Yongjia Natural Taoist Temple

Yongjia Natural Taoist Temple

The Natural Taoist Temple is located on Dongmeng Mountain in Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province. Originally built during the Jin Dynasty, it has a history of over a thousand years and is the ancestral temple of the Quanzhen Longmen Sect of Taoism in Wenzhou.

Dongmeng Mountain is one of the famous Taoist mountains and is known as the “No. 1 Cave Heaven in Southern Zhejiang.” The Natural Taoist Temple is located at the center of the Dongmeng Mountain Scenic Area, built against the mountain, surrounded by steep cliffs and lush trees, offering beautiful scenery that resembles a fairyland. Sun Yirang, a renowned classical scholar of the Qing Dynasty, once composed a couplet for this place: “A thousand steps up the ridge lead to the abode of immortals; above the gate resides the home of celestial Taoists.” Ge Hong, a famous Taoist scholar of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, once came here to refine elixirs. Taoist masters such as Tao Hongjing and Lin Lingsu also practiced here.

The Natural Taoist Temple currently houses two ancient caves. One is the Canxia (Mist and Rosy Clouds) Ancient Cave, which is three meters high, five meters deep, and four meters wide. On rainy days, it both emits mist and conceals it, while on sunny days, it is serene and tranquil. Xu Xiake, the great traveler of the Ming Dynasty, once spent a night here. Having seen many famous mountains and rivers, Xu Xiake made a special trip to stop at Wuniu Dongmeng Mountain after visiting Yandang Mountain, which shows how highly he regarded Dongmeng Mountain.

The other ancient cave is called the “Changsheng (Longevity) Cave.” In the late Northern Song Dynasty, Lin Lingsu, a renowned Taoist priest from Wenzhou, also practiced here. Standing in the Changsheng Cave and looking down from the railing, one sees thousands of feet of sheer cliffs, which are breathtaking. From here, one can gaze out at all living things below. The Changsheng Cave consists of seven caves, also known as the Seven Stars Cave. A Hu Gong Hall has been built inside the main cave to commemorate Hu Ze. Hu Ze, styled Zizheng, was a native of Yongkang in the Northern Song Dynasty. He was resolute and talented from a young age. Serving as an official for over forty years, he advocated benevolent governance, lenient criminal justice, reduced taxes, and eliminated malpractices. In the first year of the Mingdao era of the Song Dynasty, when there was a severe drought in the Jianghuai region and many people died of starvation, Hu Ze submitted a petition requesting exemption of the poll tax across the regions south of the Yangtze River. The emperor granted a permanent exemption of the poll tax in Quzhou and Wuzhou. The people of these two prefectures, grateful for his virtue, built numerous memorial temples to worship him.

This temple began reconstruction in the mid-1980s. Under the leadership of the local Party and government, and with the support of relevant departments, especially the United Front Work Department and the Religious Affairs Bureau, it was developed over the years through the hard work of many initiators and successive abbots. With generous donations from all walks of life, a total of several hundred thousand yuan in construction funds and labor (estimated at over 400,000 yuan at current market prices) was invested, making it possible for the temple to be revitalized and reach its current scale.

In 2005, Taoist Priest Li Yanfeng took over as the abbot of the Natural Taoist Temple. With the care and support of relevant government departments and virtuous patrons, he carried out large-scale renovations of the temple buildings. Upholding Taoist traditions while innovating, he attracted a gathering of Taoists in the mountain, flourishing the teachings, and drawing a continuous stream of pilgrims and tourists from all directions.