Yixing Dajue Temple

Yixing Dajue Temple

Yixing Dajue Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Dajue Temple is located in the northeast corner of Hengshan Reservoir in the mountainous southwest region of Yixing. It is a practice site of the Linji school of Chan (Zen) Buddhism. Established during the Xianchun era (1265–1274) of the Southern Song Dynasty by Zen Master Zhining, it has a history of about 700 years. During the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong reign (1735–1796), the temple was named "Jixian Mountain Dajue Monastery." In the Daoguang period (1820–1850), it was renamed "Baita Mountain Dajue Chan Monastery." According to the modern Yixing County Annals, the temple was referred to as "Yuanxiang Township Baita Mountain Dajue Temple." The temple is situated on the eastern side of Hengshan Reservoir, near Jilong Mountain and adjacent to abundant natural resources, forming a unique geographical and ecological feature. It blends modern culture with traditional elements and features classic ancient Chinese architectural styles. Through the influence of Buddhist culture, it conveys Buddhist philosophy.

In 1920, Zen Master Zhikai became the supervisor of the monastery. In 1938, Wuiche Jinjue (later known as Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founding abbot of Fo Guang Shan) was ordained here. Later, during the war-torn years when warlords and Japanese forces occupied the area, the region was unstable. In 1947, he returned with his senior fellow monk Jin'guan to take charge of temple affairs, while the Master also served as the principal of Baita National School. After the liberation in 1949, through successive political movements, the Buddhist temple ceased to exist. In 1989, when the Master returned to his homeland from Taiwan for a family visit, he went back to his ancestral temple in Yixing. Seeing that not even a single tile remained, he sighed deeply: “I must fulfill the mission of restoring our ancestral temple.” Later, with the suggestion of Weng Zhenjin, the then director of Jiangsu Provincial Religious Affairs Bureau, and the unanimous support of leaders from Wuxi, Yixing, and the Yixing Buddhist Association, the restoration was approved.

On May 10, 2004, the Yixing Municipal Government issued approval for reconstruction at Wangfeiling in Hengshan Village, Xizhu Town — the original site of the temple, covering an area of several dozen acres. Reconstruction began in 2005 and was largely completed by the end of 2011, including the mountain gate, mountain gate avenue, Eighteen Arhats, Buddha’s Journey murals, Mahavira Hall, East Chan Building, West Pure Building, wind and rain corridor, as well as the Bodhi Square and Enlightenment Avenue in between, with a total area of approximately 42,500 square meters.

Address: Hengshan Village, Xizhu Town, Yixing City, Wuxi (near Yuncheng International Convention Center)

Type: Temple

Recommended visiting time: 1–2 hours

Phone: 0510-87376181

Opening Hours:

8:00-17:00

Ticket Information:

Free admission.

Xizhu Town: Located in the southwest of Yixing, a famous pottery capital in China, Xizhu Town lies in the economically developed hinterland of the Yangtze River Delta, at the center of the Shanghai-Nanjing-Hangzhou triangle. It enjoys highly accessible land and water transportation. The town covers a total area of 66.6 square kilometers, with 10 administrative villages, 289 villager groups, 9,204 households, and a population of 29,261 at the end of 2005. Xizhu Town boasts a beautiful environment, rich resources, fertile land, and is suitable for industry, agriculture, commerce, and living. There are over 100 industrial enterprises in the town, with linen textiles, copper processing, and aluminum processing as its pillar industries. The region enjoys distinct seasons, a pleasant climate... For more details about Xizhu Town ++