Hepu Dongshan Temple

Hepu Dongshan Temple

Hepu Dongshan Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Hepu County.

Hepu Dongshan Temple, originally named Lingjue Temple or Dongshan Temple, was founded by the Song Dynasty monk Baoshan Cheng, later renovated in the 10th year of the Yongle era (1412) during the Ming Dynasty by the eminent monk Juejing, and underwent multiple renovations during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty and the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty. The temple has four sections built with brick and tile structures. The first section is the mountain gate, with the three characters “Dongshan Temple” on the gate plaque written by imperial scholar Yu Jun, in bold and vigorous strokes; the second is the Heavenly King Hall; the third is the Mahavira Hall, whose architecture retains the style of the Song Dynasty; the fourth is the Guanyin Hall. Dongshan Temple was once the temporary palace of the King of Annam, Li Rizun, during the Changfu era of the Dai Viet period, and is one of the oldest temples in Hepu. During the Ming Dynasty, it was listed as one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Lianyang.” Unfortunately, after the founding of the People’s Republic, due to political movements and other reasons, the temple suffered repeated damage—its halls were demolished and Buddha statues destroyed, leaving a scene of desolation. After the reform and opening-up, especially in 2001, the Hepu County Party Committee and County Government earnestly implemented the national religious policy and treated the restoration of Dongshan Temple as an important task. As a result, Dongshan Temple is gradually regaining its original appearance, with the entire temple complex taking on a completely renewed look. Currently, the Mahavira Hall and Guanyin Hall are under intensive restoration and are expected to reopen to visitors soon. The presence of temples in Hepu began with Dongshan Temple. During the Qin and Han dynasties, Zhao Tuo, the King of Nanyue, stationed his troops in Hepu, setting up his temporary palace here as the command center. He trained the navy, gathered military provisions, and fought back against invading Ou-Luo forces. Amid the chaos of the late Han and the Three Kingdoms period, when Hepu Commandery was sometimes under Wu and sometimes under Jin control, warfare was frequent, leading to the disappearance of the Nanyue King’s temporary palace. When the Jin Dynasty rose, locals built Lingjue Temple on the site of the former palace, making it one of the two oldest surviving temples in Guangxi, hence earning the title “Ancient Temple of the Three Lians.”

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties’ Liang period, the Indian monk Bodhidharma crossed the sea and came to Dongshan Temple to practice Zen and worship the Buddha. He praised the temple for having the auspicious sign of “Buddha’s light and cloud radiance.” During the Sui and Tang unification, as Buddhism flourished, Lingjue Temple was once renamed “Yunxia Temple” based on Bodhidharma’s words. In the Song Dynasty, the monk Baoshan Cheng came to Zhucheng due to karmic ties. Hearing of Bodhidharma’s name and the sacred traces he left, Baoshan Cheng vowed to rebuild and expand the temple. Upon completion, the temple was named “Dongshan” in reference to the Chan (Zen) sect initiated by Bodhidharma, which was transmitted to the Fifth Patriarch Hongren and opened its teachings on Dongshan Mountain—historically known as the “Dongshan Dharma Gate”—signifying its roots in the “Dongshan Dharma Gate” of the Zen tradition. At that time, it was a renowned scenic spot and a celebrated temple in Lingnan. Back then, Dongshan Temple had four courtyards along with north and south side halls. These included the mountain gate, the Vajra Hall, the Mahavira Hall, and the Guanyin Hall. The temple enshrined the Four Heavenly Kings, the Buddha Shakyamuni along with Ananda and Kasyapa, the Eighteen Arhats, the Goddess Guanyin, and other divine figures. As a result, Dongshan Temple developed deep Buddhist connections, gained fame across the Three Lians, and spread its virtuous influence to the Eight Prefectures. The temple was grand in scale, with a rigorous architectural layout, including structures such as the mountain gate, Vajra Hall, Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Hall, Skanda Hall, Scripture Repository, and Scripture Lecture Hall.

One of the most distinctive features is the large bronze bell of Lingjue Temple. This bell is not only the largest in scale in Lingnan but is also said to be spiritually endowed, having been blessed by eminent monks who passed through Hepu. When the bell rings, its sound resonates for miles. The famous Qing Dynasty scholar Bao Jun once composed a poem praising the sound of the Dongshan Temple bell: “The wind carries the chanting bell’s echo to the heavens, while rain leaves fresh Buddhist scriptures scattered across Dongshan. Its clear, resonant chime silences cicadas, amidst an old monk sitting cross-legged in meditation.” When the bell tolls, even cicadas and birds fall silent—proof of how extraordinary this temple bell truly is.

Lianzhou Town: Located on the shores of the Beibu Gulf, Lianzhou Town is the seat of Hepu County’s government, serving as the political, economic, and cultural center of Hepu. The town covers an area of 229 square kilometers, governs 29 village (residential) committees, and includes 4,047.3 hectares of arable land. By the end of 2001, the town had a population of 150,000, making it the largest town in Hepu County. National Highways 325 and 209, the North-South Second-Class Highway, and expressways pass through the area. The town is just 16 kilometers from Beihai International Airport and 30 kilometers from Beihai Port. The Qinzhou-Beibu Railway has a station in the southern suburbs of Lianzhou. With convenient sea, land, and air transportation, the town enjoys a highly advantageous location.

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