Meifeng Guangxiao Temple

Meifeng Guangxiao Temple

Meifeng Guangxiao Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Meifeng Guangxiao Temple

Meifeng Guangxiao Temple is located beside Mount Le in Chengxiang District, Putian City, Fujian Province. In ancient times, the area was elevated and well-drained, with plum trees planted all around, hence the name "Meifeng" (Plum Peak). During the Sui and Tang dynasties, a Guanyin Pavilion was built at the peak of the mountain. In the early Song Dynasty, the area around the pavilion spanned over a hundred acres and was the ancestral property of the Li family. Historical records state that in the eighth year of the Yuanfeng era (1085), Lady Huang gave birth to Li Gongzi Cheng after having a prophetic dream. To fulfill her vow, Lady Huang donated all the land around the pavilion and expanded the small pavilion into a temple.

When the temple began to take shape, a "Sea-Viewing Pavilion" and a "Cloud-Lounging Pavilion" were built on the right side of the peak. Li Gongzi studied in the Cloud-Lounging Pavilion at the time. In the second year of the Chongning era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1103), Emperor Huizong bestowed the plaque inscribed with "Plum Forest Buddhist Kingdom." The following year, by imperial decree, the temple was renamed "Chongning Chan Temple." In the first year of the Zhenghe era (1111), it was renamed again by imperial order to "Tianning Wanshou Temple." In the seventh year of the Shaoxing era (1137), a grand plaque inscribed with "Bao'en Guangxiao Temple" was bestowed by imperial decree. Five years later, the word "Bao'en" (Repaying Kindness) was dropped, leaving only the name "Guangxiao Temple," which has remained unchanged for about eight hundred years since. Historical records mention that the temple once housed a "Divine Bell," also cast in the Yi'hou year of Shaoxing (1135) by the renowned craftsman Cai Tong under the guidance of two eminent monks from Guiyang who resided at the temple. Its sound could be heard dozens of miles away. Thanks to the strong support of Li Gongzi during the Song Dynasty, the temple received multiple imperial plaques, gaining great renown. The temple complex was expanded several times, growing significantly larger than before, and became one of the four major Buddhist monasteries in Putian at the time. In gratitude for Li Gongzi’s benevolence, the monks Hui Shen and Hui Ze built a memorial shrine for him on the left side of the Dharma Hall.