Ruins of Hongyan Temple

Ruins of Hongyan Temple

The ruins of Hongyan Temple are a cultural tourism attraction.

Hongyan Temple: The former site was located at Hongyan Temple Primary School, 3 kilometers from Xingma. Legend has it that this temple was originally intended to be built on Miaoliang Mountain. On the night before the temple was to be erected, however, the main beam fell onto a thorny bush beneath Red Rock. As a result, the construction materials were relocated and the foundation was rebuilt in the lower area, eventually forming a traditional Chinese courtyard-style temple. Because it is situated beneath Red Rock, it was named “Hongyan Temple” (Red Rock Temple). Towering cypresses grew densely around the temple, making it invisible unless one entered the woods. The temple housed various statues of deities, along with a bell and a drum. A Taoist nun known as Huang Xiangu once resided there. After her death, the temple stood empty. In 1952, following the land reform, the statues were destroyed and the site was repurposed as a school. In 1967, during the school’s expansion, the temple was completely demolished, leaving nothing but ruins behind.