Qingtian Fushan Mosque

Qingtian Fushan Mosque

Qingtian Fushan Mosque is a cultural tourism attraction.

Fushan Mosque is a county-level cultural heritage site and one of China’s Top 100 Famous Temples.

The main structure of the temple follows a central axis, comprising in sequence: the Mountain Gate, Bell and Drum Towers, Liberation Pond, First Courtyard, Second Courtyard’s White-Robed Chancellor Hall, Third Courtyard’s Guanyin Hall, side rooms, and on the west side, the Auxiliary Hall with the Lady’s Hall. The total area covers approximately 10,000 square meters. The Mountain Gate is a brick-concrete imitation ancient building with a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, first built in 1985. The plaque above the gate, inscribed with “Blessing the Overseas Chinese Homeland,” was written by Sha Menghai in 1991. To the left and right of the Mountain Gate are the Bell and Drum Towers, each square in plan with sides of 8.2 meters, featuring triple eaves and a pyramidal roof. Each tower houses a large bell and drum. In the center courtyard is the Liberation Pond, with a “Lucky Bridge” built over it. The pond covers an area of about 200 square meters and was constructed in 1987. The First Courtyard has a width of seven bays (20.9 meters) and a depth of three pillars (4 meters), with a five-rafter system and a central pillar dividing the double-step beam. The Second Courtyard’s White-Robed Chancellor Hall is 22 meters wide and 11.25 meters deep, with eleven rafters, double-step beams front and back, and an octagonal six-tier caisson ceiling in the central bay. It has a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, with ridge and vertical roof ornaments featuring mythical creatures and upturned eaves. Inside the hall is a statue of the White-Robed Chancellor. The side rooms are 7.6 meters wide and 5 meters deep, with railings and benches along the eave corridors. The Third Courtyard’s Guanyin Hall is three bays wide (18 meters) and 14.9 meters deep, with a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof. The hall houses statues of Guanyin and the Eighteen Arhats. Between the Second and Third Courtyard courtyards is a Liberation Pond built in the 11th year of the Tongzhi era (1872) of the Qing Dynasty, covering an area of about 60 square meters. Adjacent to the west side of the White-Robed Chancellor Hall is the Auxiliary Hall’s Lady’s Hall, which has three sections: the first section is 14.4 meters wide and 9.3 meters deep, with a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, the central bay housing a statue of Maitreya, and the sides featuring statues of the Four Heavenly Kings. The second section is 19.7 meters wide and 7.3 meters deep, with the central bay housing a statue of Sakyamuni and the sides featuring a wall of arhat statues. The third section’s Guanyin Hall is 19.7 meters wide and 12.1 meters deep. The Mosque is richly decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, resplendent and magnificent, embodying strong religious and cultural characteristics.

The Mosque was first established in the late Song and early Yuan dynasties. Initially, it had two main halls. During the Yuandade era (1297–1307), the auxiliary hall “Lady’s Palace” was added on the right. In the eighth year of the Ming Jiajing era (1529), the front hall was expanded, and during the Qing Qianlong era, the main hall was renovated. In the Jiaqing era (1796–1820) of the Qing Dynasty, the women’s dormitory was expanded. In the 11th year of the Xianfeng era (1861), the Taiping Army captured Qingtian and burned down the front hall, which was rebuilt in the first year of the Tongzhi era. In the 31st year of the Guangxu era (1905), the East and West Gates were built. In the 16th year of the Republic of China (1927), the Bell and Drum Towers were constructed. In 1985, a perimeter wall was built, the East and West Gates were demolished, the Mountain Gate was erected, the Liberation Pond was dug, a garden was created, further expanding the scale, and incorporating the Bell and Drum Towers into the temple complex as a unified architectural ensemble.

The Mosque is located at the foot of Mianniu Mountain in Fushan Township, facing south with its back to the north. On both the east and west sides are villagers’ houses, and about 150 meters south of the temple’s open space is the single-arch Le’an Bridge, built from bluestone. The bridge is flanked by railings with carved floral and bird designs on the panels and lotus petal motifs on the balusters, echoing the Mosque from afar.

The Mosque keeps dozens of giant candles burning year-round, weighing 600, 1000, 1200, or even 2000 jin (300 kg, 500 kg, 600 kg, or 1000 kg), commonly known as “Thousand-Jin Candles.” These are eternal lamps and longevity candles. A pair of these candles burns continuously for 365 days and nights, illuminating a full year—it’s truly a unique wonder in China. The production of Thousand-Jin Candles is overseen by a special folk belief organization called the “Twenty-Four Worship Society” (which holds worship ceremonies on the 1st and 15th of each month, 24 times a year). Every year during the Mosque Fair on the 19th of the second lunar month, devotees purchase Thousand-Jin Candles, which are then offered in ceremonial processions with colorful floats and music bands, with the lighting ceremony held at an auspicious time.

The Mosque primarily enshrines Li Bi, the chancellor of the Tang Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Dezong, Li Bi served as the Middle Secretary and concurrently as the Chancellor (同等章事). He often wore white robes, earning him the nickname “White-Robed Chancellor.” Legend has it that a fellow court official surnamed Chen, who was framed by treacherous ministers and thrown into the imperial prison, was saved by Li Bi at great personal risk, thus escaping danger. In his later years, Chen retired to his hometown of Qingtian and wrote about this event, passing on the story to future generations to forever remember the kindness of the White-Robed Chancellor Li Bi. Since then, many temples dedicated to the White-Robed Chancellor have been built in Qingtian and Yongjia areas, among which the Fushan Mosque is the largest, attracting nearly 200,000 worshippers annually and exerting considerable influence in southwestern Zhejiang.

Address: Zhuan Village, Fushan Township, Lishui City

Admission Fee

20 RMB