Zizhushan Mountain in Jiuzhen

Zizhushan Mountain in Jiuzhen

“A mountain need not be high; it is famous so long as there is a deity on it.” This famous line from Liu Yuxi’s renowned Tang Dynasty essay “Inscription on the Humble Dwelling” is both rhythmic and deeply meaningful. Tucked away in a prosperous corner of southeastern Fujian, Zhangpu’s Wushi Zizhushan is the very personification of that poetic phrase. Since time immemorial, this mountain has been blessed with remarkable spiritual energy and outstanding people, making it a true treasure land.

A roughly 20-kilometer drive eastward from Zhangpu County brings you to Jiuzhen, known as the “Millennium Port Ancient Town.” Entering the Wushi Mazu Tourism Area marks the beginning of your intimate encounter with Zizhushan. Also called Dragon Mountain, Zizhushan lies to the north of Wushi. The mountain features striking peaks, bizarre rocks, and notable summits such as Zizhi (Purple Orchid), Que Shi (Magpie Stone), and Shuang Jian (Twin Swords). The land here is rich and the people prosperous. The industrious locals of Wushi have used their own hands to grow fresh vegetables, plump rice, and have transformed the hillsides into a veritable paradise of fruits. Here, lychees blush red, bananas stay green, sugarcanes shoot up tall, and peaches and plums abound. They say “a thing of beauty is a joy forever,” and on Zizhushan, that beauty is truly “edible.” Most mouthwatering of all are the heavy clusters of lychees hanging from the branches. Whether around village homes or along mountain paths, you’ll find countless fruits gently swaying in the breeze. During the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era, Monk Jiuyun of Ziyun Temple also planted numerous lychee trees on Zizhushan. According to the “Fujian General Annals,” Zhangzhou was famed for its lychees, and among them, those from Zhangpu—especially from Wushi’s Zizhushan—were the best. Varieties such as “Xiangpao Zi” and “Mashang Jiao,” produced in Wushi, were esteemed by Emperor Longqing for their “sweet taste, beautiful color, large size, and small pits,” and were designated tribute fruits. Among the many lychee varieties, those from Wushi were considered top-tier, earning the reputation of the “Queen of Lychees.”

Surrounded by seas of lychee trees and sheltered by favorable winds and gathered qi, Wushi Zizhushan has since ancient times been a sacred place where Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism coexisted peacefully and inclusively. Today, within less than one square kilometer on the southern slopes of Zizhushan, you can find temples such as the Wenchang Palace, Wanggong Temple, Zizhushi (Purple Orchid Temple), and Wushi Mazu Tianhou Palace—a remarkably dense cluster of religious sites that is truly breathtaking.

Walking up the mountain from the right rear of Wushi Mazu Palace along winding stone steps that follow the terrain, you’ll soon come across oddly shaped boulders everywhere. Nestled among these scattered rocks is the “Wanggong Temple,” dedicated to Xie An, the prime minister of Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty during the Jin Dynasty. Also known as Huiwang Temple or Xie Dongshan Temple, it commemorates the legendary statesman. In 383 AD, Fu Jian, the ruler of the Former Qin Empire—who had already unified the Yellow River basin—personally led a million-strong army by land and sea to invade the Eastern Jin, hoping to sweep through the dynasty like autumn wind through dead leaves and unify the north and south in one fell swoop. At this critical moment of life and death under the threat of a powerful enemy, the pro-war faction of the Eastern Jin, led by Xie An, rose to defend the nation. Recommended by Xie An, his younger brother Xie Shi and nephew Xie Xuan led 80,000 elite troops of the Beifu Army to resist the invaders, decisively defeating Fu Jian’s massive forces at the Battle of Fei River. This battle went down in Chinese military history as a classic example of victory against overwhelming odds, giving rise to idioms such as “vegetation on Bagong Mountain looked like soldiers” (implying extreme paranoia), “wind sounds like crane cries” (symbolizing panic), and “rise again from Dongshan” (meaning a comeback). The Battle of Fei River saved the Eastern Jin from crisis and ushered in a relatively stable period of prolonged north-south division. To commemorate Xie An’s achievements, temples were built in his honor. Over the dynasties, he was posthumously honored with titles such as Guanghui Prince, Huoguo Prince, Guanghui Sage King, Xianji Sage King, and Guangying Sage King. According to the “Zhangpu County Annals,” Chen Yuanguang, the founding hero of Zhangzhou who hailed from Gushi in Guangzhou, brought incense ashes to Zhangpu and established a temple. The 58 surnames of soldiers under his command jointly worshipped Xie An, and thereafter, many villages in Zhangpu built Wanggong Temples. The main hall of the Wanggong Temple still displays a couplet that reads: “With Guanghui’s majesty, his merits in founding Zhangzhou go down in history; as an honored king, his virtuous governance shines through the ages.”

About 30 meters from Wanggong Temple stands the Wenchang Palace, dedicated to the “Wenchang Emperor” (God of Literature). Originally built in the late Yuan and early Ming Dynasties, when private schools were widespread, the palace was erected to worship the Wenchang Emperor in hopes of securing academic success and good fortune in imperial examinations. Later, as private schools declined and the Wenchang Palace fell into disuse, it deteriorated and eventually collapsed, though its ruins remain. In early 1998, at the initiative of Buddhist Master Miao Zhi from Fujian’s Shou Temple, the Wenchang Palace was rebuilt on the site of the Ming Dynasty’s Zizhushu Academy, with Master Miao personally breaking ground. After more than three years of effort, the magnificent two-story palace was unveiled to the public. It measures 13 meters in width and 12.5 meters in depth, exuding elegance. From the Wenchang Palace, one can gaze southeastward to take in the blue sky and clear waters, or look around to admire the lush lychee and banana groves.

