Shushan Xiansheng Chan Temple

Qingshan Chong'en Chan Temple

Qingshan Chong'en Chan Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located in Hufu Town, Qingshan Chong'en Chan Temple is a historically renowned ancient temple in China. According to the old records of the Yixing County Annals: “During the Tang Dynasty, a monk traveled across various regions. One day, he arrived at this desolate mountainous area and saw surrounding peaks stacked like a lotus flower, with an upper slope resembling the back of an elephant. The landscape was picturesque and pleasant, which amazed the monk. He then excavated the foundation to build a temple, and discovered a jade artifact. Observing its shape resembling a bowl and noting its sound similar to a chime stone, the monk regarded

According to the Jiangnan General Gazetteer, in the late Ming Dynasty, the eminent monk Master Tianyin renovated the Qingshan Chan Monastery. At that time, he had four disciples, among whom Ru'an and Yulin were the most renowned. In the 17th year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty, Yulin was summoned to the capital by imperial decree, where he preached in the imperial court and was conferred the title of “Great Awakening Universal Salvation Compassionate Dharma King.” In the early years of the Kangxi reign, the emperor ordered senior ministers to escort him back to Yixing and renamed Qingshan Chan Monastery as Chong'en Chan Temple. From then on, Buddhist studies flourished greatly at Chong'en Chan Temple. Another disciple of Master Tianyin, Ru'an, also inherited his master’s true teachings and later went to Zhenjiang to establish Jinshan Temple.

In the 3rd year of the Yongzheng reign, the emperor bestowed a plaque inscribed with “Profound Elucidation of Dharma Seals” upon Chong'en Chan Temple. In the 11th year of Yongzheng, the temple was demolished and rebuilt due to its small size, with additional halls constructed, and the emperor also granted two imperial stelae. During the Qianlong era, after several renovations, Chong'en Chan Temple became majestic and grand in scale, housing over two hundred monastic quarters and more than four hundred resident monks. Its incense offerings grew daily, and visitors came in droves, making it one of the nation’s most famous centers for Dharma teaching and ranking first among China’s top ten Chan temples. The Yixing Jingxi Continued Chronicles also recorded: “Emperor Qianlong inscribed the words ‘The Foremost Ancestral Court Under Heaven,’ bestowed upon Qingshan Chong'en Temple, and ordered the construction of a granite memorial archway outside the mountain gate, simple and solemn in style.” During the Xianfeng era, Chong'en Temple was destroyed in warfare. In the Tongzhi era, some former monks from the temple rebuilt nineteen side rooms. In the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign, Abbot Zongjian (also known as Mipei) took charge of the temple and gradually restored it along with his disciples Hanchan and Shaochun. The main hall was not completed until autumn of the 3rd year of the Xuantong reign.

Before the War of Resistance against Japan, apart from the Heavenly King Hall and the Mahavira Hall, all other structures were multi-story buildings, totaling more than two hundred rooms. In 1941, during the battle between the invading Japanese army and anti-Japanese forces within the temple grounds, the Japanese set the temple ablaze, reducing most of the buildings to ashes. After the liberation, more than twenty rooms remained. During the Cultural Revolution, rebels tore down the temple and expelled the monks, razing the site completely. From 1989 to the present, the temple has been gradually restored to its current scale.

Surrounding Chong'en Temple are ten scenic spots: First, the stone memorial archway inscribed with “The Foremost Ancestral Court Under Heaven” (now destroyed); second, the Pagoda Forest, which contains over eighty stone stupas of eminent monks from various dynasties (severely damaged during the Cultural Revolution, though a few stupas remain intact); third, the Xi Shi Cave, with winding paths leading to secluded and uniquely scenic spots; fourth, the Elephant Trunk Ravine; fifth, the Dragon-Toting Bridge; sixth, the Upside-down Cypress (said to have been planted by Emperor Qianlong); seventh, the Cool Breeze Bridge; eighth, the Meditation Hut of the Patriarch (its ruins still exist); ninth, the Patriarch’s Bowl-Washing Pond; and tenth, the Dragon Eye Spring, also known as the Red Flower Spring.

Transportation Guide

Scenic Area Address: Southern end of Qingshan, Hufu Town, Yixing City, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province

Transit Routes: Within Yixing City, take the bus heading to Hufu Town, then transfer to a taxi or minibus to Qingshan Chong'en Temple.