Yangcheng Haihui Temple

Yangcheng Haihui Temple

Yangcheng Haihui Temple is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

Haihui Temple, also known as Longquan Temple, is located 15 kilometers northeast of Yangcheng County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, west of Daqiao Village. It is one of the major temples in Yangcheng County. The temple was first built during the Tang Dynasty and was originally named Guoyu Courtyard. In the first year of the Qian Ning era (894) under Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, it was officially granted the name “Longquan Temple.” Over the dynasties, it underwent multiple renovations and expansions, eventually growing into a grand complex, renowned throughout the Ming and Qing periods.

Haihui Temple, also known as Longquan Temple, is located 15 kilometers northeast of Yangcheng County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, west of Daqiao Village. It is one of the major temples in Yangcheng County. The temple was first built during the Tang Dynasty and was originally named Guoyu Courtyard. In the first year of the Qian Ning era (894) under Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, it was officially granted the name “Longquan Temple.” Over the dynasties, it underwent multiple renovations and expansions, eventually growing into a grand complex, renowned throughout the Ming and Qing periods. It suffered severe damage before and after the liberation, and most of the current structures date back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The twin towers are the main surviving architectural features, consisting of a Song Dynasty brick pagoda and a Ming Dynasty reliquary pagoda. The Ming Dynasty reliquary pagoda has eight sides and thirteen stories, standing approximately 40 meters tall. The lower three levels are formed into an octagonal battlement-style base, while the tenth level features a projecting balcony with eight supporting columns that create the effect of a pavilion in the sky. This level also heavily utilizes glazed components. Each side of every level of the pagoda imitates the style of Song Dynasty pagodas with Buddha niches, some of which incorporate glazed elements. On May 25, 2006, Haihui Temple was approved by the State Council to be included in the sixth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level as a Ming to Qing ancient architectural complex. The Haihui Temple scenic area is a thousand-year-old temple that was twice bestowed its name by emperors from the Tang and Song Dynasties. The entire site is nestled against mountains and beside water, boasting picturesque scenery: the winding Dragon Spring with murmuring green waters, the towering Twin Pagodas that are majestic and awe-inspiring, the clustered ancient halls and Buddhist pavilions, and the various landscapes featuring pools, lakes, and waterfalls. Historically, it has been a famous destination in ancient Zezhou for sightseeing, leisure, summer retreats, chanting scriptures, worshipping Buddha, and studying.

Historical Evolution

The temple was initially established during the Sui Dynasty and had already reached considerable scale by the Tang Dynasty. Emperor Zhaozong of Tang first bestowed upon it the name “Longquan Chan Monastery,” and later Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, “graciously granted the name Haihui Temple.” The Ming and Qing Dynasties marked the temple’s peak period of prosperity.

The scenic area contains ancient structures such as the reliquary pagoda built in the second year of the Longde era of the Later Liang Dynasty (922 AD), and the Rulai Pagoda built during the Jiajing and Longqing eras (1565–1568 AD). There is also the Mahavira Hall, which was rebuilt in the fifteenth year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1479 AD). Other features include the Bell and Drum Towers, the Four Heavenly Kings Hall, the Medicine Buddha Hall, the Vairocana Pavilion, the Ten Kings of Hell Hall, the Reclining Buddha Hall, the Guanyin Hall, and the Hall of Literary and Martial Deities. The surviving ancient architecture in the temple reflects different styles from the Tang and Song Dynasties through to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Particularly notable is the glazed hanging pavilion pagoda, praised by ancient architecture experts as the “National Treasure of Haihui,” which is considered a fine example of pavilion-style pagodas in China. Standing over fifty meters tall with thirteen levels and eight sides, the pagoda features a projecting ring of glazed hanging pavilions on the tenth level, where visitors can climb and enjoy panoramic views of the Taihang Mountains. Among the temple’s renowned landscapes are “Haihui Dragon Pool,” “Winding Stream for Floating Wine Cups,” and “Dragon Spittle Waterfall.”

The temple also houses a separate courtyard known as Haihui Bieyuan, which was once used by Wang Guo and Zhang Shenyan, both Ming Dynasty Ministers of Personnel, for reading and teaching. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, this place produced one Grand Secretary, three Ministers, dozens of Jinshi (successful imperial examination candidates), and hundreds of Juren (lesser degree holders), making it a prestigious academy in Yangcheng at the time.

The temple preserves nearly a hundred stone tablets and steles from the Five Dynasties to the Qing Dynasty, many of which bear inscriptions and calligraphy by notable figures. The cultural relics in the temple hold extremely high historical and cultural value.

