Layered Greenery of Lingyan

Layered Greenery of Lingyan

The ruins of Lingyan Temple are located to the left of Gaogiao, about 5 kilometers southwest of Baoguo Temple, and it is said to have been the hermitage site of the Indian monk Baozhang

. Established during the Sui and Tang dynasties, it was later renamed Huguo Guanglin Temple and Huifu Temple. It was rebuilt during the Hongwu and Yongle eras of the Ming Dynasty and retained the name Lingyan. The Ming Dynasty marked the heyday of Lingyan Temple. Tan Zhongyue’s *Mount Emei Illustrated* records: “The temple complex had forty-eight halls, with a monastic population numbering in the thousands. The distance from the mountain gate to the rear hall spanned over ten li. In terms of scale, grandeur, and the number of monks, as well as the thriving incense offerings, it ranked first among all temples on Mount Emei. Hence the saying: ‘Pray at nine halls, burn incense at ten, and ride a horse to offer incense.’ The overlapping halls, hidden amidst dense forests, with crimson cliffs tinged in green, presented the majestic, layered presence of Lingyan. Thus, ‘Layered Greenery of Lingyan’ became one of the Ten Scenic Spots of Mount Emei. Liu Junze, in his *Record of Mount Emei Monasteries* published in the 36th year of the Republic of China (1947), although skeptical of the claim that ‘the temple had forty-eight halls and a monastic population of a thousand,’ still could not deny: ‘From the heights of Mount Emei, one looks down upon the halls and pavilions, layered in lush green, beautiful and solemn, embraced by hills, with mountain streams winding like dragons, and thousands of tall trees densely lining the area. Among all scenic spots, I rank Lingyan first.’ The ancient temple suffered from wars and fires, and by the 1960s, it had completely collapsed. Yet the natural scenery of ‘Layered Greenery of Lingyan’ remains unchanged. Visiting Lingyan to see

the layered greenery still evokes an endless feeling of ‘imitating the verdant hues with undying emotion.’

Lingyan is situated at the foothills behind the three peaks of Mount Emei’s Golden Summit. From the ruins of Lingyan Temple, looking north, you are greeted by a natural panorama of overlapping mountains. Up close, emerald peaks undulate, dotted with lush forests and bamboo groves; in the distance, Wanfoding, Qianfoding, and the Golden Summit stand like a massive jade screen across the horizon, majestic in presence, their gentle yet towering contours clearly defined. The layers of undulating peaks, from low to high, from near to far, showcase mountain hues shifting from verdant green to dark blue-green, then to gray-blue, and finally to gray-white, stretching layer upon layer into the distance until they meet the boundary of the blue sky—offering an exceptionally rich sense of depth. As Tan Zhongyue wrote in another poem: “Lingyan’s emerald beauty towers on the high platform; gazing afar, the Heavenly Gate opens in a breathtaking sweep.” The scenery of the Golden Summit’s three peaks is ever-vibrant and changeable. In early spring, golden fields of rapeseed bloom at the mountain’s base, exuding a strong spring vibe; the mid-slopes are covered with dense foliage as if it were peak summer; the upper slopes display patches of yellowing leaves, hinting at autumn; while the summit remains capped with lingering snow, as though still in the cold grip of winter. There are several excellent viewpoints to admire