Ganzhou Yongchang Temple

Ganzhou Yongchang Temple

Ganzhou Yongchang Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

In the southeastern part of Ganzhou, a renowned historical and cultural city, within the Shahe Town of Zhanggong District, there lies a unique scenic attraction—Ganzhou Yongchang Temple.

The temple is conveniently located adjacent to Ganzhou Railway Station, bordering the Shahe Industrial Park to the east, overlooking Kongtong Mountain to the south, neighboring the railway station residential area to the west, and facing the Gong River to the north.

Yongchang Temple originated with Venerable Yongchang, who was born in Xingyuan, Jiangxi, with the secular surname Li. Influenced by scholarly pursuits from a young age, he was ordained under Venerable Dinggao at the age of fourteen. In the 29th year of the Republic of China (1940), he visited various elder monks, practicing both Chan and Pure Land Buddhism, studying doctrinal teachings and monastic discipline. For decades, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to chanting the Buddha’s name, propagating the Dharma, and helping sentient beings. He lived to the age of 83, maintaining his vows without succumbing to impermanence, transforming his physical form into relics that remain in this world as an object of reverence.

The late Venerable Yongchang’s greatest wish during his lifetime was to restore Tianwang Temple in Ganzhou. Due to historical changes, the original site of Tianwang Temple, once located at the southern end of Zengjia Lane in Ganzhou, no longer exists and has been replaced by residential areas. The only remnant is a lane named “Tianwang Temple” near the Standard Clock Tower in downtown Ganzhou. Rebuilding on the original site proved unfeasible, so to fulfill the late master’s vision, his disciple Jide and others carefully selected a new location across Ganzhou in 1998. With approval from the Ganzhou Municipal People’s Government, they acquired 40 acres of land east of Shahe Railway Station to construct a new temple. To honor their teacher’s legacy, the temple was named Yongchang Temple after Venerable Yongchang. A stupa housing the Venerable’s relics was also built on the temple’s hillside as a field of merit.

Yongchang Temple enjoys convenient transportation and beautiful scenery. The temple’s main gate faces the northern end of Shahe Avenue, with National Highway 323 just 500 meters to the north. For those arriving by train, the temple is approximately 1 kilometer north of Ganzhou Railway Station.

The temple is nestled in an elegant and picturesque environment, surrounded by hills on three sides like a lotus blossom. The mountains are covered with lush pines and cypresses, while the foothills are dotted with layered buildings. Within the temple grounds flows a clear mountain spring—its waters sparkling to the eye and refreshing to the taste, drinking like sweet dew and bathing like a nourishing spring. The serene and tranquil atmosphere of the temple offers a peaceful sanctuary amidst the bustling urban life.

The overall plan for Yongchang Temple includes structures such as the Mountain Gate, Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, Chanting Hall, Dharma Hall, Scripture Depository, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Guest Hall, Dining Hall, Merit Hall, Longevity Hall, Patriarchs Hall, Abbot’s Quarters, Relic Stupa, Assembly Stupa, and Monastic Living Quarters. Once fully completed, the temple will stand as a magnificent, serene, and sacred site—a heavenly abode on earth and a radiant jewel in the beautiful landscape of ancient Ganzhou.

Today, the temple is led by Venerable Jide (a native of Yudu County, Jiangxi, who was ordained under Venerable Yongchang in 1983. In 1985, to pray for world peace and the happiness of all people, he undertook a kowtow pilgrimage from South China’s Qujiang Nan Hua Temple to the sacred Buddhist site of Mount Wutai in Shanxi, covering the journey step by step. He has served as a member of the Political Consultative Conference in Yongping County, Yunnan, as the Dharma Master at Zhusheng Temple on Mount Jiufeng in Yunnan, and as the abbot of Jinguang Temple in Yongping County, Yunnan). Together with over ten resident monastics including Venerables Huiyou, Guoming, Zuwei, and Zusen, they uphold the fine traditions of Buddhism, emphasizing both farming and meditation. Through hard work and dedication, they have constructed monastic quarters, renovated halls, and crafted sacred statues, bringing brilliance to the temple. This has attracted a continuous stream of devotees and pilgrims from Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and surrounding counties and cities.