Stone Bridge Temple

Stone Bridge Temple

Stone Bridge Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Stone Bridge Temple is located beside the road from Tan'gang to Changshan and Baizhu in Aoxi Town, Le'an County. It was first built in the third year of the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty (744). Here, a massive natural rock rises from the hills like a soaring azure dragon, forming this stone bridge. Legend has it that thousands of years ago, the incense smoke from the ancient temple wafted so strongly into the heavens that it startled the immortals, prompting them to descend and visit. They miraculously built this stone bridge overnight, hence it is also called "Immortal Bridge." The bridge stands 20 meters high and is 15 meters wide. A mountain path on the bridge allows visitors to climb up for a scenic view. About 50 steps in front of the Immortal Bridge is Stone Bridge Temple. In its heyday, the temple complex was grand, featuring the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, scripture recital rooms, bell and drum rooms, monks’ quarters, as well as a three-story pavilion and a Buddhist pagoda, making the temple both majestic and spectacular. It is said that during the Chunxi era of the Southern Song Dynasty, national hero Wen Tianxiang once studied here. When he revisited the site later, he found the temple in disrepair and donated funds for its restoration. Some bricks from that time bear the inscription "Wen Tianxiang." The temple has undergone repairs in subsequent dynasties. There are also many historic sites near the stone bridge. Beside the temple lies the Five-Colored Rock, which legend says was once a small cave that produced oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and rice daily for the monks’ consumption. Later, a greedy monk, wishing for more food, asked stonemasons to enlarge the cave. Blood flowed from within, and since then, no more food appeared—only dirty water. Other nearby formations include a Stone Mill, Stone Gearing Stone, Ox Nose Rock, Tiger Rock, Stone Arhat, and Stone Goddess, all remarkably lifelike and captivating. The area boasts beautiful mountains and clear waters, lush valleys, and exquisite rocks and historic relics that dot the landscape, making the scenery especially enchanting. As a result, scholars, writers, and travelers have visited here throughout history to study, lecture, and sightsee. The Song Dynasty poet He Daxu once wrote a poem about Stone Bridge Temple: "Not even Xing Gong was permitted to know of this mountain, Yet true immortals alighted here with their staffs. Dark mists descended like black rainbows halfway down, And one night the Milky Way solidified into this stone bridge at Temple Bay. The moon’s slanting light dazzles through emerald voids, While the wind falls silent, and rain flowers drift gently. Where are the immortals of these hills now? Despite three calls on my crane, they still do not return." The current temple is built beneath the stone bridge, facing west with an eastward orientation. It is 34 meters wide and 58 meters deep, covering a total area of 986 square meters. In front of the temple is a incense burner and enclosing wall, and to the left front stands a mountain gate with dozens of steps. The front wall has three gates—left, middle, and right. The central gate leads to the Mahavira Hall, where seventeen statues including Sakyamuni and other Buddhas are enshrined at the center, flanked by the Eighteen Arhats. Bell and drum racks are set up on both sides of the hall, with a central altar table. The side gates lead to the dining hall, monks’ quarters, and guest rooms for pilgrims. In 1980, it was designated as a county-level cultural heritage protection unit by the People's Government of Le'an County.