Pingxiang Chunyang Temple

Pingxiang Chunyang Temple

According to the *Zhaoping Annals*, Chunyang Temple was originally called a nunnery. It was first built as a thatched hut against the rocks during the Song Dynasty, and later covered with tiles in the Ming Dynasty. During the Tian Shun era (1457–1464), Magistrate Wang Shi, together with local resident Wang Tinglan, constructed the Chunyang Hall here. In the ninth year of the Zhengde reign (1514) under Emperor Wuzong, Magistrate Hu Pei added a bell and drum tower. In the 24th year of the Wanli reign (1596), the magistrate added the Dust-Avoidance Pavilion and the Washing-Collar Pavilion. In the 36th year of the Qianlong reign (1771), Magistrate Wang Jian, a Buddhist devotee, renamed the Chunyang Hall as Henglong Temple. In the 48th year of the Qianlong reign (1783), Magistrate Xu Shengwu built the Four Wonders Pavilion and the Shenliu Bridge behind the temple. By the Daoguang era (1821–1850), the site underwent renovation, and further repairs were made during the Xianfeng era (1851–1861), resulting in two main halls (i.e., two nunneries). These structures were uniformly laid out and exquisitely crafted, featuring an uniquely designed 18-arch corridor connecting the upper and lower halls, showcasing fine and distinctive architectural style. The temple enshrined Buddhist statues and maintained constant incense offerings. Many literati throughout history composed poems and inscriptions here. Before liberation, Henglong Temple fell into decline, becoming disordered and dilapidated. By 1947, with only one monk remaining who could no longer manage the site, the temple along with its affiliated farmland and forests was sold to 18 Taoists including Li Tiantai and Liu Yangying. From then on, it came under Taoist management and was converted from a temple to a Taoist temple—now known as Chunyang Temple. After liberation, Chunyang Temple experienced a period of decline with very few Taoists remaining. Especially during the Cultural Revolution, the statues were destroyed, the Taoists were driven out, and the temple was successively occupied by the city’s suburban agricultural high school, the municipal commerce bureau sanatorium, and the Pingxiang railway department. It was not until 1984 that the Pingxiang Municipal People’s Government, in coordination with various parties, implemented religious policies and returned the temple to Taoist administration, also designating it as a key cultural relic protection unit of Pingxiang City. In 1986, the elderly abbot Li Tiantai passed away, and his disciple Liu Yangying succeeded him. Over the following years, Liu Yangying led the Taoist community in fundraising through donations and frugal living. With her unique medical skills—especially in treating polio—she gained widespread fame, attracting numerous patients. Her selfless dedication to healing moved the local community, who joined together to raise funds for the temple’s restoration. At the same time, strong support and assistance from the local government helped renovate Chunyang Temple over three years. It was officially reopened to the public in 1989.

The restored Chunyang Temple is truly magnificent. The mountain gate bears the inscription: “To seek ancient relics, do not doubt their seclusion; try drinking the spiritual spring, and you too have fate.” Upon entering the gate, you arrive at the first hall, called the “Spirit Palace Hall,” which enshrines the deity Wang Lingguan. The “Lingguan” is depicted with a phoenix beak, silver teeth, a red face, three eyes, wielding a golden whip, and standing atop wind-fire wheels—his appearance is heroic and strikingly lifelike. Taoism refers to him as the “god general commanding millions of divine beasts,” also known as the “pioneer guardian master.” His statue stands nearly 2 meters tall. To the right of the Lingguan is the Carefree Gate, and to the left is the Cloud-Gathering Gate. Beyond the Carefree Gate lies a well called the “Heavenly Well,” one of the major attractions of Chunyang Temple. The spring water inside remains cool in summer and warm in winter, flowing continuously and connecting to a clear spring outside the gate. The surrounding stone carvings read: “Leaning on the railing to meet the true deity, by the pool one comprehends the secrets of transformation. The flowing water rises naturally, fish swim freely by destiny. The mirror opens to a unified sky-blue hue, the pond clear with a solitary moon. Lively waters are a joy to behold, soaring spirits may question the dragon.” These verses capture the essence of the Heavenly Well. Beyond the well is the Chunyang Hall, enshrining the “Chunyang Performing Righteousness, Warning Transformation, Supportive and Blessing Emperor,” namely the image of Lü Dongbin, regarded as the patriarch of Taoism. The Chunyang Hall features the temple’s uniquely designed “18-arch corridor” (currently 16 arches remain). Each arch spans over a meter in both width and length, ascending step-by-step from bottom to top, creating a distinctive visual effect. Passing through the corridor leads to the upper section of the Chunyang Temple, which consists of two-story halls, individual rooms for Taoists, and the founding abbot’s ancestral hall. The front hall is called the “Mercy Ark Hall,” enshrining the “Great Compassionate and Great Vowing Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Perfect Enlightenment Heavenly Worthy,” also referred to as the “Mercy Ark Daoist,” hence the name Mercy Ark Hall. Further inside lies the final and uppermost hall of the temple, called the “Three Pure Ones Hall.” It houses three major shrines: the “Clear Mist Heaven Palace,” the “Yu Yu Heaven Palace,” and the “Great Crimson Heaven Palace.” Below these shrines are enshrined the Jade Clarity Primordial Heavenly Worthy, the Upper Clarity Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Worthy, and the Great Clarity Moral Heavenly Worthy. Their statues, each 2 meters tall, are solemn, majestic, and remarkably lifelike. The hall itself is grand and imposing, with a three-dimensional lotus-shaped dome on the ceiling, complemented by “skylights” facing “earth pools”—an architecturally distinctive design. Behind the Three Pure Ones Hall, there is an ancient cave carved into the rock, capable of accommodating hundreds of people. Today, Chunyang Temple greets pilgrims and visitors from all over the world with its renewed splendor.

Jiangxi Pingxiang City's Henglong Cave Chunyang Temple is now a serene Taoist nunnery, located five li west of Pingxiang City. Surrounded by overlapping mountains and a secluded, extraordinary landscape, the area is lush with greenery, and within the cave, clear springs flow silently underground, emerging at the steps to form a pool. Though it may not rival the fame of the renowned Three Mountains and Five Peaks, its unique natural scenery and distinctive architecture still attract thousands of pilgrims and tourists.