Lower Rock Temple

Lower Rock Temple

Lower Rock Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Climbing the steps from the opposite side of Liangjiang Square, you will soon arrive at the rebuilt Lower Rock Temple. Just moments ago, you were in the bustling city, but in the blink of an eye, you find yourself surrounded by green trees, red walls, lush pines, and cypresses, greeted by a strong temple atmosphere.

The deep and distant sound of the temple bell rings out, as if echoing from ancient times, drawing your thoughts to the old Lower Rock Temple, which has long been submerged beneath the river…

From a natural rock cave to a major historical site

Also known as Swallow’s Niche or Cloud Rock Temple, Lower Rock Temple is located in a natural rock cave by the river in Tangfang Village, Shuangjiang Town (formerly Yunyang), originally nestled within the cliffs. As early as the Qin and Han dynasties, people were carving inscriptions and statues here. By the Tang Dynasty, with the rise of Buddhism, it had developed into a temple.

In the late Tang Dynasty, Master Liu Daochan from Wuji County (now Hebei) wandered here and, captivated by the unique scenery, chose to stay permanently. He carved niches into the cliffs and undertook large-scale rock carving and statue-making projects, greatly enhancing the temple’s grandeur. He is revered by later generations as the “First Patriarch of Rock Carving.”

Lower Rock Temple was once grand in scale and breathtaking in scenery. Its cavern is fifteen zhang high, over twenty zhang deep, and nearly fifty zhang wide. The surroundings are lush with ancient trees and entwined vines, while waterfalls cascade from the cave ceiling, splashing into beads of shimmering water that resemble a fairyland. According to descriptions by Tu Fengshu, a renowned cultural figure from Yunyang: “The stone walls are engraved with Buddha statues — some as tall as one or two zhang, others as small as two or three inches, too many to count. There are over ten temple halls and monks’ quarters, along with resting places for visitors, six or seven multi-bay buildings, and numerous inner niches. Outside, thousands of slender bamboos sway, with hanging waterfalls swaying above the eaves. When the river rises, water often floods into the temple, making even midsummer feel like deep autumn. Many come here to escape the heat. Passing boats see only the interplay of water and bamboo, unaware of the temple hidden among them.”

Throughout the long course of history, though Lower Rock Temple experienced countless upheavals and periods of rise and decline, it remained quite prosperous until the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican era.

In 2008, with the completion and impoundment of the Three Gorges Project, Lower Rock Temple was submerged underwater. In 2010, the local government selected a 20-acre site at the foot of Tian Gong Bao on Longji Ridge to rebuild the temple. The new temple is over 30 times larger than the original, featuring structures such as the Mountain Gate Hall, Mahavira Hall, Scripture Depository, and Meditation Hall. The entire temple complex is spacious, magnificent, profound, and solemn — undoubtedly a truly renowned Zen monastery along the Yangtze River in eastern Chongqing.

From a Renowned Monastery to a Cultural Tourism Destination

For thousands of years, Lower Rock Temple, with its unique geographical setting, rich cultural significance, and beautiful natural scenery, has attracted countless poets and artists, gradually transforming from a famed monastery into a hub of cultural tourism. Literary masters throughout history — including Wang Wei, Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Su Zhe, Lu You, Fan Chengda, Yu Ruli, Feng Shixing, Cao Xuequan, Tao Shu, Fang Tinggui, and Tu Fengshu — have all visited the temple and left behind widely celebrated poems.

Historical records indicate that in January of the fourth year of Emperor Zhenzong’s Jiayou reign during the Song Dynasty (1067), Su Shi and his brother Su Zhe unexpectedly met Huang Tingjian here. Su Shi’s enthusiasm for sightseeing soared, and he picked up his brush to write “Inscription Left at Lower Rock”: “Zizhan (Su Shi), Ziyu (Su Zhe), and Monk Kan came here, but the temple monks dissuaded us due to the rough path. Little did they know that the journeys I’ve endured were a hundred times more arduous than this. Written on the twentieth day of the first month in the year Dingwei.”

