Hui'an Yungai Temple

Hui'an Yungai Temple

Yungai Temple is situated atop Anfeng Mountain in Tangtou Village, Luoyang Town, the Taiwan Merchants Development Zone, Quanzhou. Built in harmony with the mountain’s terrain and water flow, it faces the mountains and sea to the east, overlooks the hawksbill turtle-shaped rock formation to the west, borders the Luo River to the south, and leans against the Brush Rack Peak to the north. With its layered rocks, verdant pines and bamboos, and the sounds of birds and cicadas, the scenery is uniquely beautiful. A few hundred meters in front of the temple stand resonant Stone Bell and Stone Drum that chime with the morning and evening light; behind the temple lies a mystical cave, beside which are vivid imprints of immortal footprints and palm prints. This is a unique and rare scenic wonder in Quanzhou. Nearby, there is an ancient well, which, according to legend, is connected to the Luojiang River. Its spring water is fragrant, refreshing, and quenches thirst, never drying up even in years of severe drought.

Yungai Temple was first built during the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (year 0–1), named for the auspicious clouds that constantly gathered above it, hence the name “Yungai” (Cloud Canopy) Temple. It is said that in ancient times, the temple’s incense offerings were the most prosperous among all temples in southern Fujian. By the time of Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty (1160 AD), the great chancellor Liang Kejia sought refuge here after being framed by treacherous court officials, and miraculously survived, earning the temple the reputation of “Divine Protection of the Nation.” It became widely renowned and its fame spread far and wide, with many legendary tales still popular today. When Chancellor Liang was pardoned and about to return to the capital, he composed and inscribed a couplet for the temple: “In the midst of clouds, life thrives in boundless vitality; beneath the canopy, the hues of utopia are void yet complete.” Since then, devout men and women have flocked to the temple to offer incense and pay homage, a tradition that has continued uninterrupted for a thousand years. Having endured a thousand years of trials, the temple collapsed and was rebuilt several times. By the 1960s, it had been almost completely destroyed. In 1994, local devotees initiated the reconstruction of Yungai Temple. Later, Venerable Guohua, the abbess of Daguan Temple in Xiamen, took on the major task of rebuilding, raising funds and hiring skilled craftsmen to meticulously design and construct the temple, which has now reached a considerable scale.

Currently, Yungai Temple covers an area of about 60 acres. Upon entering the main gate at the top of the mountain, visitors are greeted by a spacious, greened plaza. In front is a sun-and-moon-shaped liberation pond, bridged by an arched stone bridge, with a striking cliff carving of the Chinese character for “Buddha” on the opposite hillside. The temple buildings ascend gradually along the mountainside. The main structures in the front include the Heavenly King Hall, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Mahavira Hall, and Yuantong Hall. On the left is the Dharma Hall, and on the right is the Administration Building. On the slope, there are also the Merit Hall, Longevity Hall, Immortal Ancestor Hall, and Star Deity Hall. The Four Heavenly Kings, Maitreya, and Skanda statues in the Heavenly King Hall are solemn and lifelike, while those of Sakyamuni Buddha, Medicine Buddha, and Amitabha Buddha in the Mahavira Hall are majestic and benevolent, with the Eighteen Arhats exquisitely crafted. The jade reclining Buddha in the Yungai Temple Jade Buddha Hall is seven meters long and weighs over fifty tons. The Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Guanyin bronze statue in the Yuantong Hall weighs over ten tons and stands 7.32 meters tall. According to Venerable Guohua, the abbot of Yungai Temple, this Guanyin statue has eleven solemn and compassionate faces, forty-two hands holding various sacred implements such as wish-fulfilling jewels, vajras, iron hooks, mirrors, Buddhist scriptures, and lotuses. Most uniquely, the halo is carved with countless small hands, each with an eye, showcasing extremely exquisite craftsmanship.

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