Emei Mountain Puxian Temple

Emei Mountain Puxian Temple

Emei Mountain Puxian Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

I. History of Emei Mountain

Puxian Temple on Emei Mountain is located in Tangzha Town Subdistrict, Gangzha District, Nantong City. Legend has it that the “Golden Palace Hall” of the temple was built here in the late Sui Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, monks from Emei Mountain in Sichuan traveled a long way to Langshan in Nantong to visit Master Sengjia (later revered as the “Great Sage Bodhisattva”). When they failed to meet him on the mountain, they descended and chased after him, but were unfortunately trapped by wind and snow at night. When the monks from Emei Mountain saw a red glow in the north, they found this solitary hall and stayed overnight. Later, people said the monk was none other than “Puxian Bodhisattva,” and thus the hall came to be known as Emei Mountain. By the early Northern Song Dynasty, when the ancient Tongzhou Prefecture was first established, Emperor Taizong of Song approved, in the second year of Emperor Zhenzong’s reign (999 AD), that the Emei Mountain hall be designated as Puxian Temple. There is a legend that says, “Emei Mountain existed before Tongzhou City.” At the end of 1991, with the approval of the Nantong Municipal Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs and the Nantong Buddhist Association, Puxian Temple on Emei Mountain was permitted to open to the public. In 1992,

Mr. Zhao Puchu, then President of the Buddhist Association of China, discovered while reviewing documents that Emei Mountain in Nantong had long been recorded in history as one of the Eight Minor Emei Mountains in the country, and he happily inscribed the name “Puxian Chan Temple” in his own handwriting.

II. Current Status of Emei Mountain

Puxian Temple on Emei Mountain has a history of over 400 years and is one of the famous Buddhist sacred sites in Nantong. The temple covers an area of about 35 acres, with a construction area of approximately 15,000 square meters and total investment of around 50 million yuan. The temple includes buildings such as the Puxian Hall, Ten Thousand Buddhas Hall, Mahavira Hall, Scripture Depository, east and west wing rooms, and vegetarian dining hall. It also features facilities for spiritual cultivation such as the Dharma Hall, Release Pond, and Scripture Chanting Pavilion. The temple presents a grand and profound overall impression, and on the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, the number of devotees coming here to offer incense and worship is unceasing. In recent years, Puxian Temple on Emei Mountain has become an indispensable part of Nantong’s Buddhist culture and is set to become another new tourist attraction in our city of Nantong.

III. Long-Term Development Plan for Emei Mountain

With the completion and opening of the Sutong Bridge, Nantong’s importance in the Yangtze River Delta has grown increasingly significant, playing an ever more pivotal role. Moreover, in recent years, Nantong has continuously increased its external publicity efforts and created new highlights and attractions for the city. The emergence of a number of national-level tourist attractions has added much color to Nantong’s tourism industry and brought vitality and unprecedentedly favorable conditions for the vigorous development of tourism.

The Emei Mountain Scenic Area is situated in the core zone of Nantong’s northern new town, adjacent to the century-old town of Tangzha. It boasts rich cultural connotations and distinctive natural resources. Coupled with the scenic area’s promotion and visits in recent years that emphasize both sightseeing and visitors’ immersive experiences, its popularity has been steadily rising. Currently, the long-term development plan for the Emei Mountain Scenic Area has taken preliminary shape. The scenic area spans 300 acres and will include the construction of various Buddhist cultural facilities and supporting tourism infrastructure. The future development of the scenic area will follow the principles of adapting to the terrain, maximizing economic efficiency, balancing short-term construction with long-term development, ensuring comprehensive ecological protection alongside moderate development and utilization. The focus will be on eco-tourism, preserving the integrity of existing cultural heritage and temples. Development will be adapted to local conditions without damaging natural landscapes and ecosystems. Infrastructure such as roads, electricity, and water supply will be rationally laid out, and tourism public facilities will be moderately provided to create a harmonious and unified scenic area. The construction period for the Emei Mountain Scenic Area is three years, with priority given to infrastructure such as roads, water supply, electricity, and fire prevention, followed by auxiliary facilities and supporting projects. Operations will commence after passing inspections.

IV. Project Assessment of Emei Mountain

The development of the Emei Mountain Scenic Area aligns with national industrial policies and the needs of local economic development. It can fill the gap in eco-tourism in Nantong’s northern new town. Through the implementation of scenic area infrastructure and auxiliary projects, it will become a comprehensive industry integrating tourism, entertainment, leisure, health care, and cultural education. The construction of the Emei Mountain Scenic Area will not only deliver social and ecological benefits but also yield strong economic returns, making it a prime choice for investors.

Tangzha Town Subdistrict: Tangzha Town Subdistrict is located in the core area of Nantong’s northern new town, covering an area of 17.66 square kilometers, with a registered population of over 45,000 and a resident population of over 89,000. It governs five urban communities and seven rural communities (the five urban communities are Yongtai Community, Yiyuan Community, Xinhua Community, Xiyangqiao Community, and Gongyuan Community; the seven rural communities are Zhadong Village Community, Henghe Village Community, Huaqiang Village Community, Chang’an Village Community, Jian'goutou Village Community, Gaodian Village Community, and Xinyuan Village Community). As an important component of the “one city, three towns” layout in China’s first modern city... More details about Tangzha Town Subdistrict++