Ji Gong Courtyard

Ji Gong Courtyard

Also known as the West Ji Gong Courtyard. Located on Chicheng Mountain, the West Courtyard features an unconventional architectural style that adapts to the terrain, embodying the image and personality of Ji Gong. This masterpiece was designed by Qi Kang, an architect from Tiantai and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, earning high praise from the architectural community both in China and abroad. It won the National "Architects' Cup" Excellence Award in 1993 and was named an Outstanding Architectural Structure in Zhejiang Province's Scenic Area in 1996.

The courtyard primarily consists of a series of pictographic "miniatures" such as a tattered kasaya robe, broken hat, wine gourd, worn-out shoes, and a broken fan. These elements are connected by corridors, creating an ingeniously novel and whimsical design—this is the first architectural complex of its kind in China.

There are two particularly unique and eye-catching bodies of water within the courtyard. The one on the left is called "Wind Pool," where water drips from the cave ceiling. Strangely, it continues to drip even during dry spells, yet stops during rainy weather. The one on the right is called "Dragon Pool," where water flows continuously from underground all year round and is regarded as "immortal water" believed to cure skin diseases.

[Kasaya Platform]

The front gate of the West Ji Gong Courtyard faces east and is called the "Kasaya Platform." A plaque reading "Ji Gong Courtyard" hangs above the gate, flanked by the couplet: “The crimson temples of Chicheng transmit fame at home and abroad; the Zen master of the Song Dynasty transcends time through the ages.”

The Kasaya Platform is built along the contours of the mountain, with pillars reaching 13 meters in height, extending from the foundation all the way to the roof. The structure resembles a tattered kasaya, appearing drafty on all sides as if a ragged robe is fluttering, evoking a sense of transcendence. The rafters supporting the roof are slanted and inserted into the earth, symbolizing Ji Gong’s spirit taking permanent root in Tiantai Mountain. A string of looped Buddhist prayer beads hangs between the roof and the rock wall, outlining the shape of Ji Gong’s hat—adding a playful touch.

[“Broken Hat”]

The main courtyard is shaped like Ji Gong’s broken hat and is named the "Eight-Cover Pavilion," symbolizing how the hat’s power extends in all directions. The central statue of Ji Gong looks like he’s smiling when viewed from the left, crying from the right, and neither clearly when viewed head-on—capturing his humorous and carefree persona.

Inside the Eight-Cover Pavilion hangs a plaque inscribed with “Sage Monk Through the Ages.” The four pillars feature two pairs of poetic couplets that depict Ji Gong’s spirit of feigning madness to save the world and punish evil while promoting good. One reads: “Two straw sandals carry him across the land to aid the poor and relieve the distressed; one broken fan parts the winds of justice from those of vice.” The other: “He chants no scriptures, preaches no Zen, observes no fasting rules—yet he takes care of all earthly injustices; he fears nothing, clings to nothing, possesses boundless power—and is determined to rescue the innocent in every corner of the world.” The pavilion also features railings and benches where visitors can take a rest.

[Gourd Studio]

The entire building is shaped like a horizontally placed gourd. Here you can enjoy dog meat noodles and drink gourd wine, offering a unique experience. From the corridor, you can see a gourd-shaped pond at the foot of the mountain, said to have been formed from Ji Gong’s wine gourd. Walking down the steps leads you to the “Single Shoe Gate,” resembling Ji Gong’s broken shoe, and the small guesthouse building shaped like a broken fan.

[“Broken Shoe”]

Descending from the Gourd Studio, you’ll find the “Single Shoe Gate” (also the back gate). Its architecture resembles one of Ji Gong’s worn-out straw sandals. The gate is open on all sides, with vines creeping over the roof, giving off a rustic charm.

A plaque inscribed with “Abundant Virtue Nourished at Home” hangs above it, symbolizing Ji Gong’s fulfilled life of chivalry. On the wall hangs a portrait of Ji Gong, barely clothed, crossing a bridge in a single shoe—radiating an unrestrained elegance.

The painting is inscribed with the verse: “Hat torn, clothes torn, sleeves flowing in the breeze, by flowing streams and little bridges, why not leave with just a single shoe? Fame praised, virtue praised, a heart bright as the moon, floating above worldly wealth—why must cultivation be confined to temple gates?”

[“Broken Fan”]

The Songyue Pavilion is built to the west outside the “Single Shoe Gate,” serving as a visitor reception area. A few elegant rooms face south, staying warm in winter and cool in summer. The structure is wider in the front and narrower in the back, resembling Ji Gong’s broken fan—symbolizing his chivalrous spirit with a fan in hand. Surrounded by tall pine trees, the environment is serene. An apt couplet reads: “The moon and the pines keep their old tryst; the pavilion greets poets to compose new verses,” capturing the essence of the Songyue Pavilion.