The Nunnery Cluster on Shenguang Ridge

The Nunnery Cluster on Shenguang Ridge

The Nunnery Cluster on Shenguang Ridge is a cultural tourism attraction.

Ascending Shenguang Ridge via stone steps from the old street, you’ll pass by a group of first-class nunnery structures including Jingtu Nunnery, Jingjie Retreat, Guangji Thatched Hut, and Wuliang Temple. These complement the larger temples in the town area with their fresh and serene style. Jingtu Nunnery features a three-bay structure with side wings, and at the back stands a观音殿 (Guanyin Hall) with upturned eaves. In front of the nunnery gate stands a not-so-tall screen wall inscribed with the "Awakening of the World" (醒世文) by the Ming Dynasty master Hanshan. Visitors often stop to read this text and take its moral teachings to heart. Continuing uphill from Jingtu Nunnery, you’ll tread on stone steps engraved with lotus and coin patterns, evoking a sense of wonder. Why these two motifs? The lotus symbolizes purity and enlightenment in Buddhism, as it rises unstained from the mud. Its image here references the Buddhist tale of the deer girl whose footsteps sprouted lotuses—symbolizing “blooming with every step.” The coin pattern represents almsgiving and cultivating “fields of merit,” implying “giving with every step.”

Jingjie Retreat is a new nunnery built by Master Changjie on the site of the ancient Baizi Hall. It consists of a mountain gate and a main hall, presenting a solemn and elegant appearance. Master Changjie, who is nearly eighty years old, came to Jiuhua Mountain fifty years ago with her elder sister and fellow nun, Master Changjing. The retreat’s name combines the last characters of both nuns’ Dharma names, as a tribute to her late sister. Known for its cleanliness, the retreat is spotless inside and out. A semicircular terrace in front of the gate, exquisitely designed and shaded by ancient trees, offers a place to rest, lean on the railing, and admire the view of Jiuhua Street.

To the southeast of the retreat are Guangji Thatched Hut and Wuliang Temple, modest in size but uniquely charming. Each of these nunneries houses a master and her apprentice, living in close companionship. They devote themselves to rigorous practice, maintaining daily morning and evening rituals; they also labor diligently, tending vegetable patches or cleaning whenever time allows. Their livelihood depends on sporadic incense offerings, and they live frugally, saving all surplus for temple upkeep. “We cherish the idle days in the mountains, feeling the cool breeze brings peace.” Here, you can experience the disciplined yet tranquil life of the nuns—a scene that inspires awe and reflection.