Fohui Temple

Fohui Temple

Fohui Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Also known as Fohui Chan Monastery, Fohui Temple is located in Zhoufu Village, Qingxi Town, Hanshan County, surrounded by the waters of Qingxi River on all sides except the south, which is connected to the land by a single bridge — historically referred to as "Lotus Leaf Land." It was first built during the Tang Dynasty. According to the Biographies of Eminent Monks and the Five Lamps Merged at the Source, during the Southern Song Dynasty, the eminent monk Master Shaolong became a monk at the age of nine at Fohui Chan Monastery. Originally from Hanshan with the secular surname Zhou, he received full monastic precepts at the age of sixteen. After that, he visited two great masters — Changlu and Yuanwu — and eventually became the 15th patriarch of the Linji School of Chan Buddhism. In mid-life, he went to Tiger Hill in Suzhou, where he built a temple and promoted Buddhist teachings, gaining widespread fame among both the imperial court and the public. He thus adopted the place name as his title, becoming known as Master Huqiu. In the Southern Song Shaoxing Bingchen year (1077), he returned to Fohui Chan Monastery, left his last will, passed away while sitting upright, and his entire body was enshrined in a stupa and buried in the southwestern corner of the temple.

In the 16th year of the Republic of China (1927), the county established a Buddhist association headquartered at Fohui Temple, with Hong Rui as the head. Hong Rui, whose secular name was Bian Zhenggang, was born in 1896 in Hefei, Anhui. He had participated in the Northern Expeditionary Army’s campaign against Yuan Shikai. After the failure of the expedition, he fled to Jiuhua Mountain. In 1921, he became a monk at Zhiguan Temple, and in 1927 he served as abbot of both Fohui Temple in Qingxi, Hanshan County, and Taihu Temple, also holding the position of president of the county Buddhist association. In 1928, he became abbot of Zhiguan Temple, and in 1940 he went to Xiyun Temple in Chaohu to join the anti-Japanese self-defense corps. Afterward, he returned to Zhiguan Temple.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, in 1962, Hong Rui was elected the first president of the Jiuhua Mountain Buddhist Association. Throughout his life, he was skilled in calligraphy and medicine. He passed away in 1967.

Zhoufu Village: I. Basic Information

Zhoufu Village is located in Qingxi Town, Hanshan County, Anhui Province, nestled at the foot of the beautiful Cangshan Mountain. Surrounded by mountains and water, the village boasts picturesque scenery, abundant resources, and a prominent geographical advantage. The current Zhoufu Village was formed by merging the former Zhougang and FuHui villages. It covers an area of 5.4 square kilometers, governs 16 villager groups, has 913 households, and a total population of 3,247. In 2012, the per capita net income reached 9,320 yuan. The village has one Party general branch and three Party branches, with a total of 93 Party members, including 14 women and 3 with college education or above. In 2006, our village was honored at both the county and town levels... More details about Zhoufu Village++