Goose Lake Sweet Dew Temple

Goose Lake Sweet Dew Temple

Sweet Dew Temple is located on Yuexi Road in Ehu Town, Wuxi. It is the collective name for Sweet Dew Monastery and Emperor Lie Temple. The ancient Sweet Dew Temple spans the Three Wu regions and has long enjoyed a large and devoted following, with incense burning continuously for over a thousand years. It was first built in the third year of the Qianfu era during the Tang Dynasty (876 AD) and was originally named “Sweet Dew Monastery”; in the eighth year of the Taiping Xingguo era of the Northern Song Dynasty (983 AD), it was renamed “Guangji Monastery”; in the fourteenth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1381 AD), it was rebuilt and renamed Sweet Dew Temple.

Emperor Lie Temple was built during the Baoda era of the Southern Tang Dynasty (after 964 AD) and enshrines Chen GaoRen, the Grand Minister of the Sui Dynasty. Renowned for his eight outstanding virtues—loyalty, filial piety, literary talent, martial prowess, trustworthiness, righteousness, wisdom, and eloquence—he was revered as a deity after his death, with numerous miraculous deeds attributed to him. His blessings extended across the Jiangnan region, bringing prosperity to the local community. People have flocked to pay homage throughout the ages, with annual worship continuing to this day. The noble spirit of the ancient sage is met with such deep reverence today—truly remarkable. The temple was destroyed by fire in the tenth year of the Xianfeng era (1861 AD) and was subsequently relocated to the west side of Sweet Dew Temple. This single temple and shrine complex is what is known today as Sweet Dew Temple.

In the year of Ji Hai (1958 AD), the temple was demolished to make way for a factory, and the thousand-year-old sacred site was lost in an instant. As time passed and eras changed, in the mid-autumn of the year of Ren Shen (1992 AD), local residents, moved by the rare blessing of a prosperous age, were filled with nostalgia and began discussing the restoration of the old temple. At a time when the nation enjoyed peace and stability, governance was effective, and people lived in harmony, with many neglected endeavors awaiting revival, reconstruction was approved by the county government. Soon, community leaders and devout followers from all walks of life pooled funds and donated materials; a new site was selected, construction commenced; numerous halls and shrines were built, and Buddhist statues and deities were recast. Within just a few years, following the original design, the magnificent temple was restored to its former glory with resplendent golden hues, and the wafting incense once again showcased its splendor. The ancient “Blessed Land of Eight Lakes” and “Illuminating the Four Quarters” Sweet Dew Monastery was joyfully reborn. This act of commemoration for past sages and benefit for the local community stands as a virtuous endeavor.

Sweet Dew Temple has endured through the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, having been repeatedly built, destroyed, collapsed, and repaired—yet never lacking those committed to its restoration. The temple complex features a multitude of halls, chambers, and pavilions, standing closely together, adorned with poetic inscriptions and calligraphy plaques left behind by numerous distinguished figures, along with stone tablets. With deep courtyards and ancient trees towering overhead, two ancient ginkgo trees on the original site of the temple, each requiring two people to encircle, bear witness to the rise and fall of the temple through the ages.