Sanfeng Temple

Sanfeng Temple

Sanfeng Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Sanfeng Qingliang Chan Temple is located at the northern foot of Yushan Mountain in Changshu City, Jiangsu Province, about six or seven li from the city. To the south lies Xingfu Temple; to the north are Longdian and Xiaoshi Cave; above is Zushi Mountain's Canghai Temple. It derives its name from the combination of Wumu Peak, Dragon Mother Peak, and Middle Peak. Formerly known as Sanfeng Chan Monastery, it is said to have been built during the Qi and Liang dynasties. As one of the renowned monasteries in southern China, it is considered a modern ancestral temple of Zen Buddhism, along with Hangzhou’s Lingyin Temple and Ningbo’s Tiantong Temple.

A line from Tang Dynasty poet Chang Jian’s poem “? Three Peaks” — “???? Cloud Stream Bell” — attests that it was an ancient temple predating the Tang Dynasty. During the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, the temple suffered damage from Japanese pirate raids, causing the monks to disperse and the temple to gradually fall into ruin. In the Wanli period, abbot Dongwen rebuilt the Jizhao Hall, but soon afterward transferred to preside over Xingfu Temple. At that time, Master Hanyue came here to live in seclusion from Wuxi. Seeing his extraordinary bearing, the resident monks invited him to serve as abbot. He then renovated the abandoned monastery, combining both Chan and Vinaya practices, and earned the admiration of scholars and locals. Devotees from the entire county made vows and raised funds enthusiastically to support the reconstruction, building halls, living quarters, and recasting golden statues. From the late Ming Dynasty to the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, the Heavenly King Hall, Qianhua Hall, Great Compassion Hall, ? Attendant Pavilion, ? Hall, ? Hall, ? Hall, ? Hall, and ? Hall were successively constructed, along with the ? Tower and ? ? . The ? ? also visited the mountain for extended retreats, and the ? ? ? passed away here without leaving any written works. Additionally, ? ?, ? ?, ? ?, and ? ? resided here for long periods. The temple’s vast lands and historic significance attracted emperors to bestow plaques and inscriptions. During the Kangxi era, ? ? of ? ? , while residing in ? ? , sent ? ? ? to the temple and inscribed a plaque and couplets. Though the originals were destroyed, they have since been rewritten by his great-grandson, Mr. Weng Wango. In his later years, Weng Tonghe also donated four supplementary volumes of the Yuan Dynasty monk Shishi’s silver-script "Shurangama Sutra" (six volumes total) to be preserved at Sanfeng Temple. Yao Kan worked for over 30 years to raise funds for rebuilding the main hall and restoring its former glory, and he also compiled the temple’s ?. Alongside his disciple Zongyang, he established a scripture engraving workshop within the temple to proofread and publish Buddhist texts. After 1949, monks still resided and managed the temple. However, during the Cultural Revolution, Sanfeng Temple was destroyed and reduced to ruins.

In 2001, Sanfeng Qingliang Chan Temple was approved by the government for restoration on its original site. The project took five years, with Phase I completed on October 18, 2006. On November 28, 2006, a ceremony was held to mark the completion of the restoration and the consecration of the Buddha statues. The restored Sanfeng Temple covers an area of 50 mu (approximately 3.3 hectares), with a total investment of over 30 million yuan and a total construction area of 3,600 square meters. Structures include the Three Gates Hall, Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, Bell and Drum Towers, and monks’ quarters. The screen wall outside the temple gate is 21 meters wide and 7.3 meters high, one of the largest in the province. The front features the Heart Sutra inscribed by Zhao Puchu, while the back displays eight large characters — “Great Vows Fulfilled, Hundred Blessings Adorned” — handwritten by the modern patriotic eminent monk Hongyi. The main entrance is the Three Gates Hall, adorned with a plaque inscribed “Sanfeng” by Sun Hao of the Qing Dynasty. The Heavenly King Hall bears the historic plaque “Supreme Gate.” The Mahavira Hall features upturned eaves, flying rafters, gilded decorations, and colorful paintings, presenting a magnificent and imposing sight. Inside, the Three Ages of Buddha are enshrined: Bhaisajyaguru (Medicine Buddha) on the left, Amitabha on the right, and Shakyamuni Buddha in the center, all solemn, compassionate, and serene. The Mahavira Hall spans 1,100 square meters and includes 66 mahogany pillars, the tallest of which reaches 15 meters, making it the largest redwood-structured hall in southern China.

Sanfeng Temple boasts pleasant scenery, including the famous “Ten Thousand Pine Forest,” the “Sanfeng Pine Verdure” — one of the Eighteen Scenic Spots of Yushan Mountain — and Thirty Scenic Views of Sanfeng. In front of the Two sides of the Three Gates Hall stand two precious ancient “Zitong” trees from the Ming Dynasty. Below the Three Gates Hall is an bluestone relief carving titled “Sanfeng Pine Verdure.” On both sides behind the Three Gates Hall are the Bell Tower and Drum Tower. Passing through the Heavenly King Hall, in the courtyard of the Mahavira Hall stands a bronze Immortal Tripod, cast in high-tin bronze, with a total height of 6.2 meters and a weight of about 7.5 tons. To the north of the temple’s central axis lies the living area, including the Dining Hall and monks’ quarters; not far to the south is the historic “Water Carrying Pond,” once used by monks throughout history for drinking water and irrigating vegetables, with crystal-clear water reflecting the surroundings. The entire temple complex retains the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty, yet appears completely renewed. Nestled among verdant pines and cypresses, with winding paths, corridors, bamboo groves, and floral greenery, it offers a serene, elegant, and cool retreat.

Yushan Subdistrict: The Yushan Subdistrict of Changshu City covers an area of 62.7 square kilometers, with a permanent population of 207,000, including 137,000 registered residents. Yushan Subdistrict is positioned as the core area for all-for-one tourism, integrating mountains, water, and urban landscapes.

The Jiangsu Provincial Government (Document No. Su Zheng Fu [2017] No. 103) and the Suzhou Municipal Government (Document No. Su Fu Fu [2017] No. 62) recently issued approvals for the adjustment of the administrative divisions of Yushan Town, Changshu City.

… More details about Yushan Subdistrict ++