the foot of Maoshan in Tongyi Township, Pulandian, renowned as the "Highest Peak in Southern Liaoning." It was first built in the eighth year of the Shunzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1651 AD), boasting a history of three to four hundred years. The temple faces south toward the Fuzhou River and leans against the divine Maoshan Mountain. Oriented from north to south, it has a rectangular layout covering an area of over 10,000 square meters. Its halls and buildings are constructed along the mountain slope in succession, connected by winding paths and corridors. With carved beams and painted rafters, upturned eaves and winged corners, the complex presents a spectacular sight.

Maoshan has a long history of religious culture, and Puming Chan Temple is deeply rooted in Buddhist traditions. At its peak, the temple flourished with incense offerings. On the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month and during temple fairs, devout worshippers flocked here, filling both the temple grounds and the mountain slopes with bustling crowds and lively activity, making it widely renowned. However, during a certain era, the temple was completely destroyed, leaving only ruins and faint traces of its former site.

With the continuous implementation of the national religious policy, and in order to promote traditional Buddhist culture and restore this valuable cultural heritage of the Chinese nation, there have been widespread calls for the reconstruction of Puming Chan Temple. To fulfill the wishes of devotees and with strong support from the local government, and in accordance with the relevant regulations of the Religious Affairs Regulations, approval was granted by the Dalian Municipal Bureau of Religious Affairs and the Pulandian Municipal Bureau of Religious Affairs. On November 8, 2006, a document titled "Approval for Rebuilding Puming Chan Temple as a Buddhist Activity Site" was issued. The Puming Chan Temple Preparatory Committee decided to rebuild the temple on its original site. The reconstructed temple features Ming and Qing architectural styles, with a layout consisting of: the Mountain Gate, the Heavenly King Hall, the Yuantong Treasure Hall, and a three-tier courtyard structure for the Scripture Depository. The central axis of the entire temple complex follows the mountain terrain with cascading courtyards. The courtyards are neatly planned, with overlapping halls and interchanging spaces, varying in height and clearly distinguishing primary and secondary structures.

As the saying goes, “Dharma does not arise alone but depends on conditions; the path does not manifest without cause but flourishes with opportunity.” In this prosperous era, with a thriving nation, harmonious governance, and flourishing Buddhism, the people enjoy peace and prosperity. Seizing this auspicious opportunity to restore and rebuild Puming Chan Temple will bring boundless merit, benefiting all beings. This endeavor will also contribute to the development of Dalian’s tourism industry and local economy, bringing benefits to society and humanity.

The construction of Puming Chan Temple has received strong support from Ms. Lin Zhongfeng, General Manager of Dalian Xinfeng Group, who has made great vows and contributed significant merit. May more kind-hearted individuals plant blessings and joyfully offer their support. Building temples is a shared endeavor for all directions; every bit of contribution creates boundless merit. On the path to enlightenment, cultivating merit comes first; in the forest of virtue, giving is foremost. Such opportunities are rare, and such moments hard to come by—when people unite, great things can be achieved. May the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas soon reveal their radiant forms, may the Buddha’s light shine upon the ancient temple, and may it regain its former glory.

We humbly appeal to all benevolent devotees and esteemed members of society to take the compassionate vow of liberating all beings and to uphold the mission of promoting the Dharma. Let us join hands in making generous offerings, accumulating merit and virtue, and contributing to the construction of this sacred site. By adorning the land and benefiting all sentient beings, we can jointly accomplish this grand endeavor. All those who pledge donations will be dedicated blessings, and their names will be engraved on the Merit Stele, so that their legacy may endure as long as the ancient temple, their blessings shine as brightly as the sun and moon, and their merit remains forever.