Tapingsi Temple

Tapingsi Temple

Tapingsi Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Originally built during the Song Dynasty (1146), it took 22 years to complete and was finished in 1168, boasting a history of over 830 years. Originally named Xiaokunlun Ancient Tibetan Temple, it was renamed Tapingsi Temple during the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era after reconstruction. In 1986, it was listed as a Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit. The temple covers an area of 500 square meters and features a traditional quadrangle architectural layout. It is a cohesive complex integrating temple, pagoda, memorial archway, and stele—also representing rare, well-preserved architecture centered around a pagoda in China's Central Plains region, a style lost since the Tang Dynasty. Within the temple grounds are a stone pagoda built in 1167, a memorial archway from 1612, as well as Qing Dynasty structures such as the Mahavira Hall, Scripture Depository, left and right wing rooms, an iron pagoda, and the Yunleng Stele (scripture pillar), among other cultural relics.

Built against a mountain, Tapingsi Temple is surrounded by undulating peaks, with the central pagoda towering prominently. The temple’s main gate is constructed of brick and stone. To the left is the Guide Hall, beside which stand a pair of ornamental pillars (huabiao), each 5 meters tall and spaced 3 meters apart. These rectangular stone columns are topped with stone lions and rest on fish-shaped pedestals. About 40 steps along a winding corridor, there is a stone archway imitating wooden architecture. It has a double-eave, four-pillar, three-door design, stands 12 meters high and 7 meters wide, and bears a horizontal plaque inscribed with “The Foremost Scenic Site,” dated “Constructed in the Year of Renzi, Wanli Era.” Below the plaque, the lintel features relief carvings of figures and animal motifs. The design is simple yet elegant, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship and representing a masterpiece of Ming Dynasty archway architecture.

At the end of the corridor are a Qing Dynasty scripture pillar (also called the Cloud Stele) and a stone stele pavilion. The scripture pillar is a hexagonal prism divided into two sections with alternating short eaves. Its slightly upturned eaves give it a refined look. The upper section of the pillar bears an inscription titled “Inscription on the Ancient Pagoda,” chronicling the temple’s storied past, including its destruction and poetic tributes to the pagoda. The calligraphy is vigorous and graceful.

The Song Dynasty stone pagoda standing in the temple is praised as “a celestial brush standing firmly against the sky, a tower rooted to the earth with steadfast grace.” This square, pavilion-style, hollow brick pagoda stands 14.4 meters tall with a base perimeter of 6.2 meters. Its body is inlaid with colorful ceramic fragments forming various patterns, including three-dimensional animals and flowers, showcasing remarkable artistry. Inside the pagoda are 17 exquisitely carved divine statues that appear lifelike and serene. Inscriptions left by visitors throughout the dynasties can still be found on the walls, along with a slanted stone staircase just wide enough for one person to ascend and descend. Climbing to the top and gazing out the window, one may feel as though “the rising sun and sacred peaks draw near above, while the plains and all their wonders seem small below.” The pagoda is crowned with a gourd-shaped precious bead finial, lending it a dignified and stable presence. At dawn or dusk, when sunlight bathes it, the view is truly spectacular. A suspended bell at the pagoda’s summit tolls at dusk, immersing visitors in the poetic scene of “the pagoda’s shadow hanging in the clear sky, the bell’s chime drifting through the white clouds.”

In the rear hall stands an iron pagoda, hexagonal in shape with seven tiers, measuring 6.38 meters in height and 5.22 meters in base circumference. Each tier is cast with multiple gilded divine statues and inscribed with the history of the pagoda’s casting. The slight upward curve of each corner is adorned with small bells that tinkle melodiously in the breeze. When lit by candlelight, the pagoda gleams brilliantly, illuminating the entire hall. As the largest of its kind in Sichuan Province, this iron pagoda is an important relic for studying Qing Dynasty casting techniques.

With its long history, Tapingsi Temple has long attracted visits from notable figures across the dynasties, many of whom left behind couplets, poems, and paintings. An ancient poet once wrote in praise: “A fairy peak rises abruptly before the temple, half in the clouds and half in the air; its emerald ridges gaze in all directions, winding through layers to penetrate the heavens. Boundless merit echoes through the ages, its majestic presence grand and imposing. It rivals the northern palace’s dew basin in height, standing firmly to guard the land east of the river.”

Tapingsi Temple is not only a renowned ancient monastery but also a picturesque garden landscape. The surrounding area is planted with ginkgo, nanmu, pines, and cypresses, where ancient trees tower and green shades provide a tranquil retreat. Flowers and grass thrive in elegant abundance, creating a delightful scenery. A Qing Dynasty poet, Huang Zhuxuan, once praised: “In spring, the peach blossoms shine bright, resembling the Crimson City; in summer, wildflowers emit a delicate fragrance, no less enchanting than a fragrant paradise; in autumn, golden clouds cast their glow, akin to a vast golden realm; in winter, snow blankets the land, like a world of crystal. This captures the beauty of this splendid site in all four seasons.” Visiting Tapingsi Temple allows you to enjoy the charm of its garden landscape, admire the grandeur of the Song Dynasty pagoda, appreciate the delicacy of the memorial archway, gaze upon the magnificence of the temple buildings, experience the serenity of this ancient monastic retreat, and ponder the profound mysteries of Buddhist sanctuaries. Amid tranquility and simplicity, worldly worries melt away, transporting you to a serene, ethereal, and harmonious realm—a place so captivating, you won’t want to leave.