Anxin Jingye Chan Temple

Anxin Jingye Chan Temple

Anxin Jingye Chan Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Jingye Chan Temple in Santai Town, Anxin County, Hebei Province was first built during the Dade era of the Yuan Dynasty. Its founder is said to be Monk Jingzhao, which is the most widely accepted account of the temple’s establishment. However, according to the *Annals of Anxin County*: “In the year 18 AD, the fifth year of the Tianfeng era under Wang Mang of the Xin Dynasty, the Red Eyebrows Army rebelled and reached the county. Locals built a fortified settlement at Santai to defend against the invaders and dug a tunnel from Jingye Chan Temple to Xicun Village for hiding......” This passage already mentions Jingye Chan Temple. If the temple existed at that time, it would predate the Yuan Dynasty Dade era by over 1,000 years. However, it is unlikely that the temple existed as early as 18 AD, since Buddhism was first introduced to China from India during the Eastern Han Dynasty, and the White Horse Temple built by Emperor Ming of Han in Luoyang is historically recognized as China’s first Buddhist temple. Buddhism had not yet spread widely in China during Wang Mang’s Tianfeng era, so it is improbable that Jingye Chan Temple existed then. The mention in the *Annals of Anxin County* is likely a later reference using the temple’s name. Nonetheless, this record does serve as evidence that there may have been an underground tunnel beneath the temple.

After the Xinhai Revolution, new schools began to emerge, and some temples in Anxin County were converted into educational institutions. Although Jingye Chan Temple did not change its function, it fell into disrepair over the years and was reduced to ruins, with nearly all cultural relics lost. During the Cultural Revolution, under the slogan “Sweep Away All Monsters and Demons,” all surface traces of Jingye Chan Temple were completely erased, and a branch campus of Shenmingting Primary School was built on the former temple site.

After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, with approval from higher authorities, Jingye Chan Temple was restored and reopened, resuming its role in promoting Buddhism. It now has three main halls, 21 auxiliary halls, six monks, and over 700 lay followers, who come from areas including Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Baoding, and Cangzhou.

Transportation Guide

Address: Santai Town, Anxin County, Baoding City, Hebei Province

Transit: Buses heading to Santai Town from Anxin County can get you there.