Lengyan Pavilion

Lengyan Pavilion

Lengyan Pavilion is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Lengyan Pavilion is a famous Taoist temple and tourist destination in central Sichuan, situated on the Longbei Mountain ridge fifteen kilometers south of Shehong County, Sichuan. The Shehong County Annals compiled during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty record: “Lengyan Pavilion on the back mountain was built during the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty.” It was initially developed during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty by Huiqing Taihe and Chen Qingjue from Yangxi. Later on, it was headed by abbots including Li Yixiang, Xiao Yangming, and He Laihuai. In the later Qing period, Lengyan Pavilion served as the regional branch office for the Taoist North Sichuan Taoist Association. It functioned as an affiliate of the Chengdu Ermiao An and governed sixteen subordinate temples.

The Taoist temple of Lengyan Pavilion follows the contours of Longbei Mountain. Visitors can access it from the main street of Yangxi Town via an alley and steps leading up to a stone gate. Flanking the stone gate are couplets reading: “To ascend to the heavens and seize the bright moon; To sweep away the mortal world’s idle quarrels.” After climbing another fifty-plus steps, one reaches the pre-establishment-of-the-PRC “Guidance Hall” halfway up the mountain. Situated to the west beneath the mountain temple, the hall is built along the mountainside, facing the Fu River. A section over two acres was carved out alongside the cliffside. Towering above the cliff are ancient banyan trees, their lush foliage providing shade over most of the Guidance Hall. Carved wooden couplets grace the main gate: “Leng Pavilion overlooks three rivers, each gaze resting on Golden Flowers beside the North Star; The mountain gate divides two temples, ashamed to not offer a jade belt to Dongpo.” Upon entering, there is a Buddhist hall enshrining a standing statue of the Buddha. Next to the hall is a small shop selling incense, candles, joss paper, and pastries. Further inside, shaded by the banyan tree, lies a fishpond, rockery, and garden, along with a rectangular stage and small theater that can accommodate over a hundred spectators. Couplets on the front pillars of the stage read: “Open my heart wide, singing of the great river flowing east; Feel the cool breeze upon your brow, watching the crisp air drift from the west.” On the left side of the stage is a corridor with another couplet: “When may I reach the realm of true enlightenment; This place, though named, resembles a humble nunnery.” Outside the corridor stands a stilt-style building called “River-Watching Tower.” All three couplets were composed by Li Yusheng, a revolutionary figure and notable personality of the Xinhai Revolution. The Guidance Hall offers “scenic commanding views”—from the railings, visitors can take in the full panorama of Yangxi Town, gaze toward East Mountain, Tongquan Dam with its verdant ridges and misty clouds, where landscapes and waterscapes interplay, earning it the title “a little scenic wonder of the human realm.” Many tourists visit, and local literati and elders such as Ma Tianqu, Li Yusheng, Tu Bingshan, Wen Yingjiang, and Huang Dongchang often gathered here for poetry readings. Wen Yingjiang once penned a scenic couplet: “Clearing a half-acre plot from the mountain’s ribs; Enclosing ten miles of river scenery under the sky.” These words capture the scene perfectly. In summer, thanks to the shade of the banyan trees and the cooling river breeze, it becomes a popular retreat for locals escaping the heat.

Entering through the Guidance Gate and ascending more steps with a turn uphill leads visitors to the main mountain gate of Lengyan Pavilion Temple. This gate is relatively broad, and at its entrance is a carved wooden couplet by local resident He Jinggu: “A solitary wild duck on sunset clouds, where river and sky share one hue; Cold crows amid green chants, a thousand bells and chimes resounding.” In front of the gate lies an open area, originally used for various activities during temple fairs. The Lengshan TaoistTemple complex is divided into three tiers following the slope of the mountain from bottom to top. The first level, directly opposite the main gate, is the Five Patriarchs Hall (also known as the Five Plague Hall, symbolizing the five sacrificial animals: pig, chicken, sheep, ox, and frog). Legend says it was built during the Ming Dynasty after clearing a thorny bamboo grove. The second level is the Wenchang Hall, enshrining the Wenchang deity (patron of culture), with the Three Immortals Hall and the Medicine King Hall to the right. The third and highest level contains the highest deities: the Laojun Hall (enshrining Laojun, or the Great Supreme), and the Dongyue Hall (enshrining the Eastern Peak Emperor). To the right is the Scripture Depository, and to the left is the Chunyang Tower (enshrining the Pure Yang Patriarch). Corridors connect the halls across all three levels, so visitors can tour the entire complex even in the rain without wetting their feet.

