Jiyun Temple on Jiufeng Mountain

Jiyun Temple on Jiufeng Mountain

Jiyun Temple on Jiufeng Mountain is a cultural tourism attraction.

Jiyun Temple is located on Jiufeng Mountain in Houjiazhai, Zunhua City, Hebei Province. The temple has a long history and is rich in historical and cultural significance. Since the early Tang Dynasty, Jiyun Temple has endured many trials and tribulations. Although it has experienced repeated cycles of prosperity and decline, it has always demonstrated remarkable resilience. When was Jiyun Temple actually built? There are no clear historical records. According to the inscription on the “Record of the Reconstruction of Jiyun Temple on Jiufeng Mountain” carved in the fourth year of the Hongzhi era of Emperor Xiaozong of the Ming Dynasty, the exact time of the temple’s establishment is “too obscure to investigate.”

At the lower peak of the central platform, also known as the Sacrificial Platform, stands Jiyun Temple, covering a construction area of 2,100 square meters. According to inscriptions in the temple, it was originally built during the Sui Dynasty, rebuilt during the Tianyou era of the Tang Dynasty, and renovated during the Liao Dynasty. Historically, it has been reconstructed seven times and repaired four times, dating back over 1,300 years. The temple remains well-preserved and retains an ancient charm. Two towering old cypress trees stand within the temple grounds. Their ancient trunks support fresh, vigorous branches. Legend has it that these two cypress trees attained enlightenment and became immortal after listening to the sutras preached by the Sixth Patriarch. They are now over 1,400 years old. Locals say that on quiet nights, when the mountain wind blows, the cypress branches rustle and produce a deep, resonant sound that varies in volume with the wind—resembling human speech. Hence, they are called the “Reciting Cypress Trees.”

To the upper right of Jiyun Temple lies an ancient shrine, built by later generations to enshrine the Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, Master Huineng, and other eminent monks. The mountaintop features stretches of the Great Wall and several watchtowers, most of which are still relatively well-preserved. When Qi Jiguang, the Ming Dynasty Regional Commander of Jizhou who oversaw the Great Wall defenses, inspected this area, he composed the “Song of the Sacrificial Precipice,” which was inscribed on a stone and has been passed down to this day. There is also a “Saddle Stone” where he once placed his horse’s saddle; later generations commemorated him by calling it the “Warhorse’s Left Saddle.”

Scenic Area Address: Within the Jiufeng Mountain Scenic Area, Houjiazhai Township, Zunhua City, Hebei Province

Transportation by Bus: Take the No. 1 bus from Tangshan (Zunhua) to Houjiazhai, then transfer to a minibus to Jiufeng Mountain upon arrival in Houjiazhai.

Driving Route: Drive from Beijing via the Jing-Tong Expressway to National Highway 102, pass through Jixian County, follow the Bangkuan Highway to Zunhua City, then head north from Zunhua along National Highway 112. Turn eastward at Daheju toward Houjiazhai, then continue northeast to Qianshanzhai to reach the destination.