Suzhou Shangqing Chan Temple

Suzhou Shangqing Chan Temple

As the former state guesthouse of Suzhou, Nanyuan Hotel boasts profound historical and cultural heritage. Among its existing structures, the oldest may well be the “Shangqing Chan Temple.” In olden times, Suzhou had a thriving religious culture with numerous temples. Over the dynasties, a total of 410 temples were built, many of which rose and fell over time. By the early years after liberation, around 237 temples—both large and small—still remained, and Shangqing Chan Temple was one of them. Due to the passage of time, the stories and traces of Shangqing Chan Temple have faded into the dust of history. According to the Republican-era Wu County Annals and the more recently published Suzhou City Annals, Shangqing Chan Temple was originally named Shangqing Nunnery. It was first built during the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty in the Loumen area (now at No. 4 Kulilong), but was later destroyed. In the eighth year of the Tongzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1869), it was rebuilt at its current location by the then abbot Fuchuan and renamed “Shangqing Chan Temple.” The name “Shangqing,” meaning “accumulated goodness brings abundant blessings,” comes from the Book of Changes (Yijing), specifically the Kun hexagram: “A family that accumulates goodness will surely have abundant blessings to pass on,” which aligns with its function as a family nunnery. The main gate of Shangqing Chan Temple is located on the east side of Mu Xing Bridge in the middle section of Yangwangmiao Lane. The temple is not very large, and its main hall is called the “Great Mercy Treasure Pavilion,” which houses a statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy.

In the eighteenth year of the Republic of China (1929), Yao Yecheng, the second wife of Chiang Kai-shek, came to Suzhou with her son Wei-guo and resided at No. 7 Cai Zhenfang (now known as Lixi Pavilion). Back in Fenghua, Yao had followed the example of her mother-in-law, Madame Wang, and Chiang’s first wife, Mao, by practicing vegetarianism and Buddhism. After moving to Suzhou and feeling spiritually unanchored, she became even more devoted to Buddhism, and Shangqing Chan Temple became her place of worship. She would spend her days fingering her Buddhist beads and murmuring sutras. Before each of her three daily meals, she would first go to the temple to recite scriptures before eating. Her daily meals were simple. As a lifelong vegetarian, she usually had only two or three vegetable dishes, though she occasionally ate eggs—as many Buddhists consider eggs and milk to be non-meat since they contain no blood. On the birthdays of bodhisattvas or other fasting days, the meals were more elaborate, and she would even buy live fish from the market to release at Xiyuan Temple. Yao was also introduced by Zhang Jiyun (a fellow townsman and former teacher of Chiang Kai-shek, son of Zhang Jiarui, a graduate of the first class of Whampoa Military Academy who later converted to Buddhism) to become a disciple of Master Yinguang, a leading figure of the Pure Land sect and abbot of Lingyan Temple on Suzhou’s Lingyan Mountain. She devoted herself to spiritual practice and could be considered a devout Buddhist.

After the liberation, Shangqing Chan Temple was incorporated into Nanyuan in 1958. Later, due to years of neglect and disrepair, it was demolished in 1995. During the renovation and expansion of Nanyuan Hotel, in order to protect this famous historical site and continue the hotel’s historical legacy, it was decided to fund the reconstruction of Shangqing Chan Temple. The project was undertaken by Suzhou Kuai Xiang Ancient Architecture Company, renowned in Suzhou’s traditional construction industry for successfully restoring numerous nationally protected heritage sites such as the Suzhou Confucian Temple, Twin Pagodas, Rui Guang Pagoda, Luzhi Baosheng Temple, and Quanjin Guild Hall. Construction began on February 18, 2005, and the building was faithfully reconstructed based on historical photographs from that time. The main structure was completed on June 30. On July 24, 2005, a formal inauguration ceremony for Shangqing Chan Temple was held. The ceremony was presided over by Venerable Xingkong, the 84-year-old honorary president of the Jiangsu Buddhist Association, abbot of Hanshan Temple, and master of the temple, who personally conducted the consecration ceremony for the statue of Guanyin.

The reconstruction of Shangqing Chan Temple not only provides both domestic and international visitors staying at Nanyuan with a historically valuable attraction to visit, but also contributes to the protection and continuation of the cultural heritage of the Wu region.

Transportation Guide

Address: Dai Chengqiao Road, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Transportation: Take bus routes 55, 202, 529, 529 Air-conditioned, 811, 931, or 931 Air-conditioned in downtown Suzhou and get off at Wangshiyuan Station.