Naxi Yunfeng Temple

Naxi Yunfeng Temple

Naxi Yunfeng Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

The ancient architecture of Yunfeng Temple in Naxi District. It is located on Fangshan Mountain (also known as Yunfeng Mountain) in Shipeng Township, Naxi District, Luzhou City. There are both the Old and New Yunfeng Temples. It is a major Buddhist site in southern Sichuan. "Yunfeng Temple" is the collective name for both the Old and New Yunfeng Temples.

The Old Yunfeng Temple is located on the plains to the right below the Taiji Gate at the top of Fangshan, backed by Lion Peak — that is, the protruding spur known as Snow-Clearing Peak.

According to the "Luzhou County Annals," the Old Yunfeng Temple was initially built in the first year of the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty and was originally named Huifeng Temple. In the sixth year of Tianbao, an imperial decree established the Yunfeng Chan Monastery, and there is also the stele of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang enshrined inside the Temple of Emperor Wu of Wei.

During the Song Dynasty, starting from the Jianlong era, Monk Tianran and later Master Gu Feng rebuilt the temple. Subsequently, Monks Huizhi and Huiyu also carried out restoration work.

After the Yuan Dynasty, the temple suffered repeated destruction by war and fire. Though it was repaired during the Ming Dynasty in the Jingtai, Chenghua, and Wanli eras, most of the area eventually became overgrown with briars, and little of its ancient appearance remained. The existing quadrangle-style temple complex was renovated in the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty by Monk Shengke.

In the 33rd year of the Qianlong reign, the abbot Kunshan oversaw the reconstruction of the main hall’s wings and the front hall’s mountain gate. Three large Buddha statues were installed in the main hall, and the Mountain Gate featured a statue of the Maitreya Bodhisattva. The porcelain plaque above the gate bore the four large characters “First Famous Mountain.” However, those mentioned earlier no longer exist today, leaving only the stone statue of Monk Tianran (the founding monk), a pair of stone lions crafted before the Qing Dynasty, and several historical relics and calligraphic works in the surrounding area that continue to attract visitors.

The current Old Yunfeng Temple is leased by Fangshan Forest. The New Yunfeng Temple is situated at the southern foot of Elephant King Mountain, about a kilometer away from the Old Yunfeng Temple. The two temples are within sight of each other’s lights and the sound of their bells and wooden fish, forming an integrated whole. Towering camphor and nanmu trees cast deep shade, giving the site a solemn and tranquil atmosphere, earning it the praise of being “the second peak among ninety-nine peaks, uniquely nestled within ancient forests.”

According to the "Luzhou County Annals," it was first built in the Song Dynasty. The "Fangshan Annals" record: “During the Song Dynasty, Monk Yue’an came here and renamed it New Yunfeng.” Through successive periods of prosperity and decline, the present scale of the temple was achieved between the Qing Kangxi era and the later years of the Qing Dynasty. Over 140 years, from the Kangxi period when the renowned monk Shengke and his disciples initiated expansions, through the Qianlong era under Master Kunshan, and to the Jiaqing era abbot, the temple underwent multiple rounds of fundraising, expansion, and renovation.

Spanning nearly 10,000 square meters, it once housed hundreds of monks and hundreds of meditation rooms, making it a grand and renowned monastery in southern Sichuan at the time. It held regular ordination ceremonies throughout the year and maintained daily rituals with the sounds of evening drums, morning bells, and chanting at all hours.

After these expansions and renovations, the names New Yunfeng and Old Yunfeng became widely celebrated.

According to the "Luzhou County Annals," it was first built in the Song Dynasty.

The "Fangshan Annals" state: “During the Song Dynasty, Monk Yue’an came here and renamed it New Yunfeng.”

Throughout various dynasties, the temple experienced cycles of flourishing and decline. Its current scale was established during the Qing Kangxi era by the eminent monk Shengke and his disciples. By the Qianlong era, Master Kunshan and the abbot of the Jiaqing era continued the work. Over more than 140 years, they repeatedly raised funds to expand and renovate the temple, ensuring its continual development and growth.

Covering nearly 10,000 square meters, it once had hundreds of monks and hundreds of meditation rooms. At the time, it was a vast and famous monastery in southern Sichuan, hosting annual ordination ceremonies and maintaining daily monastic routines with the sounds of the evening drum, morning bell, and six periods of chanting throughout the day.