Jiangjin Longxing Temple (Zhuyang Temple)

Jiangjin Longxing Temple (Zhuyang Temple)

Jiangjin Longxing Temple (Zhuyang Temple) is a cultural tourism attraction.

Originally named Longxing Temple and also known as Zhuyang Temple, Longxing Temple is located on Zhouwang Mountain in Longhua Town, Jiangjin District, Chongqing, 10 kilometers from the seat of the Longhua Town government, situated between the main urban area of Jiangjin and Baisha Town. First built during the Song Dynasty (1127–1279), it flourished during the reign of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang (founded in 1368). During the Zhengtong era (1436), monks Shi Zhenquan and Shi Zhenlong from Bayue Temple in Tongliang County wandered to Longxing Temple, registered as local residents, purchased farmland to manage the temple, and gradually expanded its scale.

In the sixth year of the Longqing era of the Ming Dynasty (1572), the temple was expanded by monks Shi Deren and Shi Depei. Covering an area of 2,675 square meters, the temple complex includes six major halls arranged in sequence: the Heavenly King Hall, the Lamp-Lighting Hall, the Great Buddha Hall, the Jade Emperor Hall, the Guanyin Hall, and the Yama Hall. It houses hundreds of divine statues of various sizes, with unique and lifelike expressions. Many stone carvings of bodhisattvas, Buddha niches, and incense burners feature techniques such as round carving, relief carving, and intaglio. The incense burners in front of the halls are all intricately hollow-carved, ancient and exquisite, with vivid depictions of flowers and birds.

On Zhouwang Mountain lies the "Three Teachings" (Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism) integrated Buddhist Ear Rock. The temple grounds are spacious and serene, featuring the "Naihe Bridge" built during the Ming Dynasty, which connects to the Muyu Stone. The Muyu Stone bears witness to an unusually majestic old banyan tree by the Naihe Bridge, cradling an unusual flower, while listening to the ancient folk song “The yellow jujube tree at Huangjueya, the yellow jujube tree bears loquats.” From the 1950s to the 1980s, the temple was gradually demolished, with most of the divine statues destroyed, and ancient trees—including a thousand-year-old ginkgo and thousands of other aged trees—were cut down.

After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the country implemented the reform and opening-up policy. In the summer of 1986, Comrade Gu Wenxing, then Secretary of the Jiangjin County Party Committee, pointed out during his inspection of Longxing Temple (Zhuyang Temple): “Cultural relics are important carriers and physical evidence of the historical and cultural heritage of a country and a nation, serving as a link between history and reality. History without the testimony of cultural relics is pale, and culture without the corroboration of relics is incomplete.”

For over a decade, the monks of Longxing Temple have consistently adhered to principles of thrift and self-reliance, restoring and rebuilding on the ruins of the old site. So far, completed structures include the Small Mountain Gate, the Guanyin Hall, the Medicine Buddha Hall, the Kṣitigarbha Hall, the Welcome Hall, the Heavenly King Hall, the Mahavira Hall, and the Five Buddha Hall. The Thousand Buddha Cliff has been renovated, the Water-Dripping Guanyin statue has been newly created, and supporting facilities such as a dining hall, hotel, viewing pavilion, and tourist pathways have been constructed. The temple now covers an area of over 50,000 square meters, with a building area of more than 8,000 square meters.

Scenic Area Address: Zhouwang Village, Luoba Town, Jiangjin District, Chongqing

Transportation: Take a bus from Chongqing to Jiangjin, then transfer to a bus bound for Luoba Town at the Jiangjin Passenger Transport Center to reach the destination.