Jinguang Zen Temple

Jinguang Zen Temple

Jinguang Zen Temple, originally named Tai Shan Xing Gong Sheng Mu Yuan, is located on Jinniu Mountain by the shore of Jinniu Lake in Luhe District, in the northern suburbs of Nanjing. It was first built during the Wanli era (1573–1619) of the Ming Dynasty. According to county records, there was also a Temple of the Martyred Lady Ma within the temple grounds. Legend has it that during the Ming Dynasty, there was a young woman named Ma Kuiyang, who was 19 years old at the time. During a period of war and chaos, she took refuge in an ancient temple. One day, when bandits arrived at the temple and saw that the girl was very beautiful, they tried to drag her away to commit violence against her. But the girl swore to die rather than submit. She threw stones at the bandits and cried out, “You may cut off my neck, but you will never dishonor my body!” Seeing her fierce spirit and unyielding courage, the bandits could not overpower her. So, they slit her throat with a knife, killing her on the spot. When her family learned of this, they buried her at the mountain peak. The local people, in order to commemorate her, built a Temple of the Martyred Lady on the mountain to praise her brave, tenacious, and death-defying spirit.

From the clear boundary ditch, one can see the scale of the early Temple of the Martyred Lady. At that time, the temple was 200 meters long and 80 meters wide, covering a total area of 16,000 square meters, showing how large the temple was and how magnificent its architecture was. Historical records state that the Temple of the Martyred Lady Ma was once surrounded by lush pines and cypresses, with pavilions and towers interspersed throughout. Every year in the third lunar month, which marks the birth date of the martyred lady, devout worshippers from Yangzhou, Tianchang, Yizheng, Luhe, Nanjing, and other places would flock here, filling the air with incense and piling offerings high on the altars. However, over the long years and through many upheavals, the ancient temple has become ruins. Yet traces of the historical site can still be faintly discerned.

The restored Jinguang Zen Temple now has two main halls and more than ten various rooms. Inside, there are many Buddha statues, each uniquely shaped and lifelike. On the eastern side of the temple grounds are natural attractions such as the “Myna Cage” and the “Immortal’s Cave.” The “Myna Cage” is a massive natural rock wall, with naturally formed caves scattered across it like a birdcage crafted by nature. Not far from the “Myna Cage” is a boulder jutting out from the rock face, hanging in mid-air — this is one of the sights of Jinniu Mountain, the Immortal’s Cave.

Jinniu Lake shimmers with blue waves, its surface reflecting the azure sky, creating a seamless blend of water and sky that is truly refreshing to the spirit. Flocks of egrets sometimes circle in the sky, sometimes dive down to skim the water’s surface, and sometimes fly straight up into the blue sky with prey in their beaks. In the green woods along the shores, flocks of egrets rest, and from a distance, they look like blooming magnolia flowers — a breathtaking sight. Jinguang Zen Temple sits nestled between the lake and mountains, with the peaceful sounds of Buddhist chants echoing gently. Visitors to this place cannot help but lose themselves in its serene charm and forget to leave.