Fahua Chan Temple

Fahua Chan Temple

Fahua Chan Temple is a cultural heritage site protected by Yueqing City.

Fahua Chan Temple is located in a mountain hollow south of Songshan Mountain in Nanyue Town, Yueqing City. The temple was first built during the Tang Dynasty by Fang Qi, the founding ancestor of the local Songshan Fang clan and an official titled Yinqing Guanglu Doctor, and was granted its name plaque during the Guanghua era (898–900) of Emperor Zhaozong. It was rebuilt in the 26th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1761) and reconstructed again in the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932). The temple covers an area of approximately 5,400 square meters. It features a three-courtyard, enclosed-style complex surrounded by high walls. The Vajra Hall (Mountain Gate) is three bays wide and four bays deep. At the center of the front is a wooden plaque inscribed with the four large characters “Fahua Chan Temple.” The front hall is seven bays wide and four bays deep, with statues of the Eighteen Arhats lining the sides. The courtyard in front of the hall has screen walls on both sides. The Mahavira Hall is seven bays wide and seven bays deep, with the central front shrine enshrining the Three Jewels Buddha and the rear shrine housing the statue of Guanyin. The front courtyard of the main hall has side chambers on the left and right, while the rear courtyard features wing rooms to the east and west. The beam structure of the Vajra Hall largely retains the architectural style from the Qianlong-era reconstruction.

Source: Wenzhou Museum