Shangcheng Guanyin Mountain

Shangcheng Guanyin Mountain

Shangcheng Guanyin Mountain is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Guanyin Mountain Yunji Temple is situated on Guanyin Mountain in Hefengqiao Township, about 18 kilometers north of Shangcheng County’s urban area. The large Taoist temple complex Yunji Temple is located here and serves as the office of the Xinyang Taoist Association. It is also a well-known Taoist destination in the mountainous areas of southern Henan. Historical texts from the Qin Dynasty called it “Cane Mountain,” and during the Tang Dynasty it was referred to as “Iron-Observing Mountain.” Later, legend has it that Yu Siming, a general who resisted the Yuan Dynasty, once used this vantage point to arrange his troops and strategies. Local residents therefore called it “Observation Formation Mountain.” During the Xuande era of the Ming Dynasty, local residents voluntarily donated money and materials to build a temple at the mountaintop, enshrining a statue of Guanyin. From then on, it became known as “Guanyin Mountain.”

By the Qing Dynasty, the Guanyin Mountain temple had achieved a certain scale and influence, attracting worshippers and visitors from several counties across three provinces. Ma Yangqi, the twelfth orthodox disciple of the Longmen Sect of Taoism, came here to preach and took Yan Laiming, a disciple from the Guanyin Mountain temple, as his student. The incense offerings grew increasingly popular, and over time structures such as the Guanyin Hall, Dongyue Hall, and Sanqing Hall were built, totaling 50 halls. Annual temple fairs were held on the 19th day of the second and ninth lunar months, drawing over 100,000 worshippers from dozens of counties across Hubei, Henan, and Anhui provinces, who came in groups to burn incense and pray to the gods. Guanyin Mountain also became a distribution hub for goods in the Hubei-Henan-Anhui region, bustling with activity. In the 27th year of the Republic of China (1938), the powerful warlord Wu Peifu passed through Shangcheng with his troops on his way to attack Wuhan. From afar, he saw the majestic Yunji Temple atop Guanyin Mountain, with flourishing incense offerings and the resounding toll of temple bells. Inspired, he confidently claimed that Guanyin Mountain had blessed him to win the battle and pledged to bestow a plaque in its honor. True to his word, after winning the battle and capturing Wuhan, Wu Peifu had a large plaque inscribed with “Compassionate Ferry Across All Realms” created in Wuhan, engraved with the words “Presented by General Wu Peifu of the Republic of China,” and personally sent it to Guanyin Mountain, where it was hung above the main gate of Yunji Temple. For a time, Guanyin Mountain attracted countless eminent monks, scholars, devoted lay practitioners, and Taoists from all directions, ushering Taoism on the mountain into a golden age.

After the founding of the People’s Republic, with the implementation of the Party’s religious policies and the gradual improvement of people’s living standards, some religious followers began calling for the restoration of Guanyin Mountain Yunji Temple. Through the efforts of individuals such as Yu Benjiang and Yu Gonghe, construction of the temple resumed in 1992, and the biannual temple fair tradition was also revived. After more than 10 years of development, the site now includes temples such as the Guanyin Hall, Four Seas Hall, Three Observations Hall, Wenchang Hall, and Fifteen Halls, housing over 150 statues of deities, covering an area of more than 40 acres, with over 100 halls and a constructed area of 1,500 square meters. Eleven Taoist priests from Huai Bin, Gushi, and Shangcheng now serve here. During the reconstruction, Yunji Temple collected two bronze incense burners dating back to the Xuande era of the Ming Dynasty, half of a plaque gifted by Wu Peifu (which had been repurposed by locals as a house-building tool), and a rubbing of a Guanyin image from the Shaolin Temple, among other treasures. Ancient steles such as the “Tai Shang Gan Ying Tian” have become invaluable relics of the temple, treasured for their historical significance.

The reconstructed Yunji Temple is built atop the mountain peak and boasts a grand and magnificent scale. Multiple halls are arranged from west to east along the mountainside, stretching 200 meters from east to west, covering a constructed area of 2,500 square meters and a land area of 40 acres. The layout roughly forms three courtyards—upper, middle, and lower—with deep, serene halls. The temple features red walls and gray tiles, with vermilion-painted gates. The halls are connected with corridors, fronted by rows of vermilion pillars. Inside, various deities are enshrined, including the Three Pure Ones, Guanyin, the Jade Emperor, and Yue Fei. Their statues vary in expression—from benevolent and compassionate to noble and dignified, or fierce and stern—creating a powerful visual impact. The interiors are adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, wooden lattice windows, and upturned eaves with intricate dragon and phoenix designs, all contributing to a resplendent golden glow. Moreover, the steep and towering presence of Guanyin Mountain allows the flourishing incense and activity at Yunji Temple to be seen from miles away.

The southern slope is steep, and access to the first rectangular courtyard is only possible through the western gate. This courtyard is enclosed by the main gate and the second gate. On either side of the main gate are simple side rooms. The second gate is situated among four incense burners and is fronted by a 10-meter-high, three-tiered painted pavilion that serves as a gatehouse. The pavilion features a couplet inscribed by Chinese calligrapher Qiu Heming, which conveys the meaning of Yunji Temple’s spiritual reach: “Directly ascending the Cloud Summit three thousand zhang, protecting millions of virtuous households.” Passing through the gatehouse via stone steps leads to a sloped courtyard dotted with ancient thousand-year-old apricot trees and exotic flowers, adding color and vitality to the traditional architecture. Three parallel stone stairways lead upward to the halls. The halls and side rooms form four quadrangle courtyards of varying sizes, arranged from west to east. Each courtyard is interconnected, facilitating easy access for visitors to tour and worship.

During the temple fairs held on the 19th days of the second, sixth, and ninth lunar months, the site attracts over 100,000 visitors from dozens of counties across Hubei, Henan, and Anhui provinces. Starting in February 2003, the Guanyin Mountain Folk Culture Tourism Week has been held annually.