Ziguang Temple

Ziguang Temple

Ziguang Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Ziguang Temple was built in the first year of the Xiantong era of the Tang Dynasty (860) by the Pang and Ye brothers from Guan Zhuang during the Tang Dynasty. It flourished during the Song Dynasty and was revived during the Ming Dynasty. Over its more than one-thousand-year history, it has experienced ups and downs, alternating between prosperity and decline. Located on Lianfeng Mountain in Ziguang Village, about 5 kilometers southeast of Fuding County, the temple is the birthplace of the Caodong sect of Buddhism in Fuding. Nestled against the mountain and near the sea, the area boasts beautiful landscapes and pleasant scenery. At the mountaintop lies a flat expanse surrounded by peaks and secluded forests. When the tide rises during the full and new moons in Dong River, the temple site appears to emerge from the water like a lotus flower. At dawn, when the eastern sky begins to brighten, the Lotus Peak resembles a delicate lotus bathed in water, its bud just opening, standing gracefully above the river waves. On clear, moonlit nights, the peak seems to reveal a heavenly palace, hence the elegant name “Lotus Dawn Moon,” making it a major tourist attraction in the suburbs of Fuding.

The current ancient architectural complex is majestic and spectacular, with exquisite craftsmanship. The wooden Mahavira Hall and Dharma Hall are both structures from the Ming Dynasty; the Patriarch Hall and Sangharama Hall were renovated in 1753. Legend has it that during the Song Dynasty’s peak, there were nine wells and thirteen piers. Today, remnants include a Tang Dynasty well, Song Dynasty spring, stone artifacts, the foundation of the Dharma Hall, beams, pillars, and columns from the Ming Dynasty, as well as a thousand-year-old iron tree (which began blooming in 1985, with a flowering period lasting six months each year), a Ming Dynasty osmanthus tree, and a Qing Dynasty cypress tree. The halls are now grand and fully equipped, set within a tranquil environment. City buses go directly to the temple gate, attracting a continuous stream of visitors and worshippers who come to pay homage, enjoy the flowers, and take in the scenery. With the development of Buddhist culture, the scale of Ziguang Temple has continued to expand. After land acquisition, the total area has reached 8.67 hectares. In the near future, the temple aims to become a garden-style monastery integrating pilgrimage, sightseeing, and tourism, centered around Buddhist culture and designed primarily in the architectural styles of the Tang and Song Dynasties, recreating the enchanting beauty of Lianfeng.

Throughout history, many literati, scholars, and travelers have gathered, lectured, and enjoyed the scenery here, leaving behind numerous poetic inscriptions. Examples include Qing Dynasty Prime Minister Sun Qiangming’s “Life is but a fleeting dream—none of us are permanent; wherever we can find peace is home,” Qing Dynasty top scholar Wang Shoupeng’s “The fragrance fills the hall as the Buddha meditates, the bright moon rises over the sea and the sky stretches high,” and modern eminent monk Master Yuanying’s “Words cannot express what I mean, so I offer you my heart in peace.” Coupled with the customs and traditions of the local She ethnic group, these elements further enrich the charm of this thousand-year-old temple.