Taishan Puzhao Temple

Taishan Puzhao Temple

Taishan Puzhao Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located at the foot of Linghan Peak on the southern slopes of Mount Tai, the temple is said to have been established during the Six Dynasties period. According to the Qing Dynasty’s Nie Jianguang’s *Record of the Routes of Mount Tai*, Puzhao Temple was an ancient temple from the Tang and Song dynasties. In the fifth year of the Dading era of the Jin Dynasty (1165), it was rebuilt by imperial decree and named “Puzhao Chanlin” (Puzhao Buddhist Forest), with an imperial decree stele inscribed on the temple wall. The site suffered repeated damage from war but the foundation remained. In the third year of the Xuande era of the Ming Dynasty (1428), Korean monk Master Man'gong climbed Mount Tai and visited the ancient temples. He spent over 20 years on Mount Tai, rebuilding Zhulin Temple and reviving Puzhao Temple. Over a thousand disciples received teachings from him. The existing *Record of the Temple's Reopening* stele from the sixteenth year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty documents this. In the early years of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, renowned monk Yuan Yu built the Stone Hall and, in accordance with ancient traditions, held ordination ceremonies on Buddha’s Birthday. During the Daoguang era (1821–1850), the Buddha Pavilion (now the Mosong Tower) was constructed. In the sixth year of the Guangxu era (1880), the main hall and the east and west side halls were renovated. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the temple underwent multiple restorations. In 1984, the rear courtyard was turned into the “Feng Yuxiang at Mount Tai” exhibition room.

Puzhao Temple belongs to the Linji school of Chan Buddhism and is a famous monastery in North China. The temple complex has four courtyards, with a central axis formed by the double mountain gate, the Mahavira Hall, and the Mosong Tower. It is flanked by side halls, monastic quarters, gardens, and more, covering an area of 6,150 square meters, forming a complete architectural complex.

The first gate has three bays and is a gatehouse-style structure, with a pair of stone lions on either side of the entrance. Upon entering, there is a courtyard with bell and drum towers on the east and west respectively. The bell tower houses a stone pillar bell frame and an iron bell with lotus petal-shaped mouth cast in the twenty-second year of the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1817). The second gate leads into the second courtyard, with arched doorways on both side walls. Outside the western archway stands a Yuan Dynasty pagoda pillar, recording how Monk Fahai renovated Puzhao Temple during the Yuanshen era (1295–1297). Ascending the steps leads to the third courtyard, centered around the Mahavira Hall — a five-ridged, single-eave, three-bay hall with front and rear corridors, dignified and majestic, housing a gilded bronze seated statue of Sakyamuni. The east and west side halls each have three bays. The courtyard features a pair of ginkgo trees and paired Chinese pines, as well as a double-eaved iron incense burner made by Monk Mingrui, the abbot at the time, and his disciples during the Daoguang era (1821–1850). On the east and west sides of the main hall are hanging flower gates leading to the rear courtyard.

The rear courtyard is home to the famous “Six Dynasties Pine,” an ancient pine several people can hug, with dense, twisting branches spreading in all directions and a canopy like an umbrella. Above it stands the Mosong Tower, where visitors can touch the treetop while viewing the pine. Below the pine is the “Sieve Moon Pavilion,” named for the poetic image of the ancient pine filtering moonlight. The pavilion sits atop a high platform, square in shape, with upturned eaves on all four sides and couplets on each pillar. Below the pavilion is a square stone table — when its four corners and center are tapped, they produce five clear, chime-like tones, hence the name “Five-Tone Stone.” To the east of the central axis are the Chan Monastery and the Stone Hall Courtyard; to the west is the Chrysanthemum Grove Courtyard, whose gate bears a horizontal plaque reading “Former Retreat of the Chrysanthemum Grove.” Inside the courtyard is the “First-Rank Minister” pine. The Qing Dynasty abbot Yuan Yu, a accomplished poetic monk also known as “Old Man of the Stone Hall,” authored the *Collected Works of the Stone Hall*. He planted many chrysanthemums here, earning it the name “Chrysanthemum Garden.” Today, the ruins of his tomb pagoda can still be found southeast of the temple. Puzhao Temple is the only four-sided monastery on the southern side of Mount Tai. During the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, the Tai’an Prefecture Sangangsi (Monastic Administration) was located here. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the temple attracted many visitors, with worshippers coming continuously. Activities were halted during the Cultural Revolution. Religious activities resumed in 1979.

Address: No. 128, Puzhao Temple Road, at the foot of Linghan Peak, Mount Tai Scenic Area, Tai’an City

Type: Historic Site / Temple

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Phone: 0538-6213151

Opening Hours:

7:30-18:00

Ticket Information:

Door Price: 5.0 RMB