Wan'an Guanyin Temple

Wan'an Guanyin Temple

Wan'an Guanyin Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Guanyin Temple is located in Lao Tongqian Village, Wushu Township, on the opposite bank of Zaokou Village, Shaping Town, Wan'an County, Jiangxi Province. It borders the majestic Tianhu Mountain to the east, the surging Gan River to the west, is 30 kilometers south of Wan'an and 70 kilometers north of Ganzhou. Facing the reservoir area of the Jiangxi Wan'an Hydropower Station, a key national hydroelectric project, the vast tranquil lake blends with the mountain scenery, blue waves, and clear skies in perfect harmony. The temple architecture combines ancient and modern styles, featuring white walls, red tiles, and vermilion paint, creating a unique aesthetic. It includes the Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Hall, Tianjun Hall, Ancestral Master Hall, and Merit Hall.

The establishment and history of Guanyin Temple are long-standing, marked by hardships and twists. From the Jin, Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, to Qing dynasties, eminent monks presided over the temple, ensuring a continuous stream of incense offerings and a legacy filled with legends. Especially after the late Ming and early Qing periods, structures such as the King Hall, True Lord Hall, God of Wealth Hall, King Kang Hall, and Guanyin Hall were built. Originally named Yili An and also known as King Wang Temple, it entered a period of great prosperity.

In the third year of the Jianyan era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1129 AD), when the Jurchens invaded the Central Plains and vast territories fell, a pursuing army that chased Empress Dowager Longyou (aunt of Emperor Gaozong Zhao Gou of the Song Dynasty) advanced from Zhejiang to Jiangxi. The dowager escaped to Shicun Temple in Jishui, and after dreaming of avoiding the captors, she set sail to Zaokou, disembarked, and hid in the temple. Soon after, the Jurchen soldiers arrived, but suddenly the river roared angrily, waves surged violently, and thick fog enveloped the area, making them vanish from sight. The Jurchen leader panicked, carried out a brutal massacre, then hastily ordered a retreat north. The dowager narrowly escaped danger and deeply believed it was the divine intervention of the Bodhisattva and the protection of the gods. She then traveled through Danqian to Ganzhou. Since then, the incense offerings at the temple grew even more fervent. In 1176 AD, Xin Qiji, the Jiangxi Circuit Judge stationed in Ganzhou, passed through Zaokou. Reflecting on this historical tragedy and moved by the scene, he was deeply affected and inspired to write the poem “Pu Sa Man – Inscribed on the Wall at Zaokou”: “Beneath Gloom-Gathering Tower flows the Clear River’s water; / How many tears from wanderers have wet its border? / Looking northwest to the capital my heart aches sore, / For hills upon hills bar my view, alas, and more. / But green hills can’t stop water flowing eastward on. / In the evening glow I’m grieved to hear the orioles’ song.” With the fame of this poem spreading, the temple's reputation also grew significantly.

In the 26th year of the Kangxi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1687 AD), “floodwaters surged, mountains collapsed, and the earth split open.” All halls within Yili An were washed away by spring floods, leaving the temple in ruins and its poetic records obliterated. At that time, an old bearded fisherman fishing in the Eighteen Shoals of the Gan River spotted something floating on the water’s surface. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a stone statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy who blesses with children. Examining it further, he noticed characters carved on the back of the statue that read: “Made by Guo of Mushan.” He then erected a small shrine in Lao Tongqian and enshrined the Guanyin statue inside. Pilgrims flocked to the site ceaselessly. One day, a scholar named Zhu Kaidi, on his way to the imperial capital to take the exams, passed by the shrine and made a vow: “If I succeed and my name is listed on the golden register, I will surely undertake major construction to build a grand temple.” His wish came true, and the small shrine was expanded into a large temple, attracting more and more believers. Historical records of the temple include a plaque inscribed with “Virtue Extends Across Two Rivers,” several engraved wooden tablets donated by Zhu Kaidi, as well as a stone lion and a bronze bell. The floating stone statue of Guanyin the Goddess of Childbirth remains enshrined in the temple to this day for worship. By the fourth year of the Republic of China (1915 AD), “torrential rains fell incessantly, and the Gan River flooded violently.” The temple was once again struck by floodwaters, and its buildings collapsed one after another. A poem bears witness: “In the fourth year of the Republic, demons rose at the river’s edge. / Countless tiled houses were swept away, and fertile fields destroyed. / The people suffered cold and hunger, unable to endure their days, / Begging the government to exempt their grain taxes. / Floods have occurred in every dynasty, but none compare to this year of Yi Mao.” Fortunately, historical documents were preserved intact, and devotees from all walks of life repaired the temple once more.

On May 1, 1978, construction began on the Wan'an Hydropower Station, a key national project with an installed capacity of 500,000 kilowatts. On May 26, 1993, the reservoir area reached full storage capacity at the 96-meter elevation. The Eighteen Shoals of the Gan River, where literati such as Xin Qiji, Su Dongpo, Wen Tianxiang, Yang Wanli, and Xie Gao once composed poetry, became a vast tranquil lake, and King Wang Temple was destined to be submerged. That year, devotees from all directions donated funds and labor, invited monks, and gathered monastic and lay practitioners to hold the “Prayer for Peace and Ten Thousand Buddhas Assembly.” They recommended fair-minded individuals to manage the organization and relocated the original temple to a mountaintop over 100 meters above the local elevation, constructing a building with a floor area of over 800 square meters. It was renamed Guanyin Pavilion. On December 1, 1995, it was approved by the People’s Government of Wan’an County as a legitimate religious activity site and officially renamed Wan'an Guanyin Temple. The temple’s Mahavira Hall is solemn and dignified, with a massive and exquisitely crafted statue of Guanyin. Statues of Sakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Medicine Buddha, and the Eighteen Arhats are lifelike and serene. To the right of the main hall are a kitchen, dining hall, dormitory, bathroom, and an 18-meter-deep circular well equipped with an electric water pump. The well provides hot water for bathing, lodging for the night, and meals when needed, offering great convenience. Standing atop the mountain and looking out over the reservoir area, visitors are greeted with picturesque landscapes—lush mountains, dense forests, tea-covered hills, abundant fruit, fish farms dotting the waters, and flocks of geese and ducks playing in groups, creating a scene too beautiful to take in all at once and filling the heart with joy. The beautiful natural scenery, magnificent cultural landscapes, rich Buddhist culture, and comprehensive living facilities make it a premier destination for tourism and sightseeing.

Shaping Town: Shaping Town is located in the southern part of Wan'an County, bordered by the Gan River to the east, Danqian Township and Xiazao Town to the south, Bizhou Town of Suichuan County to the west, and Wufeng Town to the north. It is 40 kilometers from Ganzhou City, 20 kilometers from the Gan-Guang Expressway, and 18 kilometers from National Highway 105. The town covers a total area of 131.8 square kilometers, with 13,000 mu of arable land, 149,800 mu of forested mountain land, a forest coverage rate of 75%, and 10,000 mu of water area suitable for aquaculture. It administers 1 neighborhood committee, 7 administrative villages, and 103 villager groups, with a total population of 13,820.

Shaping Town has significant locational advantages and an investment environment... More details about Shaping Town++