Stone Buddha Statues of Xizi Temple

Stone Buddha Statues of Xizi Temple

The Stone Buddha Statues of Xizi Temple are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Stone Buddha Statues of Xizi Temple

Located in Jinjiang City, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, they are classified as grotto temples and stone carvings, with the specific address being Zhuowang Mountain in Yanfeng Village, Jinjing Town, Jinjiang City.

The Xizi Temple Stone Buddha, also known as the Great Stone Buddha, is located at the foot of Zhuowang Mountain in Yanfeng Village, Jinjing Town, Jinjiang City. According to the "Record of Renovation Deeds of Xizi Rock" stele from the 29th year of the Qianlong reign in the Qing Dynasty (1764), it is said that the creation of the statues began during the Sui and Tang dynasties, though this cannot be confirmed today. The inscriptions carved on the stone cliff include a record from the 18th year of the Shaoxing reign in the Southern Song Dynasty (1148) stating that Wang Yuan and Cai Ziyan jointly donated seventy thousand coins to help build the precious hall. According to expert appraisal, the statues were likely carved in the late Tang Dynasty. The statues are carved into the cliff face as the “Three Saints of the West”: Amitabha Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva. All three are barefoot and standing on lotus pedestals, spaced 0.75 meters apart. Amitabha Buddha is in the center, with a spiral topknot, thick lips, full cheeks, ears that reach the shoulders, wearing a kasaya with smooth drapery folds, his right chest and arm exposed, his left hand raised singly to his chest holding a lotus blossom, and his right hand extended forward in a gesture of welcome. He stands 4.5 meters tall and is 1.62 meters wide, with the lotus pedestal under his feet being 0.9 meters high. The Guanyin Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva on either side are each 4 meters tall, with their lotus pedestals being 0.76 meters high. The Guanyin Bodhisattva on the left has an upswept high bun, floral ear ornaments, holds a small ewer dangling in front of her with her right hand, and forms a mudra in front of her chest with her left hand. She wears a wide-sleeved robe adorned with necklaces over her chest. The Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva on the right wears similar attire to the Guanyin Bodhisattva, with a mudra hanging from her left hand and her right hand at her chest. Behind each of the three statues is a carved circular halo and swirling cloud patterns. On either side in front of the statues are carved guardians and Taoist immortals, each 2.86 meters tall. On the right side of the statues, there is a cliff engraving documenting the temple’s renovation in the 29th year of the Qianlong reign (1764).

Yanfeng Village: Yanfeng Village is under the jurisdiction of Jinjing Town, Jinjiang City, Quanzhou, Fujian Province. The natural villages it administers are located on the hillside surrounding the scenic and historic provincial cultural relics protection unit — the Xizi Rock Stone Buddha — hence the name Yanfeng (Rock Peak).

Located on the Witou Peninsula at the southern end of Jinjiang City, it is bordered by Yangxia Village to the east along the coastal expressway, backed by Bijiashan Mountain in Tangdong to the west, faces Witou Port to the south, and adjoins a military base to the north. Provincial Highway 308 runs north-south through the area, while the coastal expressway crosses the village from east to west, making transportation extremely convenient. The jurisdiction covers an area of 4.2 square kilometers. As of 2008, the village had a permanent population of 1,900... More detailed information about Yanfeng Village ++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units