Beishan Temple in Desheng Town

Beishan Temple in Desheng Town

Beishan Temple in Desheng Town is a cultural tourism attraction.

Beishan Temple in Desheng Town

Beishan Temple in Desheng, also known as Beifeng Temple, is located in Desheng Town, Pingchang County. It borders Tongjiang to the northeast and Ba Zhou to the northwest, over 40 kilometers from the county seat of Pingchang and over 60 kilometers from the city proper. Covering an area of more than 20 acres and sitting at an altitude of over 810 meters, the temple is surrounded by steep cliffs on its eastern, western, and northern sides, while the southern part has relatively gentle terrain. The rocky areas around the temple are covered with lush trees, including ancient species such as pine, cypress, nanmu, bodhi, and various shrubs and trees like the “money tree.”

According to the *Bazhou County Annals*: “Beishan Temple, located in Deshengchang to the east of the county, was first built by the monk Huiwu. Surrounded by shady flowers and bamboo, it provides an ideal place for leisure and sightseeing.” Why was this temple recorded in the *Bazhou County Annals*? Because before the Republican era, Pingchang was under the jurisdiction of Bazhou County, hence it was recorded in the *Bazhou County Annals*. The temple was destroyed during warfare in the early Qing Dynasty but was repaired during the Kangxi period and renamed Beishan Temple after being converted from Erjiao Temple. The existing temple structures and murals were funded and reconstructed between the 17th year (1837) and the 25th year (1845) of the Daoguang reign in the Qing Dynasty by Monk Leiziran.

Beishan Temple was a strategically crucial military site during the age of cold weapons. During the reign of Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, peasant leaders Lan Yantui and Yan Mushi launched uprisings here. When Zhang Xianzhong entered Sichuan, he treated Desheng as a key stronghold and once stationed troops here. The White Lotus Sect peasant rebel army of the Qing Dynasty also used this as a base. These historical events are documented in inscriptions preserved within the temple.

In modern times, the Fourth Front Red Army established a Soviet government here. The 11th, 90th, 88th, and 90th Divisions of the Red Army successively set up command posts in the area. From October 1933, Commander-in-Chief [Xiang Ying] presided over a military conference here, formulating the operational plan for the “Xuanda Campaign.” The Red Fourth Front Army Headquarters commanded both the “Xuanda Campaign” and subsequent battles against the “Six-Road Encirclement,” achieving major victories.