To the right of Wanggong Temple stands the Zizhushi (Purple Orchid Temple), founded in the 13th year of the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1143 AD, note: corrected from erroneous 1552), by the eminent monk Xike. With nearly 500 years of history, it enjoys fame both domestically and abroad and is home to thriving incense offerings. Built between two massive rocks, the Purple Orchid Temple centers its Buddha hall amid these formations, with natural stone caves serving as side chambers. The temple complex includes monastic quarters, dining halls, the Mahavira Hall, and the Kṣitigarbha Hall, covering a total floor area of over 2,000 square meters.

As the saying goes, “One leaf reveals the autumn of the forest.” Judging from the various historical sites and temple layouts that remain on Zizhushan today, one can imagine how flourishing the mountain must have been in its heyday—“peach blossoms, plum blossoms, and purple orchid flowers blooming in profusion; Buddhist, Taoist, and literary scholars all engaging in vibrant discourse.”

In history, Zizhushan was not only resonant with morning bells and evening drums but also filled with the sounds of students reading aloud, as it served as a place of learning for aspiring scholars through the ages. In the mid-Ming Dynasty, the Zizhushu Academy was established next to the Purple Orchid Temple, where renowned teachers and monks lectured and nurtured talent. According to the “Zhangpu County Annals” and inscriptions on stone tablets, 17 individuals who studied here during the Ming and Qing Dynasties went on to become imperial examination jinshi (advanced scholars), 11 of whom were from the Lin clan of Wushi. The Lin family also produced 25 juren (provincial degree holders), 33 gongsheng (tribute students), and 80 individuals who held official positions. In the 38th year of the Jiajing era (1559 AD), Lin Shizhang, who had diligently studied in the Zizhu Cave and often borrowed light from the Purple Orchid Temple to read at night, achieved the prestigious rank of Tanhua (third place) in the palace examination. After his success, Lin was appointed to various prestigious posts including Hanlin Academy editor, National University supervisor, National University ceremonial director, Left Vice Minister of Rites, and ultimately Minister of Rites. He earned the deep respect of Emperor Wanli, who bestowed upon him a plaque inscribed with the characters “Loyal and Loving.” To this day, the national cultural heritage site “Tan Hua Archway,” a large stone memorial archway in Zhangzhou’s Hong Kong Road, remains standing. Lin Shizhang’s accomplishments further enhanced the reputations of the Zizhushu Academy and Zizhu Cave, making them sacred sites for seeking scholarly success and self-cultivation. Scholars and dignitaries flocked here from near and far.

Next to the Purple Orchid Temple lies the Zizhu Cave, which has a massive rock as its roof. The cave entrance faces south, is 6 meters deep, and 5 meters wide. Ascending a staircase tucked between two rocks on the left side of the cave entrance leads you along a winding path into the heart of the cave, where it suddenly opens up into a spacious chamber. Standing atop the cave and looking out, you can take in the surrounding mountains and rivers. Over the centuries, countless literati have visited Zizhu Cave, leaving behind a wealth of historical and cultural relics. On the stone wall at the cave entrance is the inscription “Zizhu Cave,” written by Zhangzhou’s county magistrate Lin Wenxiang in the 28th year of the Jiajing era (1549). Inside the cave, there are stone tablets inscribed with “Record of a Winter Visit to Zizhu Cave” and poems by Huang Cong. On the right side of the Purple Orchid Temple, there is also a running script inscription that reads “Wushi’s landscape is beautiful, Zizhu has a world of its own.” Stone plaques inscribed with calligraphy such as “Deep in the White Clouds,” “Boundless Buddhist Dharma,” and “Cherish Time,” left by the Ming Dynasty’s Fujian-based Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall, Huang Daozhou, during his lectures at the Purple Orchid Temple, as well as the “Wash the Heart” engraving by Master Hongyi during his visit, have all been preserved. During the Republican era, Liu Jianxu, then chairman of Fujian Province, composed a couplet during his visit to praise the people of Wushi for donating funds to the anti-Japanese war effort: “Heaven and earth form a true Buddha realm; rivers and mountains nurture a Zen mind.” These inscriptions, bold and elegant in style, represent a precious cultural legacy left by scholars and dignitaries on Zizhushan.

Zizhushan was not only a place of study for literati like Lin Shizhang but also the home of the Venerable Miaozhi, the only monk in Fujian whose body remained uncorrupted after death, becoming a “flesh-body Buddha.” Miaozhi, whose secular name was Cai Songcang, once served as abbot of the Purple Orchid Temple. In 1996, at the age of 109 and in ill health, Miaozhi came to the Purple Orchid Temple and stayed in the monk’s quarters on the west side. Thanks to care from others and his own self-discipline, he miraculously recovered, and the story became widely celebrated. In 2001, Miaozhi was honored as the “Fifth National Century Health Elder,” ranking first in age. Chen Lifu, president of Taiwan’s Confucius-Mencius Society, inscribed the words “Transcendent Hero” for him. In 2003, at the age of 116, Miaozhi passed away. Several years later, his body remained incorrupt and was enshrined as a golden statue for public veneration. During his time in Wushi, Miaozhi was compassionate and dedicated to public welfare, actively involved in helping the poor, supporting education, disaster relief, aiding the disabled, adopting abandoned infants, and planting trees. When impoverished people came to him for medical treatment, not only did Miaozhi refuse payment, but he often covered their medicine costs himself. Whether it’s the temples and cliff inscriptions, or the literati, monks, scholars, and officials, all have become calling cards of Zizhushan.

Wushi Zizhushan gathers the essence of heaven and earth, nourished by the sun and moon, frequented by sages and blessed by deities. Countless cultural treasures will surely condense into a radiant pearl, shining brightly forever across the Taiwan Strait.