Taishan Yuquan Temple

Taishan Yuquan Temple

Taishan Yuquan Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province.

The Taishan Yuquan Temple scenic area is located on the northern foothills of Mount Tai. The temple was originally built by the Northern Wei monk Yi, rebuilt during the Jin Dynasty by monk Shanning, and expanded in the Yuan Dynasty by monk Pujin with the addition of the Seven Buddhas Pavilion. It has been repeatedly restored and abandoned over the years. The current site contains ten stone steles and is surrounded by over twenty ancient chestnut trees that are thousands of years old. It forms a cultural landscape centered around Yuquan Temple, themed around Buddhism and folk culture, and is known as the Buddhist realm on the shady side of Mount Tai.

The temple has many names. Because there is Gu Mountain to the south and Yuquan (Jade Spring) to the east, it is also called Gu Mountain Temple, Yuquan Temple, or Gu Mountain Yuquan Temple. Commonly, it is referred to as Buddha Temple. It is located north of the summit of Mount Tai, with a straight-line distance of 6.3 kilometers and a mountain path that winds for over 20 kilometers. It was established during the Northern and Southern Dynasties by the eminent Northern Wei monk Yi, and was repeatedly built and abandoned over time. In 1993, the Mahavira Hall and surrounding walls were rebuilt on the original site.

The Mahavira Hall is built atop layered high platforms, visible only when you look up. Inside the hall are clay statues of Sakyamuni and the Eighteen Arhats. There are three Tang Dynasty-planted ginkgo trees in the temple grounds, towering and casting broad shade. Beneath the trees stands a stele inscribed with the "Record of the Reconstruction of Gu Mountain Temple" written by Du Renjie of the Yuan Dynasty and calligraphed by Yan Zhongfan, along with a Ming Dynasty stele titled "Field Record." Looking around the courtyard, the grand hall rises high, ancient trees stand tall, and steles stand solemnly, presenting the classic appearance of an old temple. Behind the temple, on a hillside, grows an ancient pine whose canopy resembles a canopy, providing shade over the hillside, known as the "One-Mu Pine." In the apple orchard to the east of the temple, beneath a stone-lined terrace lies an ancient spring known as Yuquan, commonly called the Octagonal Glazed Well. The spring flows year-round, never drying up even in severe droughts, with water that is pure, cool, and sweet to the taste.

The two characters “Yu Quan” (Jade Spring) were inscribed by Dang Huaiying, a Grand Scholar of the Jin Dynasty. On the mountainside to the west of the temple stands a stele inscribed with the "Record of Gu Mountain Temple," written, inscribed, and sealed by Dang Huaiying. On both sides of the temple, the hills contain natural large footprints embedded in the rocks, hence they are commonly known as East and West Buddha Foot Mountains. To the south of the temple is Buddha Valley, beyond which lies En Valley Ridge, and further south is Gu Mountain. Gu Mountain stands uniquely tall, with a solitary pine at its summit, known as the South-Pointing Needle. In the northwest part of the summit are two gold mine tunnels, said to be the alchemy sites of Qiu Chuji, the Longevity True Man of the early Yuan Dynasty. South of Gu Mountain is an area called Mai Fan Peng Zi, where in the past pilgrims from Jinan, Licheng, Zhangqiu, and Zibo would take this route to climb to the summit of Mount Tai. Monks and local villagers would perform acts of kindness here by offering free meals or selling food.

Gu Mountain Yuquan Temple is situated amidst surrounding mountains, hidden within dense forests, perched above high cliffs and flying streams, in a rarely visited place. If you are tired of the crowded and noisy experience of visiting the front side of Mount Tai, consider taking a trip to this spot on the back side of the mountain.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Shandong Province