Jueyuan Temple

Jueyuan Temple

Jueyuan Temple is a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

Jueyuan Temple is located in Wulian Town, Jiange County, Guangyuan. The temple was originally built during the Tang Dynasty and is said to have been the family temple of the renowned statesman Wei Zheng. After being renovated and reconstructed over various dynasties, the current structure reflects Ming Dynasty architectural style. The “Buddhist Narrative Murals” inside Jueyuan Temple are exquisitely beautiful and highly celebrated. In 2001, Jueyuan Temple was designated by the State Council as part of the fifth batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. Jueyuan Temple consists of three main halls in the south and two symmetrically arranged side halls on the east and west. The three main halls are, in sequence, the Heavenly King Hall, the Mahavira Hall, and the Guanyin Hall. The Mahavira Hall was built during the Ming Dynasty. Inside, two pillars are each carved with a coiled dragon, presenting a majestic aura. The hall enshrines three statues of the Tathagata, symbolizing the Buddhist “Three Jewels” of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The three Buddha statues share a consistent form but differ in hand gestures. The central statue, representing the “Buddha,” has its hands pressed together in prayer and sits in a meditative pose, serene and compassionate. Flanking the Tathagata statues are the revered disciples Kasyapa and Ananda. Behind the shrine is also a standing statue of Amitabha Buddha, dignified and solemn. The inner walls of the Mahavira Hall preserve over 200 exquisite and precious murals depicting stories from the “Buddhist Narrative.” Legend says these murals were painted overnight by the famed painter Wu Daozi when the temple was first constructed during the Tang Dynasty. Though apocryphal, this tale speaks to the exceptional artistry and craftsmanship of the murals. The stories depicted are broad and vivid, each labeled with a four-character title. It is said that due to special painting techniques used, the colors remain vibrant and splendid even after centuries, an awe-inspiring sight.

The Heavenly King Hall was rebuilt in the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932). It features a double-eaved hip-and-gable wooden structure with a small green-tiled roof, supported by raised beams. The hall is 25 meters wide and 12.4 meters deep, with a total height of 12 meters. The plain base is 0.6 meters high, leading up to a three-tiered stairway. Originally, clay sculptures of Heavenly Kings were housed inside, alongside line drawings of mythological tales—all lost during the Cultural Revolution.

The Mahavira Hall was restored during the Ming Dynasty. It has a single-eaved hip-and-gable roof covered with gray tube tiles, supported by raised beams. The eaves feature bracket sets six meters in span, with eight rafters and reduced columns at the front and back, plus a rear section using three columns. The hall is 16 meters wide, 13 meters deep, and 11 meters high. The plain base stands 1.5 meters tall, with a nine-tiered stepped approach. Its layout is nearly square. Horizontally, 10.85-meter-long raised beams support the roof, and vertically, 8-meter beams do the same, creating a spacious, rectangular interior space of 10.85 meters by 8 meters—vast and imposing. The Guanyin Hall, also restored in the Ming Dynasty, has a single-eaved hip-and-gable roof with small green tiles and no bracket sets. It uses ten rafters and six columns, measuring 21.5 meters wide and 13.8 meters deep, with a height of 7.9 meters. The plain base is 1.5 meters high, with a seven-tiered stepped approach. In 1986, a new statue of Guanyin was installed in the main hall, along with a Lu You Memorial Gallery on the left and a Wei Zheng Memorial Gallery on the right.

Upon entering the Mahavira Hall, one is greeted by three seated Buddha statues, each 2.95 meters tall. According to the inscription on a stone incense burner from the Ming Dynasty in front of the shrine, these are all statues of Shakyamuni Buddha, representing the “Three Jewels” of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The middle figure represents the Buddha, with a full face, draped in a kasaya, bare chest and arms, hands pressed together in prayer, seated in meditation—majestic and benevolent. To the right is the Dharma, to the left the Sangha, both with gentle smiles and composed brows, their mudras indicating teaching in meditation. Their attire matches that of the central Buddha. The backdrop behind the three Buddhas is a wooden and clay relief depicting a splendid array of auspicious symbols such as the Five Tathagatas, Bodhi trees, dragons, phoenixes, blue birds, and the sun. Gilded decorations lend the piece an elegant and radiant color scheme. The entire composition is peach-shaped, surrounded by flame patterns, and stands 6.1 meters tall.

On the left side of the great Buddha stands Kasyapa, and on the right, Ananda, both with solemn and dignified expressions. Behind the great Buddha is a standing statue of Amitabha Buddha, robust and solemn, with a full, expressive face. Above are statues of Guanyin, Manjushri, and Samantabhadra, each with unique poses and lively charm.

The stone incense burner in front of the shrine features deep-relief carvings of various scenes including “Arhats in Meditation,” “Musicians and Acrobats,” and “Chess Games and Painting Appreciation.” The figures, whether sitting, lying, speaking, singing, watching, or fighting, are rendered naturally and vividly. The muscular strength portrayed in the lower part of the cauldron cover—where laborers strain to hold it up—is particularly exquisite. Their bent arms, crouched legs, bulging muscles in arms, foreheads, and necks are incredibly lifelike.

Around the pillars on either side of the shrine, dragons are carved in coiling motion, as if ready to take flight. The right dragon bares its fangs and glares fiercely, while the left one closes its mouth and gazes calmly. Sudhana and Dragon Girl each hold a pearl for subduing dragons, standing atop the dragons with an air of taming beasts.

