Xishan Water-Moon Temple on Taihu Lake

Xishan Water-Moon Temple on Taihu Lake

Xishan Water-Moon Temple on Taihu Lake is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located on West Dongting Mountain in Taihu Lake, historically known as Baoshan, commonly called Xishan, and now named Jinting. Xishan is 45 kilometers from Suzhou City, stretching 11 kilometers from north to south and 15 kilometers from east to west, covering an area of over 79 square kilometers, making it the largest island in China’s freshwater lakes. According to Neolithic relics unearthed at the Yujia Ferry site, as early as 6,000 years ago during the Majiabang Culture period, humans were already living on Xishan. Four thousand years ago, when Yu the Great was taming the floods, he passed through Xishan, leaving behind historical sites such as Yuwang Temple and YUqi Mountain. During the Spring and Autumn Period, it served as a summer retreat for King Fuchai and Xi Shi, with remnants like Mingyue Bay and Xiaoxia Bay. In the early Southern Song Dynasty, northerners migrated southward, and many chose to settle deep in the mountains, with a large population moving to Xishan.

Xishan's Piaomiao Peak is the highest among the Seventy-Two Peaks of Taihu Lake, standing at 336.6 meters above sea level. The Water-Moon Temple is located at the foot of Piaomiao Peak. Legend has it that during the Xiangfu era of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, hundreds of massive logs drifted from the vast Taihu Lake and gathered at the base of Piaomiao Peak. The boatmen who retrieved them noticed that each log was inscribed with two characters: “Shui Yue” (Water Moon). Believing them to be sacred wood, they transported all the logs to the monastery to build the main hall. This miraculous tale led the monk Yongzhao to rename the temple “Water-Moon Monastery.” This legend is recorded in Yuan Gaodeji’s *Pingjiang Records*, a book filled with mystical charm and wonder.

According to the *Wu County Annals* by Fan Chengda of the Song Dynasty, the Water-Moon Temple was built in the fourth year of the Datong era during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty (538 AD). During the Liang Dynasty under Emperor Wu, the temples of Xishan flourished, with a landscape of three hermitages and eighteen temples. Among them was the Water-Moon Temple, which, along with Fahua Temple and Baoshan Temple, was renowned as one of the famous temples in the southern Yangtze region. It is said to be the birthplace of the “Water-Moon Guanyin” statue, one of the thirty-one forms of Guanyin Bodhisattva. The temple was destroyed in 610 AD during the Daye era of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty. By the Guanghua era (898–901 AD) of Emperor Zhaozong of the Tang Dynasty, the monk Zhiqin arrived, “flying his Buddhist staff here and falling in love with the lush, elegant landscape,” and built a hut on the old site. In 907 AD, during the Tianyou era of Emperor Ai of the Tang Dynasty, the prefect Cao renamed it “Mingyue Chan Monastery” after the moon. Between 1008 and 1016 AD, during the Xiangfu era of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, the emperor decreed that it be renamed “Water-Moon Chan Monastery” and bestowed an imperial golden plaque. The temple was destroyed again during the late Yuan Dynasty due to warfare. In 1433 AD, during the eighth year of the Xuande era of the Ming Dynasty, the abbot Miaotan rebuilt the temple. By the late Qing Dynasty, it suffered damage from war.

During the Cultural Revolution, the Water-Moon Temple was completely destroyed. Today, three stone tablets remain: the *Record of the Revival of the Water-Moon Temple* from the Ming Dynasty, the *Record of the Reconstruction of the Great Buddha’s Hall of the Water-Moon Temple* from the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, and Yuan Mei’s *Record of the Grand Mercy Pavilion of the Water-Moon Temple*. In 2006, the People’s Government of Xishan Town reconstructed the Water-Moon Temple and Mozuo Jun Altar at the original site and erected a statue of Lu Yu. The site officially opened to the public in 2007.

Suzhou Xishan Scenic Area

Linwu Cave

Suzhou Shigong Mountain

Mingyuewan Ancient Village on Xishan, Taihu Lake

Xishan Carved Flower Building (Renben Hall)

Luohan Temple on Xishan, Taihu Lake

Piaomiao Peak Scenic Area on Xishan, Taihu Lake

Baoshan Temple