Tianmen Xita Temple

Tianmen Xita Temple

Xita Temple, located on the shore of Jingling West Lake in Tianmen City, Hubei Province, is the oldest temple on the Jianghan Plain and the largest Buddhist temple in Tianmen.

Xita Temple was first established during the Eastern Han Dynasty and has a history of over 1,700 years, having hosted many eminent monks over the dynasties. Between the Yonghe and Shengping eras of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (circa 353–357 AD), the revered Buddhist figure Zhi Dun, later regarded as a milestone in Buddhist history, resided at the temple. In the 21st year of the Tang Dynasty’s Kaiyuan era, the abbot of Xita Temple, Zen Master Zhiji, took in an abandoned baby—who would later become the world-renowned Tea Sage Lu Yu, famous for authoring The Classic of Tea.

The predecessor of Xita Temple originated during the Western Jin Dynasty as a thatched hut. It was successively known as Qingyun Temple and Longgai Temple before being renamed Xita Temple in the first year of the Dazhong era under Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (847 AD).

In 2003, the Tianmen Municipal People’s Government reclaimed over 30 acres of land on the north shore of West Lake to rebuild Xita Temple. By 2007, the temple had taken initial shape and was grandly consecrated, with structures including the Mahavira Hall, Heavenly King Hall, Guanyin Hall, Ksitigarbha Hall, meditation quarters, and the former residence of Lu Yu completed. Since the late Tang Dynasty, Xita Temple has combined Buddhist worship with the commemoration of Lu Yu. This timeless temple stands as equally venerable as the Tea Sage Lu Yu himself.

The origin of the temple’s pagoda is detailed in the Continuation of Biographies of Eminent Monks by Tang Dynasty monk Daoxuan. It describes how, in the final years of Emperor Wen of Sui’s Renshou era, an imperial edict called for the construction of reliquary stupas. The eminent monk Yanchong from the capital Luoyang’s Shanglin Park translation center was dispatched to deliver sacred relics to the site of the ruined “Fangle Temple” in Fuzhou (the original Fangle Temple had been destroyed during the Northern Zhou Dynasty under Emperor Wu). There, a “reliquary stupa” was erected. As the stupa was built by imperial decree, the temple was rebuilt—since the emperor was the “Dragon,” and the act of constructing buildings was referred to as “covering/roofing” (盖), the temple became known as “Longgai Temple” (Dragon Cover Temple). This naming has nothing to do with the local chronicles’ later claim that a “Dragon Cover Mountain” on a small islet in West Lake gave the temple its name. That small islet, shaped like an upside-down pot, is called Fu Fu (Overturned Pot) Islet, hence the temple’s name, “Dragon Cover.”

Between the end of the Sui Renshou era and the fifth year of the Tang Huichang era (604–844 AD), “Longgai Temple” stood for 240 years.

After the first year of the Tang Dazhong era (847 AD), the temple was renamed “Xita Temple.” Following Emperor Wuzong of Tang’s suppression of Buddhism, “Longgai Temple” ceased to exist. Early in his reign, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang sought to ease tensions by decreeing that “monasteries abolished in the fifth year of Huichang could be reopened by monks who could restore them themselves, and officials were not to prohibit this.” The original temple flourished with the dragon (emperor’s support) but perished when it waned, leaving only a solitary pagoda standing. This pagoda housed relics brought from the Western Regions, and the temple was situated to the right of the prefectural seat by West Lake. Combining Buddhist heritage with local tradition, the newly built temple was thus renamed “Xita Temple.” This is the story behind the temple’s name change.

“Jingling’s Xita Temple, where Lu Yu once dwelled.” Xita Temple is the monastery that nurtured Lu Yu. Without Xita Temple, Lu Yu could not have grown; without Lu Yu, Xita Temple would not have achieved enduring fame. Lu Yu became a globally celebrated cultural figure—a source of pride for Xita Temple and for the people of Tianmen. Looking back through the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, most commemorations of Lu Yu took place at Xita Temple, at the very site of his legacy. Thus, the rise and fall of Xita Temple directly influenced the honoring of Lu Yu. To understand history is to honor one’s roots—the legacy of this historic landmark runs deep and enduring.

Xita Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in Tianmen and the oldest on the Jianghan Plain. Established during the Eastern Han Dynasty, it boasts a history of more than 1,700 years and has hosted numerous eminent monks. In the 21st year of the Tang Kaiyuan era, Zen Master Zhiji, the temple’s abbot, took in an abandoned infant who would grow up to write the world’s first monograph on tea, The Classic of Tea, and become the globally renowned Tea Sage Lu Yu. With a long and storied history, Xita Temple has weathered many trials. Today, new halls have been completed, foundation work for subsequent phases has begun, and the temple shines anew in revitalized glory, becoming a renowned Buddhist sanctuary and cultural landmark. The flourishing of Xita Temple will surely play a positive role in advancing the development of Buddhism in Tianmen and even the entire province of Hubei.