Dengyun Temple

Dengyun Temple

Dengyun Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Dengyun Temple is located at the foot of Zijingshan Mountain in Liuan Village, Shancheng Town, Nanjing County. It was first built in the fifth year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1740) by Master Ziyun of the Qing period. The temple faces northeast and is situated southwest, covering an area of approximately 3,000 square meters with a construction area of 890 square meters. It features a three-courtyard layout, centered around the main hall supported by a post-and-lintel wooden frame, surrounded by alley-style courtyards — enclosed by rear corridors, left and right wing rooms, and a front surrounding wall. Stone pillars on the left and right are inscribed with: “First prohibition: No pausing or storing coffins or urns around the premises” and “Second prohibition: Beggars are not allowed temporary lodging.” The temple still preserves stone steles from the Qianlong and Jiaqing eras of the Qing Dynasty. In 1983, Dengyun Temple was designated as a county-level cultural relics protection unit by the Nanjing County People’s Government.

The front hall of the ancient Dengyun Temple is the Guanyin Hall, enshrining Guanyin Bodhisattva and the Eighteen Arhats; the middle hall enshrines the Goddess of Birth (Zhusheng Niangniang) and Master Ziyun; the rear hall is the Hall of Yama King, housing statues of Yama King, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, and the Public Grandfather Deity. Inside the Yama King Hall, two stone pillars feature vivid relief carvings of coiling dragons. The roof ridges are adorned with sculptures of double qilins playing with a ball and double dragons chasing a pearl, along with numerous other sections decorated with colorful cut porcelain artworks depicting figures, operatic scenes, flowers, and animals — all exquisitely ornate and uniquely impressive. The temple’s decorations are elaborate, with richly carved window patterns, finely detailed beam carvings, and an overall appearance of red walls and green tiles, resplendent and magnificent. In front of the temple lies an embedded Bagua (Eight Trigrams) design, and to the right stands a century-old banyan tree beside a pavilion called “Fusui Pavilion.” The surroundings are covered with lush woods, providing deep shade that adds to the temple’s renowned tranquility.

Dengyun Temple hosts four major temple fair events each year. On the eighth day of the third lunar month (Yama King’s birthday), the 29th day of the sixth lunar month (the opening of the Hungry Ghost Festival), the 19th day of the seventh lunar month (Public Grandfather’s birthday), and the 18th day of the ninth lunar month (Guanyin Bodhisattva’s birthday), the temple holds festive events featuring opera performances and Taoist rituals. Pilgrims from various regions gather here, creating a lively atmosphere. Especially on Guanyin Bodhisattva’s birthday, when stages are erected for opera performances, the festivity reaches its peak. The temple is illuminated with tall red candles and clouds of incense. Many overseas Chinese from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and other countries also make special trips to Dengyun Temple to worship and pray for peace.

Shancheng Town: Shancheng Town is located in the southern part of Nanjing County, Fujian Province, downstream of the Chuanchang River. It borders Jingcheng Town and Fengtian Overseas Chinese Farm to the east, Nankeng Township to the west, Pinghe County to the south, and Longshan Town to the north, covering a total area of 183.8 square kilometers. The river basin area consists of alluvial plains, while the rest is hilly terrain. The Chuanchang River flows from northwest to southeast across the entire region.

During the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, Shancheng belonged to Guidelide; during the Republican era, it was part of Shancheng District; in the early years of the People’s Republic of China, it was part of District One. In 1958, it became Shancheng Commune, and in July 1984, it was reorganized as Shancheng Township. In May 1987, Shancheng Township was merged into Shancheng... [Shancheng Town detailed information++]