Changshou Nunnery

Changshou Nunnery

A key Buddhist temple in Anhui Province. Located east of Long’an Nunnery. Established in the early Ming Dynasty. During the Hongzhi era, the abbot Shi’an had interactions with the philosopher Wang Shouren when he visited the mountain. Wang once wrote a poem for him: “Never have I seen such radiant splendor, nor known such perfect roundness. Green bamboos and yellow flowers—why speak of Penglai or Fangzhang? Look at the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha of Jiuhua Mountain, whose fine descendants have given rise to the monk Shi’an. Ah, such marvels defy depiction in paint and ink.” In the Qing Dynasty during the Kangxi era, it served as one of the West Wing guest quarters of Huacheng Temple. It was destroyed during the Xianfeng era. In the sixth year of the Tongzhi era (1867), the abbot Shi’bao oversaw its restoration. In 1930, the abbot was Dadao. From 1933 to 1938, the abbot was Youyang. From 1943 to 1945, the abbot was Jishan. During the Cultural Revolution, the Buddha statues were destroyed. The load-bearing wooden pillars in the walls severely decayed, the walls tilted, and there was constant danger of collapse.

In 2001, Bhikkhuni Shi Wugou took over the management of Changshou Nunnery. In 2005, the dilapidated structure was demolished and the main hall was rebuilt to its original architectural style. The nunnery is a two-story wooden building in the style of traditional southern Anhui residences, standing 11 meters tall, 16 meters long, and 16.3 meters wide. It enshrines the Three Saints of the West and a full set of the Mahāyāna Buddhist Canon; the hall also houses a sacred statue of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha. In 2010, the courtyard walls and monk’s quarters were renovated. Today, Changshou Nunnery has been completely restored and serves as a serene practice site for nuns.

Source: Jiuhua Mountain Scenic Area Management Committee

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Huacheng Temple on Jiuhua Mountain

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