Although Su Shi did not leave any formal poems after visiting Lower Rock Temple, it’s somewhat regrettable — yet he did leave behind an amusing story of spontaneous versification. It is said that after their visit, the Su brothers were preparing to take a boat to Kuizhou when the boatman, recognizing the famous literati, was overjoyed. Speaking in the Yunyang dialect, he challenged them to improvise a poem in the same dialect before allowing them aboard. After a moment’s thought, Su Shi composed on the spot: “A tiny boat we ride, / Listening to the great fish glide. / With three swift oar strokes made, / We’ll soon reach Kuizhou’s cascade.” When he finished, the boatman and the onlookers burst into applause, amazed by Su Shi’s wit and talent.

Whether Su Shi actually improvised a poem in the local dialect or whether it was a later embellishment remains uncertain. However, the legendary meeting of these three greats brought great fame to Lower Rock Temple, establishing it as a timeless monastery in eastern Chongqing. To commemorate the event, a “Three Sages Shrine” was erected near the temple.

The scenery of Lower Rock Temple is serene and rugged, with emerald-colored rocks and waterfalls cascading like pearls. The famous landscape poet Wang Wei once penned a verse in its praise: “In the mountain’s swallow niche, / The path winds tight and rich. / The earth splits, curling tight, / While cliffs pierce the sky in flight. / Waterfalls roar and spout, / Weird rocks seem about to lout…” This poem vividly depicts the temple’s perilous cliffs and cascading waterfalls, showcasing the uniquely stunning scenery.

Qing Dynasty poet Xiong Yudong wrote “Eight Scenic Spots of Yunyang,” one of which is “Cloud Rock Waterfall Curtain”: “Steep cliffs scrape the sky, / White falls hang from on high. / Coldly sieve moonlight through peaks, / And misty spray the stream seeps. / Around trees silken threads twine, / Like hanging foil in hollows shine. / After rain, sounds more loud, / Hundred cascades make nature proud.” This poem portrays the beauty of Lower Rock Temple: cliffs reaching into the sky, waterfalls streaming down like flying snow or beams of moonlight. Mist envelops the surroundings like swirling smoke, resembling white silk. After the rain, the gushing water roars loud and proud. This poem celebrates the “Cloud Rock Water Curtain,” one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Yunyang.”

The Southern Song Dynasty poet Fan Chengda wrote in his poem “Lower Rock”: “Once, a dream at Middle Rock lay shattered, / Here at Lower Rock, the view is equally weighty. / No place in the gorge is fit to moor the boat, / But today, after rain, I lean on the rail. / No need to seek the Buddha’s face in stone, / Just let me gaze at the waterfall’s tone. / The monks urge me to inscribe the cliff wall, / But before Po and Valley, I dare not call.” The final line, “But before Po and Valley, I dare not call,” reveals the poet’s awe before the breathtaking scenery: having literary giants like Su Dongpo and Huang Shangu precede him with inscribed verses, the junior Fan Zhi’eng hesitated to add his own. Yet, he could not resist, precisely because the scenery at Lower Rock Temple was simply too enchanting — so beautiful it was impossible to turn away.

In the preface to his poem series “Two Poems on Lower Rock Temple,” Northern Song poet Huang Tingjian noted: “It has been two hundred years, and the inscribed poems of visitors are too numerous to read.” Two hundred years before Huang Tingjian, so many poems had already been composed — how many more would have accumulated by the Ming and Qing dynasties? Regrettably, by 1935, when Tu Fengshu compiled all the poetry and prose written about Lower Rock Temple, he could gather only fifty-plus pieces (or individual poems). These fifty-plus literary works, along with the “Yunyang Lower Rock Temple Poetry Record Stele” personally inscribed by Tu Fengshu to document the effort, are all displayed in Zhang Fei Temple. The rebuilt Lower Rock Temple also houses recarved versions.

Today, although the old Lower Rock Temple has faded into history, we believe that the “reborn” new temple will carry on its legacy, becoming a sacred site of Buddhism and culture in eastern Chongqing.

Source: Yunyang Tourism Website