Along the inner beams of the hall are arranged twenty-four Heavenly Kings, all carved from camphor wood during the Ming Dynasty. Each one-meter-tall statue stands atop auspicious clouds. The figures include both civil and martial characters, men and women, each with distinct personalities, postures, and attire.

The statues in the hall use a technique combining colored raw lacquer base, mineral pigments, and gold leaf. Coloring is applied according to the character, temperament, and status of each figure, resulting in richly adorned garments. Thanks to the extensive use of lacquer and gold leaf, the statues remain dazzling and resplendent despite centuries of age. The “Buddhist Narrative Murals” inside the hall are equally breathtaking. These exquisite murals cover a broad range of content and are invaluable for the study of Chinese painting. They also provide important reference material for research into military science, sports, medicine, clothing, architecture, literature, and especially the social customs of ancient China.

On the 3.5-meter-high walls surrounding the Mahavira Hall are sixteen sections comprising over 200 colorful murals depicting stories from the “Buddhist Narrative.” Each mural is titled with a four-character ink inscription. At the end are portraits of the temple’s abbot Jingzhi and his disciple Dao Fang, along with other devotees—totaling over 170 square meters. These murals were collectively painted by folk artists following the hall’s reconstruction in the early Tian Shun era of Emperor Yingzong of Ming (1457 AD).

The murals begin with the story titled “Queen Maya’s Dream,” which recounts how on April 8th of the 24th year in the Kingdom of Kapilavastu (modern-day Nepal, 546 BC), a baby named Siddhartha Gautama was born under the Tree of Enlightenment in Lumbini Garden. After childbirth, Queen Maya, exhausted from her ten-month pregnancy, passed away just seven days later, and the infant Siddhartha was raised by his maternal aunt. He began studying literature and martial arts at age seven. As a youth, he observed farming life, and by his twenties, had mastered literature, philosophy, and mathematics. He was also an exceptional archer and swordsman, known for his intelligence and wide-ranging knowledge. At 29, he ventured through the four gates of the capital and witnessed the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death. To liberate people from worldly pain, Siddhartha defied his father King Suddhodana, renounced his royal life, cut off his hair with a golden blade, and became a monk, taking the name “Bodhisattva,” abbreviated as “Bodhisattva.” He meditated under the Bodhi tree in the Forest of Asceticism through six years of hardship, unmoved by wind or rain. During this time, the deity Indra sent a cowherd girl to offer him milk porridge in a golden bowl. With the girl’s offering and Indra’s gift of robes, he eventually attained enlightenment. At 25, he delivered his first sermon in Deer Park (now Sarnath), spreading the Dharma and liberating countless beings. Shakyamuni passed into Nirvana in 486 BC. He lived for 80 years, gave 300 sermons, opened boundless teachings, and liberated infinite beings. The people of the Shakya clan in Kapilavastu revered him as “Shakyamuni,” meaning “Sage of the Shakya Clan.”

Who was the master artist behind such richly detailed and literary murals? One legend says that over a thousand years ago, after the completion of the Mahavira Hall and the grand consecration ceremony, incense smoke filled the air, bells and chimes rang harmoniously, and everything proceeded smoothly—except for the bare walls. The abbot, restless, sought painters to create the “Buddhist Narrative” murals, but no one was willing to take on the task. A local literatus from Wulian proposed inviting Wu Daozi, who was traveling through Shu at the time. Wu was invited and hosted with a grand feast. Months passed, and as the Buddha’s Birthday Festival on April 8th drew near, Wu still hadn’t begun. The anxious abbot urged him on, preparing dozens of paint palettes and scaffolding. But by the eve of the festival, the walls remained blank. The monks were helpless—until the next morning, when the doors were opened to reveal the complete set of “Buddhist Narrative” murals, completed overnight. Wu Daozi, however, had vanished. Indeed, the murals of Jueyuan Temple bear Wu Daozi’s distinctive style, infused with strong regional characteristics. The overall composition is rigorous, flowing seamlessly from one scene to the next. Scenes are divided only by landscapes, waters, clouds, trees, or buildings, yet are interconnected with compelling narrative flow—truly a classical comic strip. The murals are intricately detailed, grand in scale, with graceful figures, skillful brushwork, and elegant, rich colors. Using fine-line brushwork, the subtle emotions on the figures’ faces are captured masterfully. These murals are truly peerless masterpieces.

Over the ages, many poets and artists have visited Jueyuan Temple, enthralled by the artistic brilliance of the murals. In May 1986, the famous painter Shao Yu remarked after seeing them: “The painting technique is exceptional—these are the finest Ming Dynasty murals I’ve ever seen. They surpass even the works of renowned painters Qiu Ying and Tang Yin. Even if the author was a folk artist, he must have been a master painter of the highest caliber.” A celebrated photographer, after viewing the murals, praised them profusely and inscribed the words “Pearl of the Shu Road.” Provincial cultural authorities allocated funds for restoration three times. In 1985, Mr. Wang Kuanqing, president of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce, donated 70,000 RMB for the preservation of the murals. Experts from the Provincial Cultural Relics Management Committee devised a scientific restoration plan to repair cracks, eliminate dangers, and preserve the original appearance of the murals.

Protected Area: East to the small road behind the new street of Wulian Town and the back of resident Jia Yuhua’s house; South to the ditch connecting the back of residents Bai Daguan, Qiu Shizhen, the small road from Wulian to Xiaojiahe, and the highway from Wulian to Xinhua Village; West to Guanyin Field, Arhat Field, and the Niantang embankment connected to the highway from Wulian to Xinhua Village; North to the new street of Wulian Town; South to the extension of the Wulian-Xinhua Village highway.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level