Xuedou Temple

Xuedou Temple

Xuedou Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located in the northwest of Xikou Town, Fenghua City, Zhejiang Province, it is the highest peak of the branch range of Siming Mountain, standing at an elevation of 800 meters. It is honored as the "Foremost Mountain of Siming." The mountain features Rufeng Peak, which has a cave; water flows out of this cave, white as milk, hence the spring is called Milk Spring, the cave is called Xuedou, and the mountain also takes its name from this. The scenic area includes three parts: Xikou Town, Xuedou Mountain, and Tingxia Lake. Scenic spots include Qianzhang Rock, Sanyin Pool Waterfall, Miaogaotai Platform, Shangliangang, and others.

Xuedou Temple was first built during the Tang Dynasty. For thousands of years, it has enjoyed flourishing incense offerings and produced many eminent monks. In China’s Buddhist community, it is ranked among the “Ten Great Chan Temples of the World” alongside nine other temples such as the Tianning Wanshou Yongzuo Temple in Zhongtianzhu, Hangzhou, and the Taiping Xingguo Temple on Jiangshan, Nanjing. According to the Temple Annals, during the Tang and Song dynasties, Xuedou Temple received 41 imperial edicts from several emperors. To this day, the temple still houses 5,760 volumes of the “Imperially Bestowed Dragon Tripitaka,” along with a jade seal, dragon robe, dragon bowl, and jade Buddha. Emperor Song Zong bestowed upon it the plaque inscribed “Xuedou Zisheng Chan Temple,” and Emperor Song Li bestowed the retrospective title “Yingmeng Famous Mountain.” The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, and was last ruined in 1968. Currently, seven side rooms built during the Qing Shunzhi period remain.

The architecture within Xuedou Temple is grand and captivating, while outside the temple, ancient trees tower majestically, creating a unique ancient temple atmosphere. Two ginkgo trees from the Han Dynasty, each about five people’s arms in circumference, have lush foliage and soar into the sky. Behind the main hall stand two tall nanmu trees, planted by General Zhang Xueliang during his house arrest here.

In front of Xuedou Temple lies a waterfall known as Xuedou Flying Waterfall, also called Qianzhang Rock Waterfall. The water from Milk Spring flows into Jinjing Pool, passes through Guanshan Bridge, and cascades down Qianzhang Rock from a height of 186 meters from the top of the cliff to the deep pool below. Halfway down the cliff, there is a massive rock barrier. During heavy rains in spring and summer, the water plunges down forcefully and crashes against the rock, breaking into snow-like spray. When hit by sunlight, a rainbow often appears—a spectacular sight. The Xuedou Waterfall has been famous throughout the country since the Northern Song Dynasty.

Heading northwest from the old site of Feixue Pavilion leads to Miaogaotai Platform. Below the platform lies a deep valley surrounded by ancient pines. Ascending from the north side of the platform leads to Sanyin Pool, divided into upper, middle, and lower sections. Miaogaotai seems to connect with the clouds above and stands above seemingly bottomless space. Though surrounded by peaks, climbers only see the platform, not the mountains—hence the saying, “On Miaogaotai, stands the Miraculous Summit.”

Tingxia Lake is a large artificial lake scenic area situated upstream of the Shanche River, covering an area of 6 square kilometers, with breathtaking mountain and lake views. The Miaogaotai Villa, built in 1930, was once exclusively used by Chiang Kai-shek. The building has now been refurbished.

Xuedou is a renowned scenic destination in the southeast, surrounded by rolling mountains, crisscrossed fields, and a pleasant climate. Countless natural landscapes and cultural sites abound, greatly enhancing visitors’ enjoyment.

The 2008 China Xuedou Mountain Maitreya Culture Festival and the Unveiling Ceremony of the Open-Air Maitreya Buddha were held from November 7 to 9 in Fenghua, Ningbo. A large number of distinguished guests from politics, business, culture, and the entertainment industry on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and beyond, including Chiang Hsiao-yen, Vice Chairman of the Kuomintang and descendant of the Chiang family, attended the event. The Buddha stands 33 meters tall, seated atop a 9-meter-high lotus pedestal. Beneath the lotus are three tiers forming a 14.74-meter-tall circular altar resembling a Temple of Heaven, bringing the total height to 56.74 meters. The upper tier of the altar has a diameter of 36 meters, and the lower tier 88 meters. The entire statue is made from over 500 tons of tin bronze, supported internally by more than 1,000 tons of steel framework, integrated with the surrounding rock mass to form a stable, solid, magnificent, and grand structure of extraordinary presence.

Xikou Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Fenghua City. Established as Xikou Township in 1950, upgraded to a town in 1956, changed to a commune in 1958, re-established as a town in 1980, and merged with Jifengshan, Dongcun, and Dong’ao three townships in 1992. Located 13 kilometers northwest of the city government. Covers an area of 134 square kilometers. Population: 43,000. Jiangba Highway runs through the town. Administers Xikou First Village, Xikou Second Village, Xikou Third Village, Lichun, Wai Village, Rushanting, Yuxi, Shangbai, Wulin, Hushan, Shadi, Shanshan, Xinjian, Dong’ao, Wangga’ao, Chenjia, Shuimentou, Zhizhao, Xizhao, Thirty-six Bends, Zhongfeng, Lantian, Dongjiang, … Xikou Town detailed information++