Yanshan Tomb Pagoda Cluster

Yanshan Tomb Pagoda Cluster

The Yanshan Tomb Pagoda Cluster is a cultural heritage site protected by Jiangxi Province.

Located to the west of Southeast Village in Hongjiang Township, south of the city, at the foot of Yanshan Mountain. This site features tomb pagodas from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, distributed across eight peaks including Ta’wo, Wangxing, Huxing, and Jiyun Peak, totaling more than 100 pagodas. These tomb pagodas hold significant value for the study of Weiyang Buddhism, one of China’s five major Zen sects, and are also among the most prominent cultural relics and historic sites in Yichun. For example, the Miaoguang Pagoda of Master Yanshan Zhitong in the pagoda cluster of Dian Shang is composed of a pagoda and a pavilion, both made of stone. With an overall height of 3.6 meters, it boasts a refined, robust structure and a majestic, imposing presence. In the first year of the Tang Dynasty's Huichang era (841 AD), Huiyi, one of the founders of the Weiyang sect, came to Yanshan and established the “Qiyin Temple.” Later, followers flocked here for initiation, making Yanshan the birthplace of the Weiyang sect.

Tip: Huiyi (814–891 AD), originally from Huaihua in Shaozhou, surname Ye, first studied under Dan Yuan, then with Weiyang Mountain, eventually mastering the profundities of Buddhism and earning the title “Little Shakyamuni.” In 891 AD, during the Tang Dynasty’s Dashaun era, he passed away while seated cross-legged, reciting a gatha. His dharma heir was Guangyong, and his remains were interred beneath the pagoda on Yanshan. He was posthumously honored as Master Zhidong, and his pagoda is known as the Miaoguang Pagoda. In 1987, the Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau allocated special funds for the restoration of this pagoda.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units