Xinyang Zhufu Temple

Xinyang Zhufu Temple

Xinyang Zhufu Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located in Gaowan, Youhe Township, in the northwest of Shihe District, Xinyang City, Henan Province, about 28 kilometers from downtown Xinyang. It is one of the four famous temples in Xinyang, originally built during the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty. The temple flourished in the Song Dynasty and reached its peak in the mid-Ming Dynasty. Legend has it that it was rebuilt by Master Baoji and named “Panshan Temple.” Inside the Mahavira Hall stands an eight-foot-tall iron Buddha statue, hence it is also known as “Iron Buddha Temple” or “Touch-the-Buddha Temple.” Legend also says that when the dragon governing the Huai River passed by, the river water rose sharply by three feet as a sign of reverence to the Buddha. After receiving the Buddha’s decree, the dragon departed, and the water level dropped just as suddenly. Thus, it is also called “Zhufu Temple,” meaning the rain-bringing dragon worshipped the Buddha and obeyed the Buddha’s will, ensuring that its journey along the Huai River would not bring floods to the people and guaranteeing favorable weather and abundant harvests. In 1994, with the support of Venerable Hai Fa, abbot of the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, along with monks Venerable Yin Xiang and Venerable Yin Wen, Zhufu Temple was rebuilt. Covering an area of 6,700 square meters, the temple complex includes the Heavenly King Hall, Guanyin Hall, guest rooms, side rooms, storage rooms, two pairs of stone tablets, one large bell, one large drum, a three-legged incense burner, and 45 Buddha statues of various sizes. After its renovation and expansion in 1996, Zhao Puchu, then president of the Buddhist Association of China, personally inscribed the temple’s name.