Haihui Temple is not only a renowned ancient monastery and educational institution but also a scenic attraction. It has been specially recommended to tourists from around the world. The Haihui Temple scenic area is located in Beiliu Town, home to North China’s largest thermal power plant — the Yangcheng Power Plant. It lies just one kilometer north of the Imperial City of the Kangxi and Qianlong Eras and is a thousand-year-old temple that was twice bestowed its name by Tang and Song emperors. In 1965, it was designated as one of the first batch of Key Cultural Relics Protection Units in Shanxi Province. It opened to the public in 2003 and is a famous temple in the Taihang Mountains. The scenic area is divided into the Temple Area, Twin Pagodas Area, and Classical Garden Area, featuring 48 attractions including the Winding Dragon Spring, Water-Dripping Guanyin, Mahavira Hall, Medicine Buddha Hall, and the White Rabbit Carrying Scriptures.

Nestled between mountains and water, the temple complex includes a chain of pools with murmuring green waters. It uniquely blends Buddhist culture, academic culture, and garden culture, covering a total area of 34,800 square meters. Originally called Guogu Courtyard, historical records from the Yangcheng County Annals indicate that monks were already present at Haihui Temple in the early Tang Dynasty, with its establishment dating back at least to the Sui Dynasty. Among the extant steles is a mythological legend about a white rabbit carrying sutras that describes the temple’s founding, although no exact date is recorded. The earliest confirmed date is October 25 of the first year of the Qian Ning era (894), when Emperor Zhaozong of Tang “issued an imperial decree, naming it ‘Longquan Chan Courtyard.’” On the third day of the third month in the seventh year of the Taiping Xingguo era (982), Emperor Taizong of Song again bestowed the name “Haihui Temple.” Hence, the temple, also known as Longquan Temple, received both names from emperors. Counting from Emperor Zhaozong’s naming, it has a history of over 1,100 years.

Temple Attractions

Haihui Twin Pagodas:

The Pagoda Courtyard of Haihui Temple consists of two courtyards, within which stand the iconic structures of the temple — the Haihui Twin Pagodas, praised by experts from the China Architecture Design and Research Institute as the “National Treasures.”

This robust and rustic brick pagoda was built during the late Tang and early Liang Dynasties, over a thousand years ago. It has six sides and ten levels, standing more than twenty meters tall. The interior is hollow with intersecting doorways, and the walls are adorned with murals of rows of small, exquisitely crafted and ancient-looking figures. The outer brick walls are densely packed with Buddha niches containing seated Buddha statues, hence it is also called the “Thousand Buddha Pagoda.” This pagoda was originally built as a reliquary pagoda by the disciples of Master Shun?O after his passing.

This slender and delicate glazed pagoda was constructed during the Jiajing and Longqing eras of the Ming Dynasty, modeled after the Liuhe Pagoda on Moonwheel Mountain south of West Lake in Hangzhou. With eight sides and thirteen levels, the pagoda stands over fifty meters tall. Each level has inner chambers, and behind the thick walls, a spiral passage leads up the pagoda.

The passage contains brick staircases that wind upward to the top. The pagoda appears octagonal from the outside, with each level decreasing slightly in size. The design of the bracket sets, multiple eaves, and the body of the pagoda are well-proportioned in terms of scale and projection. Each level also features iron bells on the corner eaves that tinkle melodiously in the breeze. These features resemble those of the Liuhe Pagoda on West Lake. However, this pagoda also introduces innovations, being even more exquisite and graceful than the Liuhe Pagoda. The builders added numerous glazed components to the structure, giving the pagoda a resplendent and shimmering appearance. Especially notable is the tenth level, which projects a ring of balconies enclosed by glazed railings, forming a stunning hanging pavilion. Professor Zhang Yuhuan, an expert on ancient Chinese pagodas, wrote in the China Cultural Relics Newspaper: “This is a unique masterpiece among pavilion-style pagodas in northern China.”

Mahavira Hall:

The temple houses Buddhist halls from the Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, forming a highly valuable group of ancient buildings. On the east and west sides of the central axis of the halls are two classical garden areas that make full use of the Dragon Spring waters to create pools, ponds, marshes, lakes, waterfalls, winding streams, and even a simulation of the Yellow River’s nine bends, greatly enhancing the spiritual ambiance of the temple. Strolling through these gardens, one can not only immerse oneself in Buddhist culture but also feel the charm of garden design. The Mahavira Hall, rebuilt in the fifteenth year of the Chenghua era (1479), has a plaque above its entrance inscribed by Yang Jizong, the Ming Dynasty’s “Number One Clean Official” and Deputy Censor-in-Chief. His bold and powerful calligraphy lends grandeur to the hall. The building faces five bays in width and eight rafters in depth, with a suspended gable roof, colorful glazed ridge ornaments, protruding bracket sets, and high upturned eaves, all contributing to its magnificent appearance.

