Chenghai Lotus Ancient Temple

Chenghai Lotus Ancient Temple

Chenghai Lotus Ancient Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Chenghai District.

Chenghai Lotus Ancient Temple is located at the foot of Lotus Mountain in Shiwuxiang Township, Chenghai City. It was first built in the 26th year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty (1289), rebuilt in the 12th year of the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1807), and renovated again in the 26th year of the Republic of China (1937). The temple follows the traditional Chaoshan-style quadrangle layout, covering a construction area of 1,000 square meters. On a natural boulder on the eastern hillside of the temple, there is a cliff inscription that reads “Zhiyuan Jiuzi, Kaishan Lishi” (Establishing the Mountain and Setting the Stone in the Jiuzi Year of Zhiyuan), covering an area of 80 square centimeters. On both sides inside the mountain gate of the ancient temple are two large ink characters, “Fu” (Fortune) and “Shou” (Longevity), each 2.8 meters high and 1.8 meters wide, traditionally believed to be the calligraphy of Wu Dianbang, a calligrapher from the Ming Dynasty. The plaque above the mountain gate, inscribed with “Lotus Ancient Temple,” features relief stone carvings. The upper inscription reads “Jiaqing Dingmao Year, Huayue” (Flower Month of the Dingmao Year in the Jiaqing era), and the lower one states “Erected respectfully by Zhang Yao, a scholar.” The main hall of the ancient temple has a flush gable roof, with a width of three bays at 28.5 meters and a depth of three bays at 12 meters. In the front courtyard of the temple lies a rectangular turtle-palm stone carving measuring 0.93 meters in length and 0.44 meters in width, depicting two palms clasping a turtle in the middle. This relief carving is said to be a remnant of the temple’s abbot leading monks and local people in resisting the suppression by gendarmerie. About 100 meters south of the temple, on the hillside, lies a "rice-washing stone trough" made of granite from the Yuan Dynasty. It measures 2.8 meters in length, 0.55 meters in height, and 0.82 meters in trough-surface width, serving as the “rice-washing trough” used by monks and local residents during the temple’s peak period of establishment in the Yuan Dynasty. On the western hillside connected to the temple is a temple well, and nearby cliffs feature the cliff inscriptions “Gu Shi” (Ancient Stone) and “Guan Quan” (Viewing the Spring), written in neat, regular script. To the east stands a Nirvana City, which is the stupa of Master Kai Zhen. It bears the inscriptions “Xu Ling Zhen Bu Mei, Mei Zhao Bian Sui Ji” and “Lian Feng Tian Miao Se, Hua Yu San Tian Xiang,” as well as a pair of couplets on the tomb: “Lotus Peak Adds Wondrous Hue, Floral Rain Scatters Heavenly Fragrance.” On the southern hillside in front of the temple remains an ancient silver pear tree, about 3 meters tall, sturdy and upright, which has lived for 700 years. The ancient temple is located at the foot of Lotus Mountain at the junction of Chaoshan, Chenghai, and Raoping. Inside the temple are exquisitely crafted statues of Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Eighteen Arhats, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Maitreya Buddha. Many poets and scholars of past dynasties have left their marks here, and the environment is tranquil and elegant.

In 1992, the People's Government of Chenghai County designated it as a cultural relic protection unit.