Yongxing Mountain Chan Hermitage

Yongxing Mountain Chan Hermitage

Ganzhou Yongxing Mountain Chan Hermitage

Also known as Yǐnjī Mountain Chan Hermitage, it is situated on the half-slope of Guānxīzhàng at an altitude of 800 meters on the eastern side of Yongxing Mountain in Guānxī Village, Chētóu Township, central Anyuan County. With its picturesque scenery, dense woodlands, and tranquil surroundings, it is a naturally perfect spot for establishing a Chan hermitage. In the 30th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1691), villagers of the Ye clan from Guānxī built this hermitage to enshrine their ancestor, Master Ye Míngzōng, who had achieved enlightenment through monastic practice. In the 6th year of the Jiaqing reign (1801), Magistrate Máo Kūn inscribed a plaque for the hermitage that read: “Sacred Flame of the Spiritual Mountain.” Fellow believer Ye Guāngmǐn contributed another plaque inscribed with: “True Namō.”

The Yongxing Mountain Chan Hermitage faces south and north. At its center are two main halls, comprising upper and lower sections in the traditional three-bay-by-three-bay architectural style, which are integrated with side wings, measuring a total length of 28 meters and a width of 16 meters, covering an area of 448 square meters. The left wing serves as living quarters, while the right wing functions as the kitchen. The central hall features a flush-gable roof with earthen walls, covered with trough tiles. At the center of the main ridge sits a gourd ornament, with upside-down carp decorations at both ends, and upturned ridge ends adorned with zoomorphic ornaments. The hall serves as a shrine, with the central altar on the upper level housing a statue of Master Ye Míngzōng (originally a golden statue, which was destroyed in the 8th year of the Xianfeng reign). On each side wall, there are two altars, each containing six deities representing the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions. Below the left beam under the courtyard eave hangs a large zinc bell, yet the right beam is completely empty. It is said that traditionally, Chan shrines have a bell on the left and a drum on the right—so why is there no drum on the right here? What's the reason? There is a legend behind it. It is said that during the Qianlong era, a magistrate came especially to visit the Yongxing Mountain Chan Hermitage. Upon entering the shrine, like other worshippers, he walked to the altar to light incense and candles, then kowtowed three times to Master Míngzōng. However, after his third kowtow, his body seemed nailed to the prayer mat—he couldn’t stand up no matter how hard he tried. Puzzled, he reflected inwardly, searching for any offense against the Buddha but could find none. Finally, he noticed he was wearing a pair of cowhide shoes and suddenly realized: the Buddha is vegetarian, yet I wear leather shoes made from cows—an impure material. No wonder I’ve offended the Buddha and am being punished by not being able to rise. But when he looked up and saw a large cowhide drum hanging from the beam on the right, he blurted out: “Isn’t that drum also made of cowhide?” The moment he spoke, with a loud “bang,” the drum burst. Only then was he able to stand. Since then, no drums have been placed on the right side of the hermitage.

About 150 meters west of the hermitage stands a two-story building that serves as a study hall, measuring 18 meters in length and 9.5 meters in width, covering an area of 171 square meters. In 1933, the Soviet Government of Anyuan County temporarily set up an office here. About 30 meters directly in front of and to the right of the hermitage are two guesthouses that can accommodate over a hundred people. Below the hermitage, along the forest path, there is a pavilion called Yongxing Pavilion, beside which lies a spring that provides drinking water for visitors and worshippers. To make it easier for people to drive cars, motorcycles, or ride bicycles to visit and enjoy the beauty of the hermitage while reducing the hardship of pilgrims, the Guānxī (Creek)–Tiěshān (Iron Mountain) Road has been opened, leading directly to the entrance of Yongxing Mountain Chan Hermitage. The newly opened mountain-looping road winds like a flying dragon through the dense forest, appearing and disappearing intermittently, adding more charm to the hermitage.

Since its establishment over 300 years ago, the Yongxing Mountain Chan Hermitage, like other religious sites, has experienced repeated rises and declines, enduring many trials and tribulations. Its history includes both poignant struggles and many beautiful legends. According to the “Miscellaneous Biographies: Immortals and Monks” section of the Anyuan County Annals from the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty: “In the Qing Dynasty, Ye Míngzōng, a native of Guānxī in Longtóubǎo, secluded himself in ‘Yǐnjī Mountain’ to cultivate truth and vital energy, cutting off worldly ties. In the 30th year of the Kangxi reign, he attained nirvana in a single sitting. Before his passing, he instructed his fellow villagers not to place him in a coffin… To this day, his body remains like a cicada’s cast-off shell. Later generations built a hermitage on the spot where he attained nirvana to worship him… In the 8th year of the Xianfeng reign, it was burned down and later a wooden statue was erected.” Local villagers also tell many magical and touching legends. One such story is briefly recounted here: It is said that during his years in seclusion on “Yǐnjī Mountain,” Master Míngzōng traveled far and wide to save sentient beings. One summer, while visiting Xiàgé Village in Máodiàn Township, Gan County, he found the area suffering from a severe drought—the land was cracked, crops were wilting, and farmers feared a total loss. Desperate, they set up an altar to ask Master Míngzōng to pray for rain. He readily agreed and sat cross-legged on a lotus platform to perform the ritual, enduring the scorching sun with full concentration. Sure enough, heavy rain poured down. Master Míngzōng remained seated in the pouring rain, and by the time the rain stopped, he had attained enlightenment. The people of Gan County were immensely grateful and wanted to keep his golden statue to build a temple in his honor. However, the villagers of Guānxī in Chētóu, Anyuan County, insisted on bringing his statue back to their hometown. The dispute grew intense and seemed unresolved, until someone suggested placing the statue on a boat in the river and letting the master choose his destination—if the boat floated downstream, it would belong to Gan County; if it went upstream, it would go back to Anyuan. To everyone’s surprise, the boat flowed upstream. Thus, the villagers of Guānxī honored the master’s will and brought his statue home, while the people of Gan County saw them off with flowers, incense, and fireworks. This legend is still widely told among the people of Gan County and Guānxī to this day.

From January 1959 to June 1988, for 30 years, the Yongxing Mountain Chan Hermitage was repurposed as the Anyuan County Dermatology Hospital. It wasn’t until July 1988 that the hospital relocated. In November 1989, with official approval, the Yongxing Mountain Tourism Area Preparatory Committee was established. The committee organized community fundraising efforts to comprehensively renovate both the Chan Hermitage and the Study Hall, restoring them to their former glory. The hermitage has since become a significant tourist attraction and religious site in Anyuan County, the source of the Dongjiang River.

In January 1993, the People’s Government of Anyuan County officially approved the registration of the Yongxing Mountain Chan Hermitage and established a management committee for the hermitage.