Former Residence of Zhou Peiyuan

Chengguang Temple (Yumen Chan Monastery) in Longchi Mountain

Chengguang Temple (Yumen Chan Monastery) is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Chengguang Chan Temple (also known as Yumen Chan Monastery) in Longchi Mountain, Yixing City, Jiangsu Province, is located in Longchi Village, Mingling, about 35 kilometers from the city center. It is said that the Chengguang Chan Temple was built during the Xianchun era of the Song Dynasty, and originally had three sections: upper, middle, and lower. The upper section was situated next to Yuyang X on the mountain, to the right of the Pingspace Pavilion, housing a statue of the Goddess of Mercy. The middle section was located by the Longchi Mountain and was renovated by the local magistrate Ding Maojian. During the Yongle era, an imperial copy of the Buddhist canon was bestowed, and Empress Dowager Ciren gifted a golden statue of Guanyin and a golden vase. The lower section was backed by a mountain and faced a ridge. In the early years of the Longqing era of the Ming Dynasty, it was rebuilt by the monk Huicheng, with a record written by the notable Wan Shihuo, calligraphy by Wan Minbiao, and inscriptions engraved by Wen Peng—known at the time as the “Three Wonders Stele.” During the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi Emperor’s southern tour, he personally inscribed the name “Chengguang Chan Temple” at Longchi Mountain. Later, a blue plaque with gold characters was made, corresponding with the five large characters “Facing South to See the North Gate” on the mountain gate screen wall. At its peak, Chengguang Chan Temple housed over a thousand resident monks, and was known as one of the eight major monastic complexes in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Due to various historical reasons, the temple experienced several cycles of prosperity and decline. During the Cultural Revolution, the temple was demolished, statues destroyed, and monks driven away. Nothing but piles of rubble remained, and the original appearance has long since vanished.

Looking back at the bygone years and remembering the ancient virtuous masters of Longchi who promoted the teachings of Vulture Peak inspires deep reverence. From the Song into the Ming Dynasty, eminent monks took residence in Longchi, continuing the Buddhist lineage and preserving wisdom. Among them, the most prominent was Master Zhengfu Huanyou. Master Huanyou was born into the Lü family of Liyang. At nineteen, he was ordained at Leshan Temple in Yixing under Master Le’an, then traveled to Beijing’s Baochan Temple to study under the 28th-generation descendant of Linji, Master Yuantong. After years of diligent service, he respectfully bid farewell and returned south. Master Yuantong gave him a letter outlining the “lineage of transmission” and, upon his departure, presented him with a bamboo hat, saying “Do not show your edges”—a symbol of the Dharma seal. Master Huanyou was invited by the Minister of Rites from both capitals, Ning’an, to take charge of Chengguang Chan Temple on Longchi Mountain. In the ninth year of the Longqing era, Master Yuantong passed away, and Master Huanyou succeeded as the 29th-generation descendant of Linji, becoming the first patriarch of the revival of Yumen Hall. At that time, he had four disciples: Miyun Yuwu, Tianyin Yupei, Xueqiao Yuoxin, and Baopu Yuilian. At the time, Buddhist practices varied, often misleading students into lifeless sitting meditation. Master Huanyou strove to correct these issues, advocating that “Chan practice should be carried out in everyday tasks,” and strictly discouraged lax and idle monastic behavior. On the twelfth day of the second month in the 42nd year of the Wanli era, Master Huanyou passed away. Two years later, his relics were enshrined in a stupa. The stupa inscription was composed by Zhou Rudeng, who earned the highest degree in the imperial examinations, and calligraphed by Wang Jihai. The stupa remains today, located on the left side of the entrance path of Lingchi Ancient Road. Master Huanyou left behind recorded sayings, letters, and manuscripts, which were compiled by Miyun and Tianyin into the book “Recorded Sayings of Master Huanyou.”

Among Master Huanyou’s “Four Yuans” disciples, all achieved great things under his guidance, especially Miyun and Tianyin. Miyun, whose lay surname was Jiang, was a native of Yixing. He was born on November 16 of the 45th year of the Jiajing era and died in the 16th year of the Chongzhen era, living to the age of 77 with 44 years as a monk. He presided over six temples and preached for over 30 years. At 29, he went to Longchi Mountain to become a monk under Master Huanyou. Because of his bold dedication to the Way, Master Huanyou named him Yuwu. Miyun spent three years in secluded practice on Longchi Mountain, studying diligently under Master Baoyi. In the 30th year of the Wanli era, when Master Huanyou went to Yanjing, he entrusted Miyun with supervising the monastery. The following autumn, while passing through Tongguan Mountain, Miyun entered a profound state of enlightenment and suddenly became awakened. Two years later, Miyun went to Yanjing to visit Master Huanyou. A year after that, he returned south. In the 39th year of the Wanli era, Master Huanyou also returned to Longchi and personally transmitted his Dharma seal to Miyun. Before his death, Master Huanyou instructed Miyun to succeed him. Miyun “withdrew his brilliance and mourned quietly for three years, sitting in meditation high on the cold mountain top, burning incense.” In the fourth month of the 45th year of the Wanli era, Miyun succeeded to the abbotship of Longchi. Though some among his peers expressed reservations, once Miyun ascended the Dharma seat, everyone submitted. Miyun was invited to preside over Ningbo’s Tiantong Temple. At the time of the temple’s foundation-laying ceremony, he famously remarked, “They speak of building a hall from emptiness, but let the sun and moon be our lamps.” He also composed a verse: “At the foot of Mount Taibai lies Tiantong Temple; floods washed the hall clean. I call on all benefactors to lend a hand and help rebuild it.” His reputation spread far and wide, and the elders of Yixing called him “Jiang Tiantong.” Meanwhile, Baopu Yuilian went to Huzhou, and Xueqiao Yuoxin resided at Mount Lu’s Fahua Temple. Tianyin Yupei forged his own path, establishing a major Buddha’s Pure Land site in his hometown and passing on the Dharma seal to Yulin and Ru’An. Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty summoned Yulin to the capital to preach within the palace, granting him the title “Great Awakening Universal Salvation Compassionate National Teacher.” Ru’an achieved remarkable success in Changzhou and Yangzhou. The Linji school, starting with Master Huanyou’s teachings at Longchi, saw its disciples spread across the southeast, greatly revitalizing the tradition…

As history entered the 1990s and the Party’s religious policies were implemented, to meet the needs of Buddhist devotees, the Yixing Municipal People’s Government approved the reopening of Chengguang Chan Temple on Longchi Mountain and specially invited Shi Jiefang, the last abbot of the temple in the early 1950s, to return from Jinshan to take up his post. However, due to old age, Venerable Jiefang soon passed away. He was succeeded by the current president of the Yixing Buddhist Association and abbot of Nanyue Chan Temple, Master Hongren, along with his disciple Venerable Weimin, who took on the heavy responsibility. They traveled extensively, raising funds tirelessly to rebuild the ancient temple. Today, a grand Mahavira Hall now stands tall on Longchi Mountain.