Zhuyu Temple

Zhuyu Temple

Zhuyu Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Zhuyu Temple is located within Jiawang District, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, and is the largest Medicine Buddha sanctuary in China. It sits at the southern foot of Dadong Mountain, the highest peak in Xuzhou, beside the ancient Bulao River and adjacent to the ten-thousand-mu pomegranate orchard in Luping.

Nestled on the southern slope of Dongshan, the temple is surrounded by mountains on three sides and nestled in a tranquil valley. Oriented toward the southeast, it overlooks the expansive pomegranate fields, with two perennial springs flowing on either side. The temple was first built during the Northern Wei Dynasty. Historical records indicate that Zhuyu Temple was where the Medicine Buddha of the Eastern Pure Lapis Lazuli World preached and revealed his benevolence. A stone tablet engraved during the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi era bears the couplet: “Great Dongshan conceals Zhuyu Temple; the pomegranate orchard cradles the Medicine Buddha.”

Construction History

Zhuyu Temple was initially built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, flourished in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and reached its peak in the mid-Ming Dynasty. During the late Qing and early Republican periods, due to warfare and turmoil, the temple fell into disrepair. By the 1950s, only the gate tower and a thousand-year-old ginkgo tree remained, with the rest buried under overgrown grass. The temple was rebuilt in 2009.

The architecture adopts a Tang-style design. Its structure is simple yet vigorous, dignified, and majestic.

Along the central axis are, in succession, a plaza, a memorial archway, the mountain gate, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, and the Medicine Buddha Hall. On either side are six side halls: the Hall of Guidance, the Hall of Sangharama, the Hall of Guanyin, the Hall of Ksitigarbha, the Hall of Samantabhadra, and the Hall of Manjushri, as well as the Abbot’s Courtyard, monks’ quarters, dining hall, and exhibition hall. Each hall enshrines different deities, including one Buddha with two disciples, the Three Saints of the East, the Three Saints of the West, Guanyin, Ksitigarbha, Manjushri, and Samantabhadra. The Buddha statues are crafted from premium materials such as copper, camphorwood, white marble, and lacquered papier-mâché, designed by experts from China Academy of Art. The sculptures and paintings are of exceptional craftsmanship, with solemn and compassionate divine visages. All halls are connected by wooden corridors, forming a harmonious and integrated complex.

Architectural Features

The three main halls feature a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof structure. Majestically standing, their upturned chigi (ogee ornaments), gently sloped roofs, and expansive eaves are adorned with grand and spacious bracket sets on the outside, presenting a simple, clear design that reflects an air of elegance and dignity, showcasing the artistic splendor of Tang Dynasty architecture. The other side halls adopt a single-eaved hip-and-gable roof, with rich Tang-style elements in their chigi, bracket sets, and pillars, complemented by gracefully curved corridors that seamlessly connect to the halls. These, along with exquisitely designed garden landscapes, create a well-balanced composition of halls, corridors, eaves, and steps, forming a unified whole that serves as an ideal place for meditation and spiritual practice.