Shigong Temple on West Taihu Lake (Shi Gong Shan)

Shigong Temple on West Taihu Lake (Shi Gong Shan)

Shigong Temple on West Taihu Lake (Shi Gong Shan) is a cultural tourism attraction.

Shigong Temple, originally named Shigong Hermitage, is located on Shi Shan Island in Jin Ting Town, Suzhou. It is a shining jewel in the scenic area of Shigong Mountain, one of the premier attractions of Taihu Lake. The exact founding date of Shigong Temple remains unconfirmed due to a lack of detailed historical records, but based on existing information, it was established at least before the Ming Dynasty. Yao Ximeng, a renowned filial son of the Ming Dynasty (who passed the imperial examination in the 47th year of the Wanli era, served as the head of the Nanjing Imperial Academy, and authored the Complete Book of Qing and the Collected Works of Wenyi...), once recorded in his "Record of Shigong Mountain" that “After walking several hundred paces, we arrived at Shigong Hermitage. The hermitage faces south, with the turbulent waves of the lake surging rapidly, and... right outside the steps. The vastness and proximity of the lake are unmatched by any other temple.”

The famous thinker and litterateur Gong Zizhen of the Qing Dynasty also visited Shigong Temple. In 1814, Gong Zizhen left a letter in the Sequel to Famous Letters, Volume 9: “In the year of Wuyin, I traveled to the two islands of Dongting and composed a volume of travel poetry. In the spring of Gengchen, I returned and explored areas I had not previously visited, composing no more than a volume of poems. Here I record four pieces, hoping for refined appreciation aboard the boat. Mr. Lianfeng, master of grand literary salons, is requested to offer corrections. Your fellow examinee, Gong Zizhen, respectfully presents this.” A short poem appended to the letter reads: “The boat reaches the shore of West Mountain, seeking seclusion along winding paths. Unexpectedly, over six or seven li, every scene is veiled in mist and rosy clouds. Then I set forth from Shigong Temple, passing by the abode of the Goddess. Amidst the stillness of clouds and wind, I have already passed ten thousand plum blossoms.”

Over time, Shigong Temple has functioned alternately as a temple and a hermitage for various reasons. This has left behind the Floating Jade North Hall, which was formerly the dedicated area for receiving female guests at Shigong Temple. To this day, the famous couplet by Li Duo remains: “Mist and rain envelop the three mountains beyond, while Wu and Yue are divided by a single stretch of water.”

Shigong Temple gained greater prominence during the Qing Dynasty. During the Shunzhi era, the abbot of Xishan Xianqing Chan Temple went to the capital to preside over Buddhist rituals for the funeral of Consort Dong'e, held by Emperor Shunzhi. His outstanding contributions earned the emperor’s favor, and he was bestowed with the imperial calligraphy “Revere Buddha,” which he brought back to the temple. To this day, the Imperial Ink Pavilion remains halfway up Shigong Mountain. After Xianqing Chan Temple was destroyed, Bao Shan Chan Temple was built, which now houses the Wu Zhong Buddhist Association.

In 1936, the renowned educator and litterateur Ye Shengtao specifically visited Shigong Temple. In the May issue of the magazine Yue Feng that year, he published an essay titled “A Record of Visiting West Dongting Mountain,” in which he wrote: “Next door is Shigong Temple, which administers Shigong Mountain. Aside from one ancestral shrine and one temple, there are no other structures on Shigong Mountain—only trees and rocks.” He also noted in the book: “Exiting Shigong Temple to the right, passing the gate of the Festival and Loyalty Shrine, you reach Guiyun Cave. Inside the cave is a Guanyin statue carved from mountain stone, about two feet taller than a person, with a rather impressive demeanor. Unfortunately, it is gilded, so the carving technique is not visible.” This confirms that the original site of Shigong Temple was at the top of Shigong Mountain, and its current location was relocated and rebuilt in the 1980s.

In 1937, even amidst the turmoil of war, the famed musician Tian Han and Xian Xinghai made time to visit Shigong Temple. They drank wine by Taihu Lake, discussing the safety and fate of their homeland; they stayed overnight at Shigong Temple, envisioning magnificent poetry. They took a photo in front of Shigong Temple, which is still included in the Collected Works of Tian Han today.

In 1956, the eminent monk Haodeng from Shaolin Temple traveled to West Mountain. Seeing the beautiful scenery and sensing the presence of extraordinary people, he decided to settle here and became the abbot of Shigong Temple. He resided there for ten years and was even elected as a member of the Wu County Political Consultative Conference. However, during the Cultural Revolution in 1967, he was forced to leave Shigong Mountain. During his stay, in addition to practicing martial arts, Monk Haodeng was also enthusiastic about providing herbal medicine and medical treatment for local farmers, earning widespread praise. Twenty years later, in the winter of 1987, Monk Haodeng revisited the place and stayed on Shigong Mountain for ten days. He erected a plum blossom pile here and built an exhibition room—the west room served as his meditation chamber, while the middle room displayed weapons. To this day, these relics left by Monk Haodeng are well preserved. In the early spring of 1989, Monk Haodeng passed away at the age of 87. Before his death, he made a will stating his wish to “have his bones returned to Shigong.” A memorial stupa for Monk Haodeng has been built on the back mountain of Shigong Mountain. Today, Shigong Temple has become the most important attraction on Shigong Mountain, receiving nearly 100,000 visitors annually.