Zhuanghe Shuangquan Temple

Zhuanghe Shuangquan Temple

Zhuanghe Shuangquan Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located in Desheng Village, Daying Town, Zhuanghe City, about 10 kilometers from the national-level Bingyu Valley Scenic Area in Zhuanghe, the emerald-green Qinglong Mountain lies to the southeast of the village, with the clear Yingna River flowing gently along its side. Nestled beside two clear springs at the foot of Qinglong Mountain stands the historic Shuangquan Temple.

This Shuangquan Temple was first built during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1516), as evidenced by an extant broken stele inscribed with the year. Over the years, the temple has undergone several renovations and has become an indispensable local landmark. Every year on the eighth day of the first lunar month and the eighteenth day of the fourth lunar month, locals flock to the temple for its temple fair. The historical structure, which was damaged during the Cultural Revolution, was rebuilt with the care and support of the Party and government. In 1998, the current abbot, Venerable Shi Wuli, led a group of nuns in painstaking fundraising efforts to expand the ancient temple. The grand Mahavira Hall now stands tall, and a Buddhist pagoda has been erected on Qinglong Mountain, adding another scenic highlight to the area.

Among the many abbots and nuns who have served at Shuangquan Temple over the years, the most renowned was Master Xichan (also known as Changqing). A man of integrity with unique insights, he had a particular fondness for bamboo—the “gentleman” among the “Four Gentlemen” of plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum—and was also highly skilled at painting it, with profound expertise that made him a nationally celebrated bamboo painter. He painted over 20,000 bamboo artworks, which were widely circulated across Liaoning, Jilin, and Shandong, and even reached Japan and Korea, though only one piece is currently preserved at Shuangquan Temple. Master Xichan was also an exceptional calligrapher, adept at writing with both hands, producing elegant and flowing scripts with bold and vigorous strokes, earning him the title of “master of wild cursive script.” His solo wind instrument performances were also well-known, a talent nurtured during his youth through exposure to Buddhist music.

Address: Desheng Village, Daying Town, Zhuanghe, Dalian, Liaoning Province

Transportation: Take a bus from Dalian to Zhuanghe Bus Station, then transfer to the “Zhuanghe–Tumen” minibus to reach the temple.