Architectural Ruins of Bada Shanren’s Monastic Site at Jiegang

Architectural Ruins of Bada Shanren’s Monastic Site at Jiegang

The Architectural Ruins of Bada Shanren’s Monastic Site at Jiegang is a cultural relic protection unit of Nanchang County.

The “Architectural Ruins of Bada Shanren’s Monastic Site at Jiegang” are located approximately 300 meters north of Jiegang Natural Village, Tuhong Village, Huangma Township, Nanchang County, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province. They consist of two parts: the “Ruins of Helin Temple” and the “Ruins of Dengshe.” The “Ruins of Dengshe” are situated about 200 meters northeast of the “Ruins of Helin Temple,” covering an area of approximately 1,800 square meters. This site has now been converted into dry farmland, where around 500 pear trees have been planted. Remnants of broken bricks and tiles can be faintly seen underground. The “Ruins of Helin Temple” lie between three small hills: Chaigou Mountain, Heshang Mountain, and Lugu Ridge. On the southern side of the “Ruins of Helin Temple,” there remains a fragment of the mountain gate wall. This remnant wall features the architectural style of the late Ming Dynasty, standing 3.7 meters tall, with a remaining width of 6.19 meters and a thickness of 0.32 meters. There is a door opening in the wall, framed by red sandstone lintels; the upper part is semicircular, built with red sandstone arches, with the door opening being 1.32 meters wide and 2.28 meters high. The remnant wall is constructed with blue bricks laid in a “sleeping bond” pattern, alternating headers and stretchers, with the hollow sections filled with earth to provide insulation that keeps it warm in winter and cool in summer. The upper part of the wall features a three-layered blue brick corbel cornice forming a parapet, covered with gray clay tiles. Both the wall bricks and the red sandstone are finely polished. About 20 meters behind the Ming Dynasty wall on the eastern side, there remains a fragment of the main hall wall from the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. The wall fragment stands 5.97 meters tall, is 8.26 meters wide, and 0.35 meters thick. It is built with blue bricks in a sleeping bond pattern, alternating headers and stretchers, with the hollow sections filled with earth. The main hall wall fragment is part of the gable wall on one side of a flush-gable roof; traces of roof purlins can be seen on both the inner and outer surfaces of the wall.

Behind the “Ruins of Helin Temple” (to the north), at the original location of the rear main hall, a new “Helin Temple” has been built. To the west of the ruins lies a bamboo grove.

The “Architectural Ruins of Bada Shanren’s Monastic Site at Jiegang” are of great significance for the study of Ming and Qing architecture and of Bada Shanren.

On May 7, 2010, the Nanchang County People’s Government listed it as part of the fifth batch of Nanchang County Cultural Relic Protection Units.

Source: Nanchang County Museum

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