Yueshan Temple and Pagoda Forest

Yueshan Temple and Pagoda Forest

Yueshan Temple and Pagoda Forest are protected cultural heritage sites of Henan Province.

Era: Jin Dynasty

Address: North of Bo'ai County

Yueshan Temple and Pagoda Forest are located 5 kilometers north of Bo'ai County in Jiaozuo City, at the southern foot of the Taihang Mountains. The temple faces south with its back to the majestic Taihang Mountain, overlooking the Huai River Plain and the ancient course of the Qin River. To its east lies the ancient Lingyan Temple, to its west flows the Dan River, and at its center stands the bright Moon Mountain — a renowned cultural and tourist destination.

According to the inscription on the “Record of Yueshan Great Ming Chan Monastery” stele found in Yueshan Temple: “The mountain monk left the Jixi Chan Monastery in Dongming County, Nanjing on the eleventh day of the ninth month in the third year of the Zhenglong era, crossed waters and passed through clouds to reach the congregated monks of Tanhuai Commandery. There, he built a meditation hall and erected a main stele. Later, he came to this mountain and observed from afar — a clear, unobstructed view, pristine and bright, hence naming it Moon Mountain.” This indicates that Yueshan Temple was first established in the third year of the Zhenglong era of the Jin Dynasty (1158 AD), originally called “Qingfeng Nunnery.” In the twenty-first year of the Dading era (1181 AD), the imperial court bestowed upon it the name “Great Ming Chan Monastery.” In the 16th year of the Tianshun era during the Ming Dynasty (1458 AD), it was granted the name “Baoguang Temple.” During the Qing Dynasty, due to the mountain’s crescent-like shape, it was renamed “Yueshan Temple.” The temple has endured through four historical periods — Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing — spanning more than 830 years.

Yueshan Temple and Pagoda Forest have enjoyed enduring fame since ancient times and hold an important place in the history of Buddhism in China. The temple is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces south, with its main structures arranged along a central axis, divided into three sections: the Eastern Monastery, Western Monastery, and Central Zen Monastery. The temple's landscape features eight major sights: General Cypress, Star-Gazing Platform, Bodhisattva Pavilion, Secret Spring, Elder Cave, Qingfeng Hall, Linked Wells, and Phoenix Terrace, as well as eight minor sights: Golden Rooster Call, Royal Stele Pavilion, Wind-Facing Wall, Shallow Well, Scripture Repository, Water Spout, Seven-Star Pagoda, and Bell and Drum Tower. There are also four great wonders. The area around the temple is covered with dense pine and cypress trees, layered peaks, deep forests, secluded caves, and shining halls, forming a classical garden architectural complex.

Yueshan Temple and Pagoda Forest are built along the mountain and cover an area of over 10,000 square meters. Due to warfare and natural erosion, the surviving ancient structures mainly include one Wind-Facing Wall, two Jade Stele Pavilions, one Scripture Repository, and eleven brick pagodas. Other structures such as the Mountain Gate, Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, Great Buddha Hall, Bodhisattva Pavilion, Dragon Court, and Jade Buddha Hall have all been rebuilt on their original sites.

The existing ancient structures of Yueshan Temple and Pagoda Forest, such as stele pavilions and pagoda forests, feature unique designs and hold certain cultural and architectural research value. The inscribed stele “Record of Yueshan Great Ming Chan Monastery” preserved in the temple details the founding era and historical evolution of Yueshan Temple. The “Baoguang Temple Scripture Repository Stele” describes the origins and development of Buddhism in China, as well as the missionary activities of Luoyang’s Honglu Temple and Baoguang Temple, serving as valuable physical evidence in the history of Chinese Buddhism. The Yueshan Temple Pagoda Forest is one of the few remaining ancient pagoda clusters in Henan Province. Its elegant forms and exquisite brick carving artistry provide precious material for the study of brick pagoda architectural history. Particularly noteworthy is the layout and structural design of the Seven-Star Pagoda, which is based on the pattern of the Big Dipper, combining science and art to vividly reflect a chapter in the history of astronomical development in China. The ancient architectural complex of Yueshan Temple and Pagoda Forest features a rich variety of building styles and a rational layout integrated with the mountain and water setting, making it a rare and valuable resource for studying large-scale ancient monasteries in China.

On November 21, 1986, the People's Government of Henan Province designated it as a second batch provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit.

Source: Bo'ai County Government

Further reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units in Henan Province