Wanzhou Mituo Chan Temple

Wanzhou Mituo Chan Temple

Wanzhou Mituo Chan Temple is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

The Wanzhou Beishan Mituo Chan Temple in Chongqing was first built in the mid-Ming Dynasty. It has been known by various names over the years, including Zhonghuai Temple and Zhonggulou Mituo Chan Temple, and is located at the eastern end of Yima Road in Wanzhou District. It is a long-renowned Buddhist temple in the Three Gorges region and even across Southwest China. The original Zhonggulou Mituo Chan Temple was situated at the eastern end of Yima Road in downtown Wanzhou, standing majestically by the Yangtze River. It was constructed during the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong reign and renovated in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890). Legend has it that a divine temple bell flew down and landed there one night, hence the name “Zhonggulou” (Bell and Drum Tower). The temple dominates the riverbank with its soaring upturned eaves and majestic presence. A local saying praises it: “Wanzhou has a Zhonggulou, half of which reaches into the sky.”

At its peak, the temple housed over 300 monks. Morning bells and evening drums, along with the resonant chanting of sutras, created an atmosphere truly befitting a “heavenly paradise.” As a result, Mituo Chan Temple became not only a highly esteemed Buddhist monastery in Southwest China but also gained fame across China and around the world. Due to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, the original Zhonggulou Mituo Chan Temple was located within the area to be submerged. To rescue, protect, and develop the valuable historical and cultural heritage of the Three Gorges reservoir region, between 1996 and 1998, with approvals from both the former Tiancheng District People's Government and the Wanzhou County People's Government, it was decided to relocate the Mituo Chan Temple to the mountainside of Duli Mountain — one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Wanzhou” (Duli Soaring to the Sky) — which has long been a sacred religious site, namely Beishan Guan.

Beishan Guan boasts a prime location, convenient transportation, and breathtaking scenery. After the completion of the Three Gorges Project, it is surrounded by water on three sides and backed by mountains on one, making it a true “fairy mountain on a jade terrace” and the “Pearl of the Yangtze.” The newly built Mituo Chan Temple is nestled along the dragon ridge of Beishan Guan, covering an area of 16.2 mu. It consists of the main hall, side halls, meditation rooms, dharma hall, scripture depository, prayer pagoda, Seven Stars complex, as well as a guest reception building and service facilities. The complex integrates a Buddhist worship site, dedicated tourism facilities, and modern funeral services, highlighting two main features: a sacred Buddhist destination and a scenic tourism area.

Address: No. 199, Yizhi Road, Beishan Guan, Wanzhou District, Chongqing (Qifu Pagoda Cemetery)