Laiyuan Zhenhai Temple

Laiyuan Zhenhai Temple

Laiyuan Zhenhai Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Zhenhai Temple is located on the northern mountainside of Heyecha in the southern part of the town. The existing structures were rebuilt in 1992, with the Wanghai Chan Pavilion at the top completed in 2005. The temple is home to resident monks and is a legally recognized site for Buddhist activities. An excerpt from the “Inscription for the Construction of Wanghai Chan Pavilion” is provided below to aid understanding of the temple.

The Laiyuan Basin is lush with vegetation and dotted with murmuring springs, being the source of the Juma River. For hundreds of millions of years, the Juma River has flowed continuously, winding thousands of miles before emptying into the Bohai Sea. The surrounding basin is flanked by towering mountains, with Qifeng Mountain, Xiangshan, Qinglong Mountain, Fenghuang Mountain (Feihu Mountain), and Shenxian Mountain (Niuxin Mountain) converging at the headwaters, forming a pattern known as “Five Dragons Playing with Water.” As a result, between the second year of the Daye era of the Northern Zhou Dynasty (580 AD) and the early years of the Renshou era of the Sui Dynasty (601 AD), the county town was named “Wulongcheng” (Five Dragons City).

Heyecha Mountain stands to the west of Qifeng Mountain, rising prominently in the center of the basin. From a distance, its shape resembles a green lotus resting on jade or a precious pearl by the water, with swaying green shadows and a misty purple aura. Upon ascending to its summit, a gentle breeze blows, pine waves rustle, and the ancient town’s landscape unfolds in full view. To the northwest of the mountain lies the spring “Laolong Pond,” where water gushes forth forcefully, sounding like the toll of a bell. To the northeast, there are two other springs, situated respectively to the east and west of the ancient Shahe Street—one called “Beihai Spring” in the east and “Nanguan Spring” in the west. These springs nourish ponds, shimmering with ripples, their limpid waters complemented by ancient pagodas and weeping willows. In ancient times, the convergence of these three springs created a powerful flow, resembling a stampede of ten thousand horses, hence called the “Juma River.” During the Liao and Song dynasties, armies from both sides were often held back by the river, leading to the renaming of the “Juma River” to the “Juma River” (literally “River that Blocks Horses”). In years of heavy rainfall, when the river swelled and frequently caused flooding, the ancients, unaware of the mechanics behind spring formation, mistakenly believed the water came from a “sea eye” beneath Qifeng Mountain. Thus, they built a temple on the northern slope of Heyecha Mountain to subdue it—this marked the original construction of Zhenhai Temple.

Historical records suggest that Zhenhai Temple was first built during the Liao Dynasty, renovated during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and destroyed during the War of Resistance against Japan. The current structures were all newly built in the 1990s. The ancient temple covered an area of one mu and two fen (approximately 800 square meters), featuring a main hall with three rooms, three rooms each for the east and west side halls, as well as a mountain gate and Buddha hall, following the general layout of the Seven Halls of a Buddhist temple, though not entirely standardized and on a smaller scale. The main hall enshrines the Bodhisattva of Vision, while the side halls house the Medicine Buddha and the Guardian Bodhisattva. Beneath the right side of the mountain gate once stood the Temple of the Goddess of Clear Sight. A temple fair is held every year during the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

Verdant mountains and clear waters, the ancient temple bathed in the setting sun—the interplay of landscapes, pavilions, and ancient pines creates a uniquely picturesque scene, truly a heavenly paradise. Hence, from the Ming and Qing Dynasties to the present, it has been celebrated as the “Zhenhai Sunset,” one of the twelve scenic wonders of Laiyuan.

Transportation Guide

Scenic Area Address: Southern part of Laiyuan County, Baoding City, Hebei Province

Transportation: Within Laiyuan County, you can rent a vehicle to get to Nanshan Street, then walk up the mountain to reach the temple.