Tapo Temple

Tapo Temple

Tapo Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Foshan City.

Located at No. 1 Dongguo Street, Funing Road, Zumiao Subdistrict, it was built in the second year of the Long’an era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (398 AD). It stands on the former site of the "scripture hall" on Tapo Hill where the monk Dharmayasas from the Kingdom of Gandhara (present-day Kashmir) "built a thatched hut to preach." Later, devotees built a temple there and named it "Tapo Temple." After several years, the monks left, and the temple fell into disrepair and was eventually destroyed. In the second year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (628 AD), residents unearthed three bronze Buddha statues from the scripture hall on Tapo Hill and rebuilt Tapo Temple on the same site, erecting a stone plaque inscribed with "Foshan" (the original is housed in the city museum), from which the name "Foshan" originated. Tapo Temple was destroyed in the 24th year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1391 AD). When plans were made to rebuild it in the 7th year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty (1627 AD), Tapo Hill had already been developed into Pujun Market, making it unsuitable for temple construction. Thus, the temple was relocated to Wanshou Fang and rebuilt as "Tapo Chan Temple" (also known as the Ancient Scripture Hall Temple). The original site was then developed into Dongyue Temple, also called Tapo Temple, which was renovated in the first year of the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1796 AD). It is relatively small, with a total width of only 4.58 meters and a total area of less than 42 square meters, yet it is divided into two sections: the front gate and the main hall. It features a saddle-style fireproof wall, and its beams are supported by rigidly mounted purlins. In front of the temple is a well, said to have been dug when the temple was first built in the Tang Dynasty. The well water is clear and never runs dry, and it is still used by residents today. On the wall next to the well platform, there were originally embedded stone plaques from the second year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty inscribed with "Foshan," as well as stone plaques such as "Foshan's First Land" and "Remnants of Herding Songs." Hence the local saying: "Before there was Foshan, there was Tapo; if you haven’t been to Tapo, you haven’t been to Foshan," and "Foshan’s origins trace back to the Jin Dynasty, but its name was established in the Tang Dynasty." The ancient town of Foshan was once famous for its numerous temples, with as many as 148 large and small shrines crammed into this small area.

Zumiao Subdistrict: Located in the northeastern part of Chancheng District, Foshan City, Zumiao Subdistrict borders Guilan Road to the east, Jihua Road to the south, Foshan Avenue to the west, and the northern bank of the Fenjiang River to the north. Covering an area of 21.5 square kilometers with a population of approximately 600,000, it governs 64 administrative villages (residential committees). As the core district of Foshan’s urban center, it houses the municipal Party committee and government offices. The subdistrict is home to the majority of Foshan’s municipal-level cultural, educational, medical, and social welfare institutions, making it the current political, economic, commercial, and cultural hub of Foshan.

Rich Historical and Cultural Heritage. As the core area of Foshan, Zumiao Subdistrict boasts a history spanning thousands of years... More details about Zumiao Subdistrict ++