Baofang Temple

Baofang Temple

Baofang Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Geography: Baofang Chan Temple is located in Shanglan Village, Yanhe Township, Nancheng County, Jiangxi Province, about sixty kilometers from the county seat and bordering Lichuan County. There is a road beside the temple leading to both Nancheng and Lichuan counties, making transportation convenient.

History

Baofang Chan Temple was first built in the second year of the Linde era during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty (665 AD), and it has a history of over 1,300 years. The temple was originally named “Shanglan Yuan” and was a branch temple of the second patriarch of the Caodong School, Chanxi. Its original site was in Dong Zhangjia Cave Village, east of today’s Shanglan Village Committee, about two kilometers from Baofang Temple. It was later renamed Baofang Yuan. In the first year of the Zhiping era during the reign of Emperor Yingzong of the Song Dynasty (1064 AD), it was decreed to be called Baofang Chan Temple, and this name has been used ever since.

The total area of Baofang Chan Temple is 4,681 square meters, of which the temple buildings occupy 3,398 square meters, and the garden and threshing ground cover 1,283 square meters. The temple also has 40.5 mu of paddy fields, dry land, and forest. The temple faces south with a slight eastward orientation, surrounded by mountains on three sides, enjoying a pleasant climate and beautiful scenery. In front of the temple, bamboo groves provide a lush backdrop, and a stream flows gently nearby; behind the temple, dense pine forests, ancient towering trees, and misty clouds create a serene atmosphere. To the rear side of the temple, there are well-preserved transformation pagodas and a stupas forest (including the Yunjing Chan Temple Pagoda and the Mother-Daughter Pagoda, both built during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty). The entire temple complex features majestic architecture and exquisite craftsmanship. Buildings such as the Dharma Hall, Zen Hall, Dining Hall, Guanyin Hall, and the Mahavira Hall all have red walls, green tiles, carved beams, and painted rafters. It is one of the more completely restored ancient Buddhist temples in Nancheng and Lichuan counties and is listed as one of the province’s key temples. After its construction during the prosperous Tang Dynasty, Shanglan Yuan was passed down through several generations but eventually fell into near ruin. Later, Abbot Deshou and his disciple Wenshan passionately fundraised and, with the strong support of lay patrons such as Huang Daozhen and his wife Zheng from Jiangxia, and Liang Decheng and his wife Chen from Anding, they built a main hall, enshrined nine Buddha statues including Sakyamuni Buddha and his guardian deities, and renovated the Arhat Hall and Guanyin Hall, giving Shanglan Yuan a completely renewed appearance. Over a hundred years later, the temple fell into disrepair again until the first year of the Jiading era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1208 AD), when efforts by Monk Baofang and assistance from people like Song Guojun restored the temple to its former glory. During the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1573–1619), the temple was once again burned down. Unming Monk, undeterred by the challenges, rebuilt the main hall, Heavenly King Hall, Zen Hall, and monks’ quarters in the 29th year of Wanli (1602), and in the 35th year of Wanli (1607), an inscribed stone tablet was erected. Monk Wuming revitalized Baofang Temple. Since then, over the centuries, although the temple buildings were not severely damaged, the Buddha statues within were destroyed multiple times. During the Cultural Revolution, the temple was temporarily repurposed as housing for migrants from the Hongmen Reservoir area, educated youths sent to the countryside, and as a production team warehouse. In 1983, following the implementation of religious policies, Baofang Chan Temple reopened. With government funding and support from various sources, the temple was finally restored to its former appearance. Today, visitors and worshippers from Nancheng, Lichuan, and other counties come here year-round. Earlier, it was mentioned that there is a “Mother-Daughter” Pagoda behind the temple. This pagoda stands over three meters tall and is quite spectacular. What is its origin? It turns out that during the late Ming Dynasty in the Chongzhen era, a woman surnamed Deng from the Tu family, who became a widow in her youth, took her daughter and converted to Buddhism. They brought thirty dan of rented farmland into the temple and devoted themselves to daily worship and meditation. The mother’s Dharma name was “Xinwu,” and the daughter’s was “Qiwen.” Qiwen passed away in the fifth year of the Shunzhi era (1648 AD), and Xinwu passed away in the 14th year of the Kangxi era (1675 AD). Later, members of the Deng family, moved by the mother and daughter’s deep commitment to meditation, respectfully built the “Mother-Daughter” Pagoda to enshrine their ashes.

Jiangxi Fuzhou City