Huan Yuan Temple

Huan Yuan Temple

Huan Yuan Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Huan Yuan Temple is located on the northeast side of Jiu Hua Street in Jiu Hua Town, Qingyang County, at the western foot of Cha Xiao Peak. Originally built during the Ming Dynasty, it was called “Huo Tree Nunnery.” During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty (1662–1723), it served as an eastern annex to Huacheng Temple. In the Jiaqing period (1796–1820), the then abbot Long Shan rebuilt the temple buildings here, making it the grandest monastery on Mount Jiuhua. The temple was thus renamed to its current name, and underwent multiple renovations thereafter.

The entire architectural complex faces west and is situated eastward. The surviving structures from the Qing Dynasty include the Mountain Gate, the Heavenly King Hall, the Mahavira Hall, the Ksitigarbha Hall, the Guangming Lecture Hall, and the Abbot’s Quarters. After restoration, there are now over 10 halls and living quarters, covering a total construction area of 2,408 square meters. As a mountain temple, its overall layout adapts to the terrain, with the main halls distributed across four terraced levels. The Mountain Gate and the Heavenly King Hall are located on the first level. Due to the terrain, they deviate from the central axis of the main hall. Passing through turns and ascending, you reach the second level where the Mahavira Hall and the Ksitigarbha Hall are situated. Further up leads to the third level housing the Abbot’s Quarters, and even higher lies the Guangming Lecture Hall. Except for the Heavenly King Hall...

...and the Mahavira Hall, which adopt palatial architectural styles, the rest are all designed in residential building style.

Huan Yuan Temple is the largest monastery on Mount Jiuhua. Its layout follows the contours of the mountain, featuring a compact, flexible, winding, and multi-tiered design with varied elevations. It serves as a model for the garden-style mountain monasteries on Mount Jiuhua and stands as a physical testament for studying Jiuhua’s Buddhist culture and China’s mountain temples.