Gutian Bliss Temple

Gutian Bliss Temple

Gutian Bliss Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Bliss Temple is situated by Cuiping Lake in Gutian County, nestled against mountains and beside water, offering a tranquil environment. It is one of the renowned ancient temples in inland eastern Fujian. This thousand-year-old "Bliss Temple" was established in the first year of the Tang Dynasty’s Tianbao era (742 AD), underwent several renovations and expansions during the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, but was burned down in warfare in the 22nd year of the Republic of China (1933). In 1933, it was rebuilt through fundraising efforts led by Venerable Yuan Ying, the first president of the Buddhist Association of China, and lay Buddhist Hu Zhen (president of the Gutian County Chamber of Commerce). The three characters “Bliss Temple” were inscribed by Lin Sen, then Chairman of the National Government and a native of Fujian. The couplet at the temple’s gate, “Finding true bliss in this place, unaware which way leads to the Western Paradise,” was penned by Venerable Yuan Ying.

The temple complex includes the Mahavira Hall, Heavenly King Hall, Patriarch Hall, Sangharama Hall, Hall of Three Saints, and a Liberation Pond, all grand and magnificent. There are three treasured relics preserved at Bliss Temple: First is the inscription “Bliss Temple” by former National Government Chairman Lin Sen, the couplet “Finding true bliss in this place, unaware which way leads to the Western Paradise” by Venerable Yuan Ying, and two calligraphic works by Zhao Puchu, current President of the Buddhist Association of China and a master calligrapher—“Mahavira Hall” and “Memorial Hall of Venerable Yuan Ying”—written 50 years apart. The plaque of the Heavenly King Hall was inscribed by Yu Yu, a calligrapher from Fujian residing in Beijing. The second treasure is a set of three ancient bronze Buddha statues—Amitabha, Mahasthamaprapta, and Guanyin—renowned for their exquisite carving and craftsmanship, rarely seen in Buddhist circles.

The third treasure is a jade Sakyamuni Buddha statue, gifted to Venerable Yuan Ying by leaders of the Burmese Buddhist community in the early 20th century. It features exquisite craftsmanship and holds significant artistic and cultural value.　

In recent years, overseas Chinese have successively donated funds to build structures such as the mountain gate, Kṣitigarbha Hall, and the Abbot’s Quarters. In 1990, the Gutian County Buddhist Association raised funds to construct the Memorial Hall of Venerable Yuan Ying, a patriotic eminent monk and native of the area, within the temple grounds. Gutian County has the highest number of overseas Chinese among all counties in our city. In recent years, the number of people returning to visit relatives and sightsee has been increasing steadily. Many of them visit Cuiping Lake and enthusiastically make their way to this thousand-year-old temple. Tourists and worshippers from both within and outside the province also often come here specifically because of its fame.