Lishui Guanyin Chan Temple

Lishui Guanyin Chan Temple

Lishui Guanyin Chan Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Guanyin Chan Temple is located on the mountainside of the eastern foothills of Donglu Mountain, about 10 kilometers east of Lishui County—the source of the Hundred Li Qinhuai River. The temple was first built during the Yuan Dynasty and was originally named “Guanyin Nunnery at the Eastern Foot of Donglu Mountain.” It has a history of over 700 years. During the Taiping Rebellion, the nunnery was destroyed; it was rebuilt in the 8th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1882) as the Taoist Ermaogong Temple. It was as renowned as Damao Mountain in Jurong and Xiaomao Mountain in Lishui, but unfortunately, it was destroyed again during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. In 1999, due to urban development, the Guanyin Nunnery in Fenlonggang in the county town was relocated and rebuilt at the original site of the Donglu Mountain Guanyin Nunnery, and was renamed Guanyin Chan Temple. In 2000, Donglu Mountain Guanyin Temple became an affiliated temple of Jiming Temple and was approved by the provincial and Nanjing municipal governments as a key temple for construction.

Donglu Mountain was originally named Lushan. Legend has it that in the first year of the Jianwu era of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Yan Ziling, a renowned scholar from Kuaiji and imperial censor who was a classmate of Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu, built a hut here to live in seclusion, hence the name. Later, because the mountain is located east of the county town, it is also called Donglu Mountain. It includes more than ten peaks such as Lion Mountain, Jinshan, Jian Mountain, White Tiger Mountain, Zhanggu Mountain, Chen Mountain, Mazhan Mountain, Limao Mountain, and Lufeng. Stretching from north to south, it is about 7.5 kilometers long with a total area of 12 square kilometers. The main peak, Lufeng, has an elevation of 289 meters; Guanyin Chan Temple is situated on this peak.

Donglu Mountain features overlapping ridges, steep terrain, beautiful waters and landscapes, and lush forests. Legend has it that in 528 AD, during the Liang Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties, a monk named Honghe set up a grand preaching site on Donglu Mountain, attracting monks from all directions. By the Yuan Dynasty, temples on various peaks had become quite prominent. In addition to Guanyin Nunnery, other notable ones included Jiuxiao Yangsheng Palace, Shouguo Temple, Dragon King Temple, and Chating Nunnery, all of which enjoyed considerable incense offerings. Especially the Shouguo Temple of the Yuan Dynasty, which was grand in scale and flourished for a time, with its abbot also serving as the head of Guanyin Nunnery. The ruins of this temple can still be found today.

The foundation of Guanyin Chan Temple was laid on May 30, 1999, and reconstruction began on September 28 of the same year. The construction investment exceeded 10 million yuan, with a total building area of over 6,000 square meters. A series of supporting structures were built, including the Heavenly King Hall, Drum Tower, Bell Tower, Dining Hall, and Monks’ Quarters. Among them, Nanjing’s Jiming Temple donated over 1 million yuan for the construction of the terrace, steps, and dining hall. Notably, the monks’ quarters, dining hall, and Heavenly King Hall on both sides of Guanyin Chan Temple form a connected structure with five floors above ground and one underground. Viewed from the calm blue waters of Zhonghu Lake in front of Donglu Mountain, the temple presents a symmetrical and densely arranged appearance.

On January 6, 2007, Donglu Mountain Guanyin Temple held a grand ridge-beam raising ceremony, marking the moment this world-renowned ancient temple gained a magnificent new structure at the source of the Qinhuai River.

Transportation Guide

Scenic Area Address: Donglu Mountain, Lishui District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province

Transit Routes: Within Lishui County, take a minibus bound for Lushan to reach the temple.