Tianzhu Mountain Foguang Temple

Tianzhu Mountain Foguang Temple

Tianzhu Mountain Foguang Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Foguang Temple is located in Shangchong Group, Chazhuang Village, Tianzhu Mountain Town, at the southern entrance of the national scenic area Tianzhu Mountain. Originally named Mazu An, it derives its name from the eminent Tang Dynasty monk Mazu Daoyi. The foundation of the temple was first built in the 25th year of the Wanli era (1597) during the Ming Dynasty, funded by Wu Yingbin, a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations from Tongcheng, and Ruan Zihua, an official from Huaining. In the 27th year of the Wanli era (1599), an imperial envoy was dispatched to bestow Buddhist scriptures upon the temple, and it was officially renamed Foguang Temple by imperial decree. The name has been used ever since. From the late Ming Dynasty to the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty, the temple suffered repeated damage from wars but was rebuilt several times. Temple construction began to become more systematic and large-scale in the 1990s.

The current structures are arranged in a terraced formation following the mountain’s contours. The central axis runs east-west and includes main buildings such as the Mountain Gate, the Heavenly King Hall, and the Mahavira Hall. To the east of the axis are corridors and monks’ quarters. The Mountain Gate is designed in the style of a three-drip-water memorial archway, while the Heavenly King Hall and Mahavira Hall both feature glazed hip-and-gable roofs. The entire temple complex covers an area of 1,000 square meters. The reconstructed Foguang Temple has become a new highlight at the southern entrance of Tianzhu Mountain.