Tiancheng Chan Temple

Tiancheng Chan Temple

Tiancheng Chan Temple is located at the foot of Huxiao Rock on the south side of the Erqu Stream in Wuyi Mountain. Originally, it was a celestial abode where Taoist priests resided. During the Ming Dynasty, monks Daosheng and Yuanjing built Huxiao Hermitage in a deep, towering cave over a zhang high on the lower part of Huxiao Rock, where they practiced Buddhism. In the 46th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1707), Monk Quansheng rebuilt the temple on the site of the former Huxiao Hermitage and renamed it Tiancheng Chan Temple.

The temple clings to the mountainside, covered above by perilous cliffs and facing sheer drops below, surrounded by dense woods and crisscrossed by mountain streams. Spending the night here, one can gaze at the stars and moon overhead, and listen to the murmuring waters with ears attuned—like dwelling amidst the stars and moon, or cleansing the soul in the realm of water and clouds. "During the Republican era, it gradually fell into disuse. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, along with the implementation of the Party’s religious policies, monks would occasionally stay at the Binxī Cave of Huxiao Rock and the former site of Tiancheng Chan Temple.

In 1993, the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area Management Committee invested nearly 500,000 yuan to build the Jiyun Tea House and the Tiancheng Chan Temple screen wall on Huxiao Rock, and to carve a mountain trail leading to Binxī Cave from the back hill. They also renovated the Binxī Cave on the upper part of Huxiao Rock and restored the statues of the Three Jewels. In September 1994, donations from devotees totaling 100,000 yuan funded the carving of a 10-meter-tall Guanyin relief sculpture on the rock face behind the main hall at the former Tiancheng Chan Temple site on the lower part of Huxiao Rock. The lotus pedestal is 3 meters tall, bringing the total height to 13 meters, with a depth of 2 meters and a maximum width of 5 meters. By 1996, tens of thousands of tourists and devotees visited each year to pay their respects. Currently, four monks and nuns reside at Binxī Cave and Tiancheng Chan Temple to manage the site.

Guanyin smiles gently, looking down upon all beings, holding a ruyi scepter in her left hand and pressing her right hand to her chest in worship. She stands barefoot atop a lotus throne, her robes flowing gracefully. Nearby is an inscription: “A single lamp can dispel the darkness of a thousand years; a single insight can eliminate the ignorance of ten thousand years.” On the platform below, two or three nuns sort through incense paper while repeatedly saying, “Lighting a lamp and offering incense can ensure peace and good fortune for your family and yourself.”

It's not surprising that there are many temples in famous mountains; however, deep within Wuyi Mountain lies a “Tiancheng Chan Temple,” which is truly unique. While visiting Wuyi Mountain and passing by Huxiao Rock, if you squeeze through the narrow “Tiger’s Tongue,” you’ll suddenly enter a slightly more open and gentle area—and there, on looking up, you’ll see the words “Tiancheng Chan Temple.”

Here, thousand-foot cliffs slant outward to form a massive cavern, and the entire temple structure has no tiled roof, yet remains untroubled by wind and rain. The ancient cliff walls are carved with a giant image of Guanyin. On the rugged cliff to the upper right rear, the two characters “Huxiao” (Tiger’s Roar) are inscribed in cursive script. To the right of the courtyard, several large boulders are stacked to form a small grotto heaven, about three or four meters high. At the top is a stone inscribed with the two characters “Linglong” (Exquisite), beneath which lies a bed, serving as the meditation spot for monks. The Guanyin statue, the small grotto heaven, and the monks’ meditation spot.

Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area

Dan Yuan Ecotourism Zone

Dahongpao Scenic Area

China Wuyi Tea Expo Park

Nine Bend Stream

Wuyi Violet Auto-Themed Park

Qinglong Waterfall

Wuyi Mountain Water Curtain Cave

Dashan Peak

Wuyi Mountain One-Line Sky

Wuyi Palace

Huxiao Rock

Yunwo

Wuyi Jade Valley

Site of the Imperial Tea Garden

Yulong Valley

Chengcun Han City Ruins

Liu Yong Memorial Hall