Zihua Nunnery

Zihua Nunnery

Zihua Nunnery is a cultural relic protection unit of Lianyuan City.

"Zihua Nunnery" was built atop Fairy Peak, resembling a celestial pavilion. The first thing that catches the eye is the mountain gate, which is 5 meters high, 6 meters wide, and entirely constructed of rough-hewn stone, covering an area of about 35 square meters. The two arched gates are symmetrical, adorned with carvings of two lions fighting over a ball on the arches. At the center of the arch’s curve is a Taiji symbol along with two trigrams. Above that is a stone plaque inscribed with the characters “Ziyun Peak” in regular script, followed by a stone carving of two dragons playing with a pearl. The roof ridges are decorated with fish-tail ornaments, and a Buddha seal is embedded at the ridge’s center. Beside the gate is a well that never dries up throughout the year. Passing through the mountain gate leads you to Zihua Nunnery, which consists of three small halls. The first hall has a brick-and-wood structure. Climbing 37 stone steps takes you to the second hall, where there is a stone platform with a lifelike stone-carved dragon pillar. Another three steps up is the third hall, also built from rough stone. The stone pillars in front of the hall are supported by drum-shaped pedestals, and the hall enshrines a statue of the Goddess of the Nine Heavens. The three halls complement each other and are highly aesthetic in architecture. Surrounded by lush trees and winter plum blossoms, the nunnery appears even more magnificent and eye-catching. In 1951 and 1965, the halls suffered severe damage twice, with all three collapsing except for the mountain gate, which remained intact. In 1996, local residents donated funds to rebuild the structures at the peak: a 4–5 meter-high protective wall made of rough stone was constructed to enlarge the foundation, reinforced concrete was used to withstand mountain winds, a surrounding corridor supported by 12 pillars was added for visitors to enjoy the view, and yellow glazed hip-and-gable roofs were installed to convey the solemnity of the nunnery, making it even more splendid than before. On clear days, the nunnery can be seen from dozens of miles around.

According to Erxiu, the abbess of the nunnery, during the 1995 renovation of Zihua Nunnery, when the well was converted into a draw well, a Tang Dynasty stele was unearthed from the bottom of the well. The stele, about 1.5 square feet in size, bore an inscription roughly stating: "In the second year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, an old man saw nine women bathing in the Youcaotang Pond. When he called for men to come quickly and see, the nine women transformed into cranes and flew to this peak. People then named it Fairy Peak and built a thatched hut at the peak." Unfortunately, the stele was smashed by ignorant villagers and used as material for concrete. However, existing nunnery steles also corroborate this legend: "Since the Tang Dynasty, nine fairies transformed into cranes and descended here, their auspicious presence shining upon this peak. During the Qianlong era, it was recorded that the founding ancestor Ruiming built the halls in the 12th year of the Shunzhi era (1653), consisting of three sections. The stele at the mountain gate from the 29th year of Qianlong (1764) states: 'It is said that Fairy Mountain, renowned throughout the ages, is admired by all and regarded as the foremost scenic spot of Fengle.' The Tongzhi-era Annals of Anhua County record: 'Every year, many devout worshippers, wealthy young men, and visitors come to the mountain to offer incense, making it a famous local destination for Double Ninth Festival climbs.' These accounts offer a glimpse into the history of Zihua Nunnery. To protect this historic site, the Lianyuan Municipal Government designated it as a county-level protected unit in 1989, with a 20-meter radius established as the protected zone.