Zhongxing Majing Temple

Zhongxing Majing Temple

Zhongxing Majing Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Majing Temple is located in Huaguang Village, Zhongxing Township, Feidong County, 22 kilometers from Dianbu County Town and 21 kilometers from downtown Hefei. The temple covers an area of 80 acres, bordered by Shisan Tou Township of Changfeng County to the west and backed by Zhongxing Reservoir, at an elevation of 51.9 meters. From the temple, you can gaze upon Zhongxing Reservoir, which resembles a piece of jade, with pastoral scenery stretching as far as the eye can see. According to local villagers, it is regarded as a phoenix-shaped auspicious land. Historically, it was a crossroads connecting the east, west, south, and north, and a necessary route to Shandong, Henan, and Shanghai. The temple is perennially planted with flowers, camphor trees, and osmanthus, staying green all year round and offering a cool summer and warm winter—ideal for living. It has attracted monks and devotees to settle here, making it a prime destination for tourism, sightseeing, and summer retreats, with great potential for development.

The origins of Majing Temple date back a long time. It is said to have been first built in the early Ming Dynasty to commemorate Empress Ma, the wife of Zhu Yuanzhang, who distributed grain to provide disaster relief. A temple was erected here in her honor. Over time, with the changes of history, the worship was lost. According to the oral account of the former abbot, Monk Han Xiaozhai, Liu Mingchuan once ordered his subordinates to rebuild the temple, commissioning over a hundred statues of majestic and imposing figures. Later, Gong Dasima also oversaw another reconstruction, though none of these accounts are documented in historical texts. The only existing record is an inscription that states during the Guangxu period, Qing Dynasty Imperial Envoy and Sichuan Governor Gong Yangju, who had returned from missions to England, France, and Russia, rebuilt the temple. The rebuilt complex consisted of three courtyards, extended with corridors, brightened with colored walls, and adorned with bas-reliefs on all sides, presenting a magnificent structure. This temple, as known by locals, was destroyed during the Japanese invasion of China when it was used as a stronghold by the 7th Division of the 37th Army to resist the Japanese forces. After liberation, it suffered complete demolition. In the late Cultural Revolution era, notable individuals and devotees built a three-room structure with imitation antique brick and tile. During temple fairs, worshippers still come to pay their respects.

In today’s era of reform and opening up, under the correct leadership of the Party and with the care of the Buddhist Association, this sacred ancient temple, having endured many trials, was resurrected in 2005 with the strong support of devoted individuals and benefactors. A grand and magnificent Majing Temple now stands before the public, earning deep reverence from the local community.

The traditional temple fair of Majing Temple has always been held on the third day of the third lunar month. Regardless of weather conditions, people from all directions flock here, numbering up to one hundred thousand. The abbot plans the temple fair well in advance after the Spring Festival, arranging vendor stalls, activity spaces for all kinds of performers, stages for local operas from LuZhou, performance booths for street artists, and tents for circus troupes. A wide variety of snacks and local delicacies are available. These vendors come from faraway places such as Shanghai, Tianjin, Henan… and nearby cities like Bengbu, Fuyang, Tongling, Anqing… Local government and the Buddhist Association have long established a temple management committee, not only protecting the visiting vendors but also installing lighting for them, ensuring orderly operations. During the temple fair, the site remains brightly lit throughout the night, bustling with activity. The incense ash accumulated over three days piles up like small hills, with burning flames soaring into the sky and the deafening sounds of firecrackers heard miles away. Countless fireworks light up the sky in a dazzling array of colors, along with the roaring flames, bathing the 1,500 square-meter main hall in a kaleidoscope of fiery hues.

On the afternoon before the temple fair, a Buddhist ceremony is also held to pay homage to the Buddha. The ritual procedure includes: 1. Setting up the incense altar and burning large incense sticks; 2. Offering tributes: one peck of white rice, longevity peaches, cakes, fresh flowers, large bread, a bucket of compassion water, and a willow branch; 3. Placing a pair of longevity candles on both sides, along with golden roosters, golden horses, gold foil, etc.; 4. Offering incense; 5. Purifying the area; 6. Setting off firecrackers; 7. Playing music; 8. The abbot giving a report; 9. Devotees delivering speeches; 10. The abbot performing a kowtow ritual of three prostrations and nine knocks, completing nine rounds of obeisance; 11. Burning gold foil and concluding the incense offering.

The theme of the Majing Temple Cultural Tourism Temple Fair is: inheriting historical culture, promoting humanistic harmony, and developing tourism economy. It will contribute to accelerating the construction of a new socialist countryside in Zhongxing Township, creating a cultural tourism street, and boosting rapid economic growth in the central and northern regions.

Zhongxing Township: a township under the jurisdiction of Feidong County. Established in 1949, it was reorganized as a commune in 1958 and reverted to a township in 1983. Located in the central-western part of the county, it is 19.9 kilometers from the county town. Covering an area of 70.4 square kilometers with a population of 35,000, it is traversed by highways such as Dadian-Zhongxing, Sanshitou-Zhongxing, and Daxinzhuang-Zhongxing, and the Dianbu River flows through it. The township administers the following villages: Zhongxing, Huaguang, Yihé, Sila, Zhengbu, Fangang, Jinwang, Xiaguang, Xiegang, Chuhe, Huadeng, Zhenghe, Gonghe, Dagao, Tianbu, Balian, Xuhe, Sanxing, Yong’an, Xiaozhong, Guanghua, Liugangji, Liang… More detailed information about Zhongxing Township++