Qiyun Temple

Qiyun Temple

Qiyun Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Gutian Qiyun Temple was designated as a revolutionary historical and cultural heritage site by the 0 Ningde Municipal Committee, and included in the Ningde Municipal Tourism Bureau's "Mountains and Seas Red Tourism Attractions of the Eastern Fujian Soviet Area." In 2005, the provincial Party committee and government decided to open Qiyun Temple as a red tourism attraction. It has become a great travel destination in eastern Fujian, integrating revolutionary culture, natural scenery, ancient architecture, and religious culture.

Qiyun Temple was built in the third year of the Northern Ning era (1066), located at the border between Fengpu and Pinghu, 20 kilometers from the new city of Gutian, enjoying superior geographical conditions. To the east lies Gutian’s Cuiping Lake, adjacent to Ningde’s Sandu’ao; to the north it connects to Pingshan’s Baishuiyang in Pingnan, extending to Zhouning’s Carp Stream, and is a necessary route via the Gutian Railway Station to join the national red tourism line of Huangshan and Wuyi Mountain. This thousand-year-old temple boasts majestic architecture with well-arranged halls and pavilions. It houses the Mahavira Hall, Kṣitigarbha Hall, Wei Fu Hall, Guanyin Hall, Jishan Hall, Guest Hall, as well as the Lotus Pond Pagoda and the Liberation Pond. Last year, a memorial hall for the red revolutionary base was added. The temple is adorned with many glistening golden Buddha statues. In front of the temple stands a stone stele from the 38th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, inscribed by the magistrate of Gutian County, Fuzhou Prefecture. The two pillars of the temple gate bear the couplet: “QI all accumulate to enjoy the Three Jewels first, YUN can bless the four directions with rain.” Two exquisitely carved colorful dragons enhance its beauty. Outside the temple are also built the Earth God Hall, Guest Welcome Pavilion, Mid-mountain Rest Pavilion, and Waterside Pavilion. Last year, a tall stone statue of the Child-Giving Guanyin was erected in front of the temple.

The abbot, Venerable Minxi, is from Fu’an. He became a monk at the age of 13. During the time when Ye Fei and others were conducting guerrilla activities around Lantian Village in Fu’an, he served as a liaison and informant for the guerrillas, earning the nickname “Little Red Monk.” On January 13, 1957, he took over as abbot of Qiyun Temple. Now aged 88, on April 19, 2006, the position was passed on to Venerable Xiuzhuang, then 30 years old. The county Party history office, tourism bureau, monks from various temples, and devotees attended the grand handover ceremony with scripture chanting.

Qiyun Temple has been registered by the People’s Government of Fujian Province as a legitimate venue for religious activities. Every Buddha’s Birthday, hundreds of pilgrims from Gutian, Jian’ou, Pingnan, Nanping, and Ningde gather to chant scriptures. Elderly revolutionaries revisit the site to recall past battles. The surrounding landscape is well preserved, making it a place to promote patriotism—especially for youth to learn about revolutionary history, invigorate the spirit of the times, and appreciate natural ecology—a socialist spiritual endeavor. It is also a new measure to revitalize the economy of the old revolutionary base areas, holding profound political, economic, and social significance. As such, it has gained attention from governments at all levels and has been included in the planning of the red tourism network within the construction of the West Coast Economic Zone of the Taiwan Straits.

Qiyun Temple boasts beautiful natural scenery, majestic momentum, towering steep mountains, undulating peaks stretching continuously like a giant dragon returning from flight. The mountain is covered with lush pines and bamboos, their dense shade swaying in the wind like emerald waves. From deep within the foliage, birdsongs can be heard, adding unique charm. Climbing to the summit, one is greeted by verdant forests, misty veils, and an elegant, serene landscape. Below the mountain lie orchards—peach blossoms like rosy clouds and plum blossoms like snow in late spring, and fruit-laden branches exuding fragrance in summer. In the farmsteads, mushroom houses are filled with silver ear fungus resembling white peonies, crystal-clear and snow-white, adding a touch of beauty to the scenic area and creating a unique ecological tourism landscape. At sunset, the forests glow with layered hues, and the evening breeze brings a refreshing feeling. Under the moonlight, the flickering lights of the temple resemble a fairyland on earth, captivating visitors. No wonder it has attracted countless poets and pilgrims throughout history, leaving behind many beautiful poems.

This thousand-year-old temple features majestic architecture with well-arranged halls and pavilions. It includes the Mahavira Hall, Kṣitigarbha Hall, Guanyin Hall, and Jishan Hall. Last year, a memorial hall for the red revolutionary base was added. The abbot, Venerable Minxi, is from Fu’an. During the time when Ye Fei and others were conducting guerrilla activities around Lantian in Fu’an, he served as a liaison and informant for the guerrillas, earning the nickname “Little Red Monk.”

◆ Relive History

Qiyun Temple gets its name from its location atop a high mountain, standing above the clouds. Surrounded by peaks and lush mountains, with intricate mountain paths, and with the ancient Ou and ancient Ping highways winding around it, it was once a strategic military location. From 1931 to 1934, proletarian revolutionaries such as Deng Zihui, Tao Zhu, Ye Fei, and Zeng Zhongsheng were dispatched by the higher Party committee to Fujian to mobilize peasant armed struggle and establish underground Party organizations. During the Liberation War, the Eastern Fujian Guerrilla Column was active in the Qiyun Temple area. In May 1947, Zhou Daochun of the Gutian People’s Guerrilla Team, following instructions from the Eastern Fujian Regional Committee, led more than ten guerrillas to station at Qiyun Temple, carrying out secret activities. They educated local farmers about revolutionary ideals, expanded the guerrilla forces, and organized armed struggle. The temple’s monks, Haibo and Haiping, arranged food and lodging for the guerrillas, provided daily necessities such as flashlights, helped gather intelligence, and kept watch. During their one-month stay, the guerrillas ambushed a survey vehicle and supplies in the Wenyang Mountain section of the Gutian-Ou Highway, returning victorious. Later, they engaged in fierce gunfire with enemy troops in the Tiedi area. Qiyun Temple became an important contact point for guerrillas from Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi. On April 2, 1986, the Gutian County Old Revolutionary Base Office awarded Qiyun Temple a plaque honoring it as a “Red Revolutionary Contact Point” during the war of resistance.

Today’s Qiyun Temple has been registered by the People’s Government of Fujian Province as a legitimate venue for religious activities. Every Buddha’s Birthday, hundreds of pilgrims from Gutian, Jian’ou, Pingnan, Nanping, and Ningde gather to chant scriptures. Elderly revolutionaries revisit the site to recall past battles. The surrounding landscape is well preserved, making it a great place to promote patriotism—especially for youth to learn about revolutionary history, invigorate the spirit of the times, and appreciate natural ecology. It is also a new measure to revitalize the economy of the old revolutionary base areas, holding profound political, economic, and social significance. As such, it has gained attention from governments at all levels and has been included in the planning of the red tourism network within the construction of the West Coast Economic Zone of the Taiwan Straits.