Yangqi Putong Temple

Yangqi Putong Temple

Yangqi Putong Temple is a cultural heritage site of Jiangxi Province.

Yangqi Putong Temple is a provincial-level cultural heritage site, situated at the center of the Yangqi Mountain Scenic Area, at the foot of Shoutao Peak on Yangqi Mountain in Shangli County, Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province. It lies 25 kilometers from downtown Pingxiang and 6 kilometers from Shangli County. The temple is about 20 kilometers from the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway, the Pinghong Expressway, and the Shanghai–Kunming Expressway. The road linking the temple to National Highway 319 has been paved with cement, offering very convenient transportation. Moreover, electricity, telecommunication, and mobile communication services are fully covered in the area.

Yangqi Mountain Putong Temple is the ancestral temple of the Yangqi School, a major branch of the Linji School — one of the five houses and seven sects of Chinese Chan (Zen) Buddhism. Originally built in the 12th year of the Tianbao era (753) during the prosperous Tang Dynasty under the direction of Master Chengguang, it is the birthplace of the Yangqi School of Chan Buddhism. Initially named “Guangli Temple,” it was renamed “Putong Temple” during the Song Dynasty and has retained that name ever since, boasting a history of over 1,200 years. In 1996, it was approved by the Jiangxi Provincial Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau as an official site for religious activities and is classified as a key provincial temple. Currently, the temple has six monks and nuns, along with more than 2,000 local lay Buddhists and devotees, and religious activities are carried out regularly. It serves not only as a sacred religious site but also as a scenic tourist destination and summer retreat. In recent years, an increasing number of international visitors, Yangqi disciples, and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan have come to study its history, pay homage to the ancestral temple, seek spiritual roots, and engage in tourism. Meanwhile, domestic patrons, lay practitioners, devotees, and tourists continue to flock here to worship, escape the summer heat, and enjoy the scenery, making it a bustling and lively place.

Built against the mountain and ascending layer by layer, Yangqi Putong Temple is ancient, majestic, and imposing. The entire temple complex consists of the mountain gate, the Maitreya Hall, the Mahavira Hall, the Ancestral Hall, the kitchen, dining hall, guest hall, and dormitories, covering an area of 7,600 square meters with a built-up area of 1,200 square meters. Surrounding the temple are a number of culturally rich and historically significant sites, including Yaojinshan Temple, Miaojing Temple, He Daxian Temple, Shangli Wanshou Palace, Baoji Temple, Jinlun Temple, Sanhou Temple, Chunyang Taoist Temple, Zhanggong Ancestral Hall, Fengming Lake, Nielong Cave, Ziwo Spring, Qianqiu Terrace, Chessboard Rock, Bazhang Road, Guanyin Cliff, Wen Tomb, Hanpo Pass, Tang Dynasty steles, Tang Dynasty pagoda, upside-down cypress trees, and relics of historical figures, scholars, and monk-poets. These attractions are numerous and incredibly diverse.

Shangli Town: Located in the northern part of Pingxiang and on the border between Hunan and Jiangxi, Shangli Town is the seat of the county government and serves as the political, economic, cultural, transportation, and commercial hub of the entire county. The town covers a total area of 98.9 square kilometers and has a population of 82,100. It currently administers 29 administrative villages and 4 community neighborhood committees.

The town enjoys convenient transportation. The Nanchang–Changsha Highway runs east-west, while National Highway 319 and the Pingxiang–Shangli Expressway stretch north-south, forming an interwoven and safe network of urban and rural roads. It takes just three hours to reach the provincial capital Nanchang, one hour to reach Changsha, and 45 minutes to reach Changsha Huanghua Airport. … Shangli Town Detailed Information++