Shuiyu Temple Grottoes

Shuiyu Temple Grottoes

The Shuiyu Temple Grottoes are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Shuiyu Temple Grottoes are located three kilometers southwest of Dashe Town, Fengfeng Mining District, Handan City. They stand opposite the North Xiangtang Temple to the east and west, separated by Phoenix Terrace and Tiangong Peak. Due to their smaller scale compared to the South and North Xiangtang Temples, they are also known as the "Little Xiangtang." After walking 300 meters west from Sihoupo Village behind the temple, you will find the Shuiyu Temple Grottoes nestled under lush pines and cypresses.

Ascending along the ninety-nine stone steps built from bluestone, you’ll be surrounded by verdant pines, rugged rocks, and ancient stones. The Shuiyu Temple Grottoes consist of two parts: first, the caves—on the low cliff to the west facing south, there are two caves, one carved in the fifth year of the Wu Ping era of the Northern Qi Dynasty (574 AD) (the Western Cave) and the other in the early Northern Song Dynasty (the Eastern Cave); second, the temple—located in the valley east of the caves, it is surrounded by mountains on three sides, sheltered from the wind, bathed in sunlight, and situated on flat terrain. Here, red-walled and yellow-tiled halls, inscribed stone stelae, stone pagodas, steps, and mountain gates are arranged in a staggered fashion.

What does the name "Shuiyu Temple" mean? Firstly, according to a stele from the fifth year of the Longqing era of the Ming Dynasty (1571 AD) inside the temple: “This temple is at the foot of the Taihang Mountains, surrounded by overlapping peaks. Below, there is a small spring murmuring in the stream. It is truly an ideal secluded place for Buddhist hermits and the pinnacle of Zen forests...” hence the name Shuiyu Temple. Secondly, legend has it that on the abrupt cliff west of the main hall, there is a spring eye as big as a washbasin. The spring water gurgles melodiously, clear and sweet. On clear, sunny mornings, mist envelops the area, with water droplets spraying everywhere. The entire temple appears ethereal, like a fairyland. The halls, caves, stone pagodas, and cliff engravings emerge from the misty, water-washed surroundings, shrouded in a veil woven by sunlight and clear water. The spring purifies impurities and washes away the dust of the mortal world. Thirdly, due to the pervasive humidity from the water vapor in the temple—apart from noon, it remains damp in the mornings and evenings, as if lightly rained upon—locals within a dozen miles also call it the "Water-Drenched Temple."

On the low cliff to the west of Shuiyu Temple, two caves have been carved out—one to the east and one to the west, known as the Western Cave and the Eastern Cave.

The Eastern Cave was carved much later than the Western Cave and is also much smaller in scale. Inside the cave are three walls of statues: on the north wall is one Buddha, two disciples, and two bodhisattvas; on the west wall is one Buddha and two disciples; and on the east wall is one Buddha and one bodhisattva. The carving techniques, facial expressions, and body postures that reflect the inner worlds of the figures are so exquisitely detailed that they rival those of the Xiangtang Temple Grottoes.

Approximately eight meters west of the Eastern Cave lies the largest, richest, and best-preserved cave in the Shuiyu Temple Grottoes—the Western Cave. At the center of this cave is a rectangular pagoda pillar that extends to the ceiling. Visitors can walk around the pillar, forming a “tunnel,” which locals also call the “Corner Hall.” All walls and surfaces of the pagoda pillar in the cave are carved with Buddha statues of various sizes, commonly known as the “Ten Thousand Buddhas Cave,” whose expressions are vivid, lifelike, and almost seem ready to step out.

On the eastern wall of the Western Cave, there is an inscription that reads: “In the fifth year of Wu Ping (574 AD), in the tenth month, on the day of wuzi, Mingwei General Lu Jing and Lady Zhang Yuanfei respectfully commissioned the creation of the Determined and Vast Buddha along with three young boys, wishing that all beings in the three realms who behold them may be blessed and reborn among the flowers in the presence of the Buddha.” The front wall of the Western Cave bears an inscription dedicated by the monk “Zhaoxuan Dazong Ding Chan Shi,” a sponsoring monk. According to the "Treatise on Officials" in the Book of Sui: “In the first year of the Tianbao era of the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 AD), Emperor Wenxuan decreed the establishment of the ‘Zhaoxuan Dazong,’ appointing the monk Fa as the ‘Dazong,’ with over fifty clerical officials managing more than four million monks and nuns.” This indicates that “Zhaoxuan Dazong” was the highest-ranking monastic official in the Northern Qi Dynasty. “Lady Zhang Yuanfei” (wife of Mingwei General Lu Jing, initiator and organizer of the Western Cave’s construction, and one of the temple’s first abbesses and sponsoring monks). The presence of the “Zhaoxuan Dazong” inscription confirms that the Shuiyu Temple Grottoes were created before the fifth year of Wu Ping (574 AD). Further carvings continued through the Tang and Song dynasties until completion.

