Hall of Heavenly Kings, Yongquan Temple

Hall of Heavenly Kings, Yongquan Temple

The Hall of Heavenly Kings at Yongquan Temple is a cultural heritage site protected at the municipal level in Fuzhou.

The Hall of Heavenly Kings at Yongquan Temple is located within Yongquan Temple on Drum Mountain in Gushan, Jin'an District, and is one of the temple’s core structures. Originally built in the second year of the Kaiping era (908 AD) during the Later Liang of the Five Dynasties, the hall has undergone renovations in various dynasties. Its current structure largely retains the architectural style of the Qing Dynasty, though the façade has been modified. A plaque inscribed with the characters “Yongquan Temple,” written by imperial order in the 38th year of the Kangxi reign (1699 AD), hangs above the entrance of the Hall of Heavenly Kings. On either side of the front courtyard stand a pair of seven-tiered, octagonal Thousand Buddha Pottery Pagodas (protected as national key cultural relics), which were relocated in 1972 from Longrui Temple in the suburbs of Fuzhou. These pagodas were originally crafted in the fifth year of the Yuanfeng era (1082 AD) during the Northern Song Dynasty.

According to the Records of Drum Mountain (鼓山志), the Hall of Heavenly Kings was first built in the second year of the Kaiping era (908 AD) during the Later Liang of the Five Dynasties.

In the seventh year of the Shaoxing era (1137 AD) during the Song Dynasty, the monk Shigui reconstructed the hall, building the upper level as the Arhat Pavilion and the lower level as the Vajra Hall. The original structure of the Hall of Heavenly Kings at that time can be referenced in the Record of the Reconstruction of Yongquan Temple (重修涌泉寺碑) by Cheng Mai, the prefect of Fuzhou at the time, which states: “The monk Shigui renovated the Five Hundred Arhats Pavilion, opened three gates below, with corridors extending to both sides, flanked by auxiliary structures, resembling the forms of flying and striding beings.”

In 1542, Yongquan Temple was destroyed by fire and remained in a state of ruin—mountain without temple—for several decades.

In 1619, Cao Xuequan, a local resident, along with the monk Daodong Zhidi, rebuilt the Mahavira Hall. In 1629, Lin Hongyan and the monk Hongxiao constructed the Dharma Hall, and in 1633, Lin Hongyan built the Bell and Drum Towers.

In 1634, Cao Xuequan rebuilt the Hall of Heavenly Kings, adjusting its height, converting the pavilion into a hall, and giving it a width of three bays, though with gaps on both sides.

In 1643, when the monk Yuanyan renovated the Mahavira Hall, he added one bay to each side of the Hall of Heavenly Kings and rebuilt the shrines for the Sangharama (Temple Guardian) and King of Min on the left side of the hall, as well as the Ancestral Master and Shouchang shrines on the right. He also constructed corridors on both sides of the main hall, extending up to the Dharma Hall. By this time, a three-tiered, courtyard-like enclosure had begun to take shape. Additional auxiliary structures such as side halls and monks’ quarters were gradually built along the mountain terrain.

In the late Qing Dynasty, the Hall of Heavenly Kings was expanded into the corridors on both sides to create a total of seven bays, surpassing the width of the Mahavira Hall. The gable walls on both sides were also modified into the distinctive Fuzhou-style fireproof walls, which rise higher than the roof ridge, further enclosing and protecting the Mahavira Hall.

In 1972, a precious pair of Thousand Buddha Pottery Pagodas, created in the fifth year of the Yuanfeng era (1082 AD) during the Northern Song Dynasty, were moved to either side of the Hall of Heavenly Kings from Longrui Temple in Liangcuo Village, Chengmen, in the southern suburbs of Fuzhou. The eastern pagoda is known as the “Kalpa of Adornment Thousand Buddha Pagoda,” while the western one is called the “Kalpa of Worthies Thousand Buddha Pagoda.” Both pagodas stand approximately 7 meters tall, with eight sides and nine tiers, constructed by layering and firing pottery pieces, then stacking them. Their bodies are glazed in a brownish hue. These pagodas integrate seamlessly with Yongquan Temple, filling the gap of having a temple without pagodas. They enhance the temple’s architectural layout and ambiance, acting as a striking finishing touch. Moreover, they soften the abrupt appearance of the large stone inclined staircase of the Hall of Heavenly Kings, complementing the stone lions placed at the base of the stairs, thus adding to the solemn and majestic atmosphere of Yongquan Temple.

In 1992, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural heritage site in Fuzhou as part of Yongquan Temple.

Gushan Town: Located at the eastern gateway of Fuzhou, Gushan Town covers an area of 50 square kilometers. It lies at the foot of the renowned Drum Mountain Scenic Area, 5 kilometers west of the city center, adjacent to the Mawei Development Zone to the east, bordering the Guling Summer Resort to the north, and facing the Min River to the south. National Highway 104 and the Fuma Railway run through the town. The town administers one provincial-level development zone, the Gushan New Area, 23 administrative villages, and 8 community neighborhood committees, with a population of 150,000. Gushan Town is an important hub for traditional arts and crafts in Fujian Province. Products such as Shoushan stone carvings, root carvings, and wood carvings boast unique ethnic charm and strong local characteristics. Notably, the art of Shoushan stone carving is especially re… [More information about Gushan Town]++