Nianhua Temple

Nianhua Temple

Nianhua Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Beijing Municipality.

Nianhua Temple is located at No. 61 Dashi Bridge Hutong, Xicheng District. It was built in the ninth year of the Wanli era during the Ming Dynasty (1581) for the Sichuan monk Shangchang. Originally named Xifang Temple, it was later renamed to Foxiang Temple when expanded toward the west. During the Ming Dynasty, a stele inscribed with the words “Buddha’s Merciful Light Shines Upon the Temple” was erected in the temple. Around the temple, there used to be many ancient pagoda trees. The temple was quite large in scale, with thousands of small Buddha statues inside, each about a chi in size, hence it was also called Qianfo Temple (Thousand Buddha Temple). Inside the Mahavira Hall, there were eighteen ancient bronze arhat statues and twenty-four Devas statues. In front of the Mahavira Hall, there were two steles: the “Stele Commemorating the Construction of the Patriotic and Grateful Thousand Buddha Chan Temple” and the “Stele Commemorating the Construction of the Statues of the Thousand Buddha Temple,” both erected in the ninth year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The temple was renovated in the twelfth year of the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty and renamed Nianhua Temple. The plaque outside the hall reads “Awakening Shore and Compassionate Ferry,” and the plaque inside reads “Universal Bright Mirror,” both inscribed by Emperor Yongzheng. In front of the terrace of the Mahavira Hall stands the “Nianhua Temple Stele” commissioned by Emperor Yongzheng in the twelfth year of the Yongzheng era. The current area of Nianhua Temple is over 6,000 square meters. The temple faces south and is divided into a central axis and east and west wings. The central axis includes, in sequence: a screen wall, the mountain gate, an eight-character wall, a stone archway inscribed with “Imperially Commissioned Nianhua Temple,” the bell and drum towers, the Heavenly King Hall, the Mahavira Hall, and the Sangharama Hall. Further back is the Scripture Depository. The east wing has six layers of halls, and the west wing has four. The ancestral hall on the west wing is built in a concave shape, with a square, four-cornered spire pavilion in front called the Suxin Pavilion. Some of the copper deity statues from the temple were moved to the White Stupa Temple, and some to the Fayuan Temple. In 1926, the Nianhua Temple Primary School was established in the Lü Hall.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Municipal Cultural Relic Protection Units in Beijing