On both the eastern and western sides of the Western Cave, there are two cliff carvings: the eastern section depicts the vivid life story of Shakyamuni Buddha—from birth to nirvana, and the enlightenment that followed; the western section illustrates scenes of the Buddha preaching across different regions. Both sections feature rich carvings with exquisite craftsmanship.

Although the Shuiyu Temple Grottoes are much smaller in scale and less renowned than the South and North Xiangtang Temples, their later carving date allowed for more mature techniques, improved sculptural skills, and deeper interpretations of the inner worlds of Buddhist figures. As a result, many experts and scholars agree that the refinement of the stone statues and cliff carvings at Shuiyu Temple surpasses those of the South and North Xiangtang Temples in many aspects.

Lady Zhang Yuanfei was the first abbess. She was the wife of Lu Jing, a Mingwei General of the Northern Qi Dynasty. Lu Jing, originally from Ye City in Sizhou, held the sixth rank in officialdom but unfortunately “did not live a long life and passed away in Ye City on the twelfth day of the second month in the fourth year of Wu Ping” (as recorded on the inscription on the eastern wall of the Western Cave). To mourn her late husband, in the fifth year of Wu Ping, Lady Zhang Yuanfei became a nun and joined Shuiyu Temple. As the wife of a general, she possessed certain social, political status, and economic means. During her tenure as abbess, she sponsored five monks. In addition to cave carving, she acquired extensive lands, helping establish the temple as a notable institution.

The second abbess was Master Miaoyong. During his term, due to the temple’s substantial landholdings and income, he oversaw the construction of halls and integrated the caves with the temple buildings, forming the earliest version of Shuiyu Chan Temple. His stupa is located ten meters in front of the Western Cave. Carved entirely from bluestone, its precious top is missing. It features an octagonal imitation wooden eave, beneath which lies an oval, domed tower body. The surface is densely inscribed, though most texts are now illegible. However, the phrase “Former Solemn and Complete Master Miaoyong’s Stupa” remains clearly visible despite millennia of weathering.

During the Tang and Song dynasties, Shuiyu Temple owned vast estates. In addition to nearby mountains and forests, it had over a hundred acres of farmland and numerous resident monks, making it the largest and most influential temple east of Drum Mountain at the time. A great fire in the early Northern Song Dynasty reduced the entire temple complex to ashes. During reconstruction, the halls were rebuilt to their original sizes, while the mountain gate was expanded. Two uniquely shaped stone stupas were erected on either side of the gate, each carved from bluestone, standing 11.5 meters tall and consisting of three sections with a diameter of over one meter. The stupas are hexagonal, with each face covered in dense inscriptions. They sit atop one-meter-high lotus pedestals, adorned with bas-reliefs of vividly sculpted flying apsaras and arhat hands. Over centuries, the inscriptions have faded. By the late 1980s, the upper two sections of the stupas had disappeared, leaving only the pedestal and the lowest section.

The Shuiyu Temple Grottoes, carved 1,500 years ago, have undergone multiple renovations and expansions by successive dynasties. However, they have suffered from natural disasters and human destruction, especially during the Japanese invasion when many statue heads were looted and others lost overseas. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China—and particularly after the reform and opening-up period—governments at all levels have prioritized the protection of the grottoes, allocating funds for repairs and reinforcement. These efforts have restored the grottoes to their former glory.

The annual traditional temple fair of Shuiyu Temple is held on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, coinciding with the serene mountain scenery. Devotees from nearby areas flock here to pray for blessings, creating a unique local spectacle. Today, apart from the caves, stone inscriptions, stupas, and stone pagodas, most structures at Shuiyu Temple date back to the 1980s. With convenient transportation and a tranquil environment, it is an ideal destination for tourism, sightseeing, and summer retreats. In July 1982, the Shuiyu Temple Grottoes were designated as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Hebei Province.

Scenic Area Address: Three kilometers southwest of Dashe Town, Fengfeng Mining District, Handan City, Hebei Province

Transportation: Take a bus from Fengfeng Mining District to Niuerzhuang or Dashe, get off at Niuerzhuang, and walk west to reach the site.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units