Haihui Dragon Pool:

“Haihui Dragon Pool”: Once one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Yangcheng. Behind the Mahavira Hall to the north of the temple lies a spring with high water levels and strong flow. The spring water flows overground and gushes out from the mouth of a giant dragon statue here, cascading into a ten-sided deep pool to form a spectacular waterfall. During the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, Yangcheng County Magistrate Chen Guozhen wrote an essay titled “Ode to Haihui Dragon Pool.” In the Yongzheng era, Zezhou Prefect Zhu Zhang visited and exclaimed: “Mount Yandang once stirred my dreams of landscape; now, it feels as if I’ve arrived at the Great Dragon Pool.” A native of Qiantang, Zhejiang, Zhu Zhang compared the scenery here to that of Mount Yandang in his home province and likened Haihui Dragon Pool to the famed Great Dragon Pool of Yandang, showing how impressive the site was in its heyday.

Dragon Spring:

“Haihui Dragon Spring”: Over a thousand years ago, the temple was built here precisely because the ponds and lakes in the complex drew their water from this spring. Hence, Emperor Zhaozong of Tang granted it the name “Longquan Chan Courtyard,” and the temple was known as Longquan Chan Temple during the Tang Dynasty. The temple is situated at the convergence of nine mountain ridges of Huayang Mountain, historically referred to as the “Nine Dragons Looking Back.” The Dragon Spring in the temple was said to have water that “gushed forth from underground, flowing mightily.” The spring water was “cold as ice in summer, warm as boiling water in winter, as clear as a mirror, and as fragrant and sweet as fine liquor.”

Flowing Wine Cup Pavilion:

“Winding Stream for Floating Wine Cups Pavilion.” In ancient China, there was a custom called “Spring Purification Rituals,” and the flowing wine cup activity was part of these rituals. A clear stream was directed to form a winding course, and guests would sit along its banks while wine cups floated downstream. Whoever the cup stopped by would drink and compose poetry. This tradition of sharing poetry and wine was a refined pastime, vividly described by the Sage of Calligraphy, Wang Xizhi, in his “Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion.”

Haihui Bieyuan:

Haihui Temple Bieyuan: Within Haihui Temple lies an unassuming courtyard. Yet during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was the most prestigious academy in Yangcheng. Yangcheng was ranked among the Three Literary Cities of the Ming and Qing era, alongside Hancheng and Tongcheng. During these dynasties, Yangcheng produced over 120 Jinshi, more than half of whom came from villages surrounding Haihui Temple. The area along the Qin River was known for its literary flourishing. Figures such as Wang Guoguang and Chen Tingjing, who served in official posts across the country, originated here. Their fame influenced local scholars, and their visits attracted other literati. As a result, the area became a hub for literary gatherings. From the Ming to the Qing Dynasties, numerous poetry societies were active here, including the notable “Fan South Poetry Society,” “Plum Blossom Poetry Society,” and “Seven Elders Poetry Society,” all of which left behind a wealth of poetry.

Haihui Temple Branch: Within Haihui Temple lies an unassuming courtyard. However, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, this was the site of one of Yangcheng County’s most illustrious academies. During the Ming and Qing periods, Yangcheng was ranked among the “Three Great Counties,” alongside Hancheng and Tongcheng. Over those dynasties, more than 120 scholars from Yangcheng passed the imperial examination to become jinshi (advanced scholars), with over half of them hailing from villages around Haihui Temple. In ancient times, the banks of the Qin River were a hub of literary talent. A large number of prominent figures, represented by Wang Guoguang and Chen Tingjing, who served in official posts across the country, originated from this area. Their fame influenced aspiring scholars nearby, and their visits attracted literati from the surrounding regions. As a result, the area became a gathering center for literati and students. From the Ming through the Qing dynasties, numerous poetry societies were active here. Among the more influential were the “Fan Nan Poetry Society,” the “Plum Blossom Poetry Society,” and the “Seven Recluses Elders Poetry Society,” all of which left behind a wealth of poetry.

Further reading:

· Sixth batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites