Yongqing Nunnery

Yongqing Nunnery

【Geographical Location】

Located at the western foot of Huangshan Scenic Area in Huangshan City, Anhui Province, within Changlu Village, Wushi Town, by the shores of the famous Taiping Lake tourist attraction in Anhui. It is 30 kilometers as the crow flies from Huangshan Mountain and 6 kilometers from the Hefei–Tongling–Huangshan Expressway. It takes only 20 minutes by car to reach the foot of Yongqing Nunnery by turning onto Taohe Line from Provincial Highway 103 in Anhui.

【Historical Background】

Yongqing Nunnery was first built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of more than 1,000 square meters, it features a mountain gate, Mahavira Hall, a Buddhist pagoda, and monastic quarters.

【Buddhist Architecture】

The total construction area reaches 600 square meters. Throughout history, despite repeated damage caused by wars and periods of decline, the nunnery has never ceased to attract a continuous stream of visitors, and incense offerings have remained flourishing. Its influence extends across Huizhou and Chizhou prefectures, as well as cities such as Wuhu, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Yangzhou. It is the only legally recognized nunnery in Huangshan City. The former residence of Yang Renshan, a renowned Buddhist scholar of the Qing Dynasty, is located at Lingxiayangjia at the foot of the mountain where Yongqing Nunnery lies.

Yongqing Nunnery is enveloped by thousand-year-old wintergreen vines and ancient lotus ponds teeming with colorful fish. Surrounded by a sea of emerald bamboo, the environment is exceptionally serene. The nunnery currently houses four bhikkhunis and enshrines statues of Kṣitigarbha and many other Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The “Evening Bell of Yongqing” enjoys timeless fame. On the 19th days of the 2nd, 6th, and 9th lunar months each year, the Guanyin Temple Fair is held here, attracting numerous visitors and devotees, with influence reaching as far as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Tunxi. Yang Renshan, the noted Qing Dynasty Buddhist scholar, once praised it in verse: “Long had I the will to seek Zen, / Today I call on Buddha’s den. / Jade steps hidden in clouds do rise, / Green peaks slant beyond temple skies. / Temple bells soothe worldly mind, / Tea done, thoughts drift far behind. / I seem to see Magistrate Pengze, / Here tending chrysanthemums with pleasure.”

【Current Status of the Temple】

After the reform and opening-up, the policy of religious freedom was implemented, and Buddhism flourished increasingly. The nuns of Yongqing Nunnery, guided by the principles of patriotism and love for the Dharma, have promoted traditional Buddhist culture and actively sought harmony with society, contributing to the development of the local tourism economy. Since the new century, with the care and support of religious management authorities and the town and village governments, the nuns of Yongqing Nunnery have completed infrastructure projects such as the rear hall, monastic quarters, mountain gate, Buddhist pagoda, enclosing wall, walking paths, and a programmable telephone system through self-raised funds and donations from devotees. These efforts have brought the nunnery to a preliminary scale, improved its functionality, and significantly enhanced its visual appeal and reception capacity. Particularly in 2003, when Huangshan District implemented the accessibility project and constructed the Wuchang Highway, tourist vehicles were able to reach the foot of Yongqing Nunnery directly, bringing rare opportunities for its development.