The Nunnery Cluster in Minyuan

The Nunnery Cluster in Minyuan

The Nunnery Cluster in Minyuan is located between Tiantai Peak and Chaixiao Peak on Jiuhua Mountain, and is divided into Upper Minyuan, Central Minyuan, and Lower Minyuan.

The nunnery cluster is mostly concentrated in the Central Minyuan area, situated along the river and backed by mountains. Their architecture is not of the traditional temple style — when used for living, they function as residences, and when used for worship, as temples. They stand side by side, with varying orientations, opening doors or windows along the path. “White walls with brown tiles, horse-head walls, courtyard spaces mixed with corridors, floors and partition walls all in wooden planks, with the main hall for Buddha worship and side rooms for living.” This is an accurate depiction of the architectural structure and lifestyle within the Minyuan nunnery cluster.

There are more than 20 nunneries in Minyuan, most of which are Ming and Qing dynasty structures, making it the most distinctive nunnery cluster in China today.

According to historical records, during the time when Jin Dizang founded his sacred site, there were nuns residing on Jiuhua Mountain. Later, according to the Jiuhua Mountain Annals, in the early days of the rise of Jin Dizang’s sacred site during the Tang dynasty, Jiuhua Mountain was known as a sacred Buddhist mountain with many strict monastic rules. At that time, one unwritten rule in the temples was that no overnight stays were allowed, women were not permitted on Jiuhua Street, and even female companions were not allowed to stay overnight on the mountain. During the Republican era, especially during the Anti-Japanese War, due to Jiuhua Mountain’s location high in the rugged mountains — particularly Minyuan, which lies deep within the forests — a large number of displaced individuals chose Minyuan for its remote and steep terrain to escape the turmoil of war. The then-president of the Jiuhua Mountain Buddhist Association, Monk Xinxian, had the visionary idea of taking in these wandering nuns and advocated for the acceptance of nuns on Jiuhua Mountain. It was not until the later years of the Republican era that nuns began residing on Jiuhua Mountain.

As the major temples in the Jiuhua town area were led by monks, he established a dedicated residential cluster for nuns in the Minyuan area — the Nunnery Cluster in Minyuan.

Minyuan is a piece of feng shui treasure land, a very suitable and quiet place for spiritual practice. With green mountains, clear waters, flowing streams, and far from worldly noise, it is highly conducive to meditation without external disturbances. As a result, more and more nunneries were built here, forming a nunnery residential cluster.

These nuns spend their days practicing Buddhism and meditating, showing great devotion. Over the past century, this has become a unique community of nuns residing on Jiuhua Mountain. It is peaceful here, yet not devoid of incense offerings, and it also welcomes many visitors and worshippers. The layout is compact, the features distinctive, combining farming with spiritual practice, upholding pure teachings, harmonizing heaven and humanity, and integrating naturally. It is an excellent place for sightseeing, experiencing, leisure, and spiritual cultivation.

The Nunnery Cluster in Minyuan mainly includes Jiuhua Lianshe, Dabei Lianshe, Jieyin’an, Xinyuan Maopeng, Xiangshan Maopeng, Jingxiu Maopeng, Lianzong Jingshe, Cifo Jingshe, and Chaoyin Jingshe, among others. Other nunneries are largely similar.

All these nunneries feature white walls with brown tiles, small exterior windows, and horse-head walls, combining the functions of a temple and living quarters, making daily life very convenient. The nunneries generally have courtyards with flower houses or vegetable patches, surrounded by greenery and in a tranquil environment. The nunneries in Minyuan are representative of the Huizhou-style residential temple architecture on Jiuhua Mountain. Most of the nunneries house just one teacher and one disciple — two nuns in total — who recite scriptures and worship Buddha in the morning and evening, and occasionally tend to vegetables or pick tea leaves. They are devoted to Buddhism and live a peaceful life.

Xiangshan Maopeng is located in the southeast of Central Minyuan. It is a three-bay civilian house with a statue of Sakyamuni Jade Buddha enshrined in the main hall. A mountain spring outside the courtyard wall gathers into a square-shaped well about one meter wide. The courtyard wall is built over the horizontal stone slab covering the well, hence it is referred to as the “Well Spring.”

Inside the courtyard of Xiangshan Maopeng, there are two ancient peony trees with lush branches and leaves, blooming hundreds of flowers each year, making them especially precious. Jiuhua Lianshe is located south of the Phoenix Pine. It is a civilian-style nunnery, with walls made of small stones, a wooden frame, two courtyards, and four bays, including several meditation rooms.

Jiulian Jingshe is located in the southeast of Central Minyuan. The main hall enshrines a seated jade Buddha from Myanmar, along with three large Buddhas, four great bodhisattvas, and eighteen arhats. On the back of the jade Buddha is a wooden carving of Guanyin of the Sea Island.