Yanfu Temple

Yanfu Temple

Yanfu Temple is a cultural heritage site protected by Lianyungang City.

In the fourth year of the Chongzhen reign during the Ming Dynasty (1631), Yanfu Temple was built in front of Weiping Mountain at Donglei by three eunuchs including Gao Jinqing. Since then, Donglei has become a major center of Taoism in the Yuntai Mountain area, enjoying flourishing incense offerings for three to four hundred years. Even Weiping Mountain was given a Taoist name—Zhongding—and all the scenic spots on the mountain were infused with a strong Taoist flavor.

Because Yanfu Temple is located close to Weiping Mountain, in a strategically hidden and dangerous position surrounded by lush greenery, it survived the intense bombing by Japanese aircraft, becoming the only temple in Yuntai Mountain that escaped this disaster. However, in the later years of the Cultural Revolution, the well-preserved main hall and Magnolia Mountain House were demolished, and the remaining structures were either scattered or destroyed. The surviving front gate and west wing room had deteriorated over time and were nearly collapsed. The temple gate bears an inscription reading “Imperially Bestowed Protectorate State Yanfu Temple,” showcasing typical Ming Dynasty temple architectural style. In front of the temple, stones were piled up to form a platform, offering an eastern view of the sea and sky stretching as far as the eye can see. One could imagine the scene two or three hundred years ago when the area at the foot of the mountain was still a vast ocean. As the moon rose, its calm reflection lay like a piece of jade sinking into the water. This was one of Yuntai Mountain’s famous sights: Moonlight Over Water on the Platform.

The east courtyard was originally the Magnolia Mountain House, encircling an ancient magnolia tree. When Tao Shu inspected Yuntai Mountain, he oversaw major renovations here and composed a couplet for the Magnolia Mountain House: “Strange rocks stand like figures beneath the flowers; immortals descend like cranes through the bamboo.” Behind the temple lies a pool of hot spring water that remains unfrozen even in the depths of winter. The surrounding stone walls are inscribed with many writings from earlier visitors, such as Qian Yong’s “Climbing the Mountain to View the Sea,” and the anonymous “Little Penglai” and “Heaven on Earth,” each exuding unique charm and a delight to the eyes.

The area around Yanfu Temple is rich in southern vegetation. The ginkgo, erythrophleum, boxwood, and crape myrtle trees here are all centuries-old. The temple is built against Weiping Mountain, whose ridges are lined like a screen covered with scattered blossoms and lush grass. Spring water trickles and cascades down through crevices in the rocks, falling to the cliff below like flying snow and scattered pearls, producing a pleasant tinkling sound. Over time, the dripping water has formed a round depression known as the Jade Maiden’s Washing Basin. On the stone wall beside the basin is an inscription by Yang Tingzhen, a Confucian instructor from Haizhou during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty: “The flowing waterfall sprinkles the roots of the clouded mountain, its cool, clear tones heard at the Stone Gate. It seems as if a jade maiden from Mount Hua has come to watch the pearls fall into the washing basin.” The Jade Maiden is a goddess in Taoism, skilled in playing the zither and engaging in playful activities, much like the artistic muse in Western mythology. Yuntai Mountain has many sites related to the Jade Maiden, such as the Jade Maiden Peak on Huaguo Mountain and the Jade Maiden Window in Sucheng. These are all connected to the fact that the Xuhuai region is considered the birthplace of Taoism.