Chaohua Temple

Chaohua Temple

Chaohua Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Chaohua Temple is located atop the ruins of Wutang Pavilion. It was first built in 864 AD (the fifth year of the Xiantong era during the Tang Dynasty). In its early days, the temple boasted grand halls and monk quarters, housing hundreds of monks. By the early Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty, more than half of the temple had collapsed. Monk Zongzhao (secular surname Fan) spent a hundred taels of silver to renovate it.

During the Zhengde era, three halls of the Sangharama Hall were constructed, but before the statues could be installed, bandits set fire to the abbot’s quarters. In the early years of the Jiajing era, Fan Ji used his own funds and labor to create the statues of the Sangharama deities and built three abbot’s quarters. By the 24th year of the Jiajing era (1545), the Sangharama Hall was damaged by prolonged rain. Fan Ji’s younger brother, Qi, also contributed his own money to hire craftsmen for repairs and erected a stele beside the hall to commemorate the event, titled "Record of the Reconstruction of the Halls of Chaohua Temple." The text was composed by Wang Xiumin, a local resident (this text can be found in the Yu Tai County Annals, Kangxi edition). By 1990, only the Sangharama Hall remained. In 2006, the Sangharama Hall was renovated. Now, with its ornate eaves and soaring structure, it is the only surviving Tang Dynasty-era temple in Yutai.