Round Buddha Hall on Mount Lu

Round Buddha Hall on Mount Lu

The Round Buddha Hall is located at the tail of Lion Peak on Mount Lu in Jiangxi Province. Built in the mid-1920s, the motivation behind its construction remains unknown. Judging by its shape — sturdy and umbrella-like in appearance — it came to be called the Round Buddha Hall. Originally, it had five gates, each housing a Buddha statue, hence it was also known as the Five Buddha Hall. Later, the statues were destroyed and the gates were converted into windows. The overall structure appears stable, expansive, and dignified. However, its interior doesn’t resemble that of a typical Buddhist hall, as there is a solid stone pillar erected right in the center — stretching all the way to the ceiling. Its unique design has led to speculation about its symbolism. A popular local tale says that the hall was built by Tang Shengzhi, motivated by his desire to find an auspicious burial site for his mother’s grave based on feng shui, with Lion Peak being the chosen location. Since the head of the peak had the Tianchi Temple and its back had the Tianchi Pagoda, the tail was left without any structure, so it was decided to build here. This small building took six years to complete, naturally drawing attention. It’s speculated that there may have been a hidden story behind it: Tang’s mother was a devoted Buddhist who took vegetarian vows, and after her passing, her ashes were secretly buried in the center of the hall’s floor. The central stone pillar above is said to represent the lion’s tail at the end of Lion Peak.

Address: Lion Peak, Jiujiang City

Type: Historical Architecture

Recommended Visiting Time: 30–60 minutes

Ticket Information:

No separate ticket required. Included in the Mount Lu Scenic Area admission.

Transportation

Take the scenic area shuttle bus to Datianchi Station, then walk about 300–400 meters to reach the hall.