Holy Monk Nunnery

Holy Monk Nunnery

Holy Monk Nunnery is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Anhui Province.

Holy Monk Nunnery is located in Qilihutou Village, She County. It was originally built during the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty (618–626 AD) and was named after the monk Huiming, who was known for his skill in treating eye diseases and revered as a "holy monk." The nunnery has undergone many renovations over the generations, resulting in significant changes to its layout. The current structure consists of a main hall, an offering hall, a courtyard, monks' quarters, and a patio. The total area is nearly 300 square meters, and the nunnery is surrounded by lush woods and bamboo, creating a tranquil environment.

The walls inside the nunnery feature murals painted during the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era by Huang Zhu, a painter from She County. These murals are located on the walls of the main hall and the side chambers. The rear wall of the main hall depicts the “Side-Seated Guanyin,” while the left side chamber features a continuous mural titled “Nine Arhats and Nine Dragons,” and the right side chamber has “Nine Arhats Subduing a Tiger,” both divided into three separate scenes by columns. On either side of the steps in the offering hall are murals titled “Pine Tree” and “Cypress Tree.” The “Pine Tree” mural on the right wall no longer exists, but the rest are well preserved. Especially notable is the “Cypress Tree” painting, which features dynamically intertwined branches and vigorous, forceful brushwork.

The current nunnery covers an area of 276.36 square meters and consists of a courtyard, a main hall, and a scripture hall. It faces south and measures 9.4 meters in width and 29.4 meters in depth. The walls of the main hall feature ink paintings by the Ming Dynasty painter Huang Zhu, including a Guanyin figure, the Eighteen Arhats, and a cypress tree. The front wall of the scripture hall's altar niche is inscribed with the Diamond Sutra, accompanied by an inscription by the Ming Dynasty playwright Wang Daokun.

The murals are located inside the main hall of Holy Monk Nunnery and were created by the Ming Dynasty painter Huang Zhu during the Wanli era. There are four ink paintings in total. The first is the “Side-Seated Guanyin,” located on the rear wall of the main hall, measuring 3.52 meters in width and 3.7 meters in height, and painted in the year 1577 (the 丁丑 year of the Wanli era). The second is the “Nine Arhats Crossing the Sea,” and the third is the “Nine Arhats Ascending Mount Wutai.” The former is on the left side wall of the main hall, and the latter on the right side wall, both measuring 4.9 meters in width and 2.2 meters in height, painted in 1603 (the 癸卯 year of the Wanli era). The fourth is the “Cypress Tree” mural, located on the left eave corridor wall of the rear section, standing 1.8 meters tall and 2.5 meters wide, rendered with bold, flowing ink and varied brush techniques.