Mianyang HuiLong Ancient Temple

Mianyang HuiLong Ancient Temple

Mianyang HuiLong Ancient Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

HuiLong Temple has a glorious and magnificent cultural history. Originally named HuiLong Guan, it was first built during the Ming Dynasty. According to the Records of Mianzhou in Sichuan, HuiLong Guan was located thirty li west of the administrative center and was established by Hu Ruyi, the governor of Lin’an Prefecture in Yunnan. At that time—marked by turmoil and rampant banditry—the local authorities were powerless to solve criminal cases. To ensure peace, the Ming emperor personally dispatched Governor Hu to investigate these crimes. He vowed that upon solving the cases, he would construct HuiLong Guan to repay the people and the imperial court. In just half a month, he solved major and minor criminal cases of significance, bringing stability to the region, and then proceeded to build HuiLong Guan. The name “HuiLong” (Returning Dragon) signifies the harmony of celestial light and earthly energy. The site’s terrain resembles nine dragons looking back, hence the name HuiLong, and thus the monastery was called HuiLong Guan.

A year later, the monastery began to house resident monks, numbering over two thousand. There were also more than thirty itinerant monks. They propagated Buddhist teachings and renamed HuiLong Guan as HuiLong Temple. In the early Qing Dynasty, the temple underwent significant expansion. Structures such as the Mahavira Hall, the Hall of Great Mercy, the Jade Emperor Hall, the Manjushri Hall, the Ksitigarbha Hall, and the Ten Kings Hall were constructed. The statues of the Buddhas and deities were solemn and majestic. The halls were flanked by courtyards and over sixty living quarters, all built with red walls and gray tubular tiles, creating a magnificent and beautiful complex. On both sides of the three inner gates were bells and drums, and in front of the second-floor temple was a stage used to celebrate harvests and joyous occasions. Behind the temple stood an octagonal, magnificent pagoda symbolizing the radiance of Buddha’s light and peace under heaven. The entire temple complex was well laid out, with splendid, majestic, and awe-inspiring architecture.

HuiLong Temple was not only a cradle of revolution but also the birthplace of anti-Japanese sentiments. During the War of Resistance against Japan, the Red Army stayed at the temple for seven days, spreading revolutionary ideals and sowing the seeds of resistance and patriotism among the people of northwestern Sichuan.