The highest and most outstanding location within Lengyan Pavilion is the Chunyang Tower. Standing next to the Laojun Hall, this three-story structure rises over four zhang (approximately 13 meters) high. The top floor hosts a shrine with a statue of the Pure Yang Patriarch, Lü Dongbin. Built in the early Republican era, the tower features a novel design and a superior location. Its expansive walkways and fully backed seating railings offer comfort, while the intricately carved beams and bright windows create a pristine atmosphere. Those who climb to the top can gaze out at the stunning sights of Huanghuzhai, Stone Axe Mountain, and Sky Bridge Ferry—offering a uniquely delightful experience.

Adjacent to the Dongyue Hall and mirroring the Chunyang Tower in position stands the Scripture Depository, a treasured repository for Taoist scriptures. Perched at the edge of the mountain ridge and facing the Fu River, the depository is nestled within green foliage, capped by a red treasure roof and glazed tiles, with double-layered flying eaves. From afar, it enhances the temple’s scenic beauty. At sunrise, with one’s back against the railing, the surging Fu River flows beneath, while mist envelops the surroundings, giving the sensation of standing within an immortal's paradise or a celestial island.

Among all the halls in Lengyan Pavilion, the Dongyue Hall is the most mysterious and rich in legends. Dedicated to the Eastern Peak Emperor, this hall is said to preside over life and death and the length of human destinies, making it the most frequented by worshippers. The statue of the Eastern Peak Emperor appears majestic. Inside, statues include civil and martial officials, judges, minor demons, the Ox-Head and Horse-Face, and yamen officers. One particular officer on duty, caught mid-yawn, is rendered so vividly in expression and posture that it draws special attention. The dim lighting throughout the hall adds a creepy atmosphere. Behind the statue of the Eastern Peak Emperor is another figure: the Southern Peak Emperor. A couplet above the hall’s door reads: “Good souls, do not lose heart—your virtues now shall be rewarded in the next life; Brave tyrants, do not act recklessly—the debts you incur now must be repaid in death.” A large abacus hangs from the beam above the hall’s entrance, measuring about 3 meters long and 1.4 meters wide, with beads as big as bowls. Legend has it that late at night, people have heard the sound of the abacus being operated. There is also a tale involving a merchant from Yangxi Town who repeatedly defaulted on his debts and acted untrustworthily. Left with no other options, the creditor went to the Dongyue Hall to kneel before the divine statue and pray. After burning offerings and joss paper, they asked for divine justice. The next day, the creditor brought the merchant before the statue—and swore an oath. Upon seeing how precisely the debts were calculated on the abacus—each figure accurate to the last cent—the merchant was terrified. He later repaid all his dues out of guilt and even fell ill. After the tale spread, no one in Yangxi dared to default on debts dishonestly any longer.

To the side of the Dongyue Hall lies the Laojun Hall, where the statue of Laojun, the founding patriarch of Taoism, is sculpted with solemn nobility. Beside him are exquisitely crafted statues of the Twelve Grotto Gold Immortals. The hall's beams and rafters are intricately carved, adorned with sculptures of various deities. Above the entrance is a plaque inscribed with four characters: 其犹龙乎 ("Is he not like a dragon?"), a phrase attributed to Confucius praising Laozi: “How rich in culture—he is like a dragon in the heavens.” The calligraphy is vigorous and aged, rumored to have been brushed using cotton dipped in ink by a master artist. Below the stone stairs of the hall stands an ancient ginkgo tree, some five or six zhang in height. Legend says it was planted in the mid-Ming Dynasty, making it over 300 years old. The massive trunk, too wide for two people to put their arms around, supports abundant foliage. The shade of the tree harmonizes with the surrounding pavilions, adding further charm to the temple landscape. Protected area: 3 meters east of the perimeter wall, 3 meters south of the back eaves of the Dongyue Hall, 3 meters west of the perimeter wall, 5 meters north of the mountain gate.

Construction control zone: Extending 10 meters east, 200 meters south, 10 meters west, and 50 meters north from the protected boundary.

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Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units