Puning Zanglian Temple

Puning Zanglian Temple

Puning Zanglian Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Zanglian Temple is located in the Qilin Valley behind Huizhai Village, Da Nanshan Town, about 8 kilometers from Liusha District in Puning. It was founded in the 4th year of the Longqing era during the Ming Dynasty (1571) and has a history of more than 430 years. According to historical accounts, in its initial phase, there was only one simple stone hut, and its founder lived in a cave beneath the massive unicorn-shaped Qilin rock behind the hermitage. During the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, a man surnamed Yan from Huilai County took up residence in the temple and expanded it to three stone rooms. In the early years of the Republic of China, a businessman named Chen Zhutou, who was enthusiastic about charitable deeds, renovated the hermitage into a structure consisting of one main hall and two rooms, and officially named it “Zanglian Lay Buddhist Grove.”

The most captivating sight is the main hall of the Goddess of Mercy (Cihang Yanfei) at Zanglian Temple. Legend has it that in ancient times, the Qilin Valley contained 120 fields of rice paddies, where naturally occurring blue-green lotuses flourished. Whenever the lotuses bloomed, the image of the Goddess of Mercy would appear on the giant rocks among the paddies. Deeply moved by the blessings of the Goddess, the local people carved a grand statue of the compassionate and serene Guanyin Bodhisattva on the massive rock that seemed to emerge from the earth itself—giving the temple its name, Zanglian (meaning “Hidden Lotus”). Through the efforts of generations, Zanglian Temple has now been developed into a scenic area of outstanding natural beauty. From its spacious terrace, visitors can gaze out to take in attractions such as the Water-Dripping Guanyin, Half-Sky Goddess, Unicorn Qilin, Twin Lions Facing the Qilin, and the Flying Crocodile. No wonder Master Ji Yin of Jiuhua Mountain, after visiting, left a message saying that Zanglian Temple is truly a “blessed land of immortals,” a place so enchanting that visitors find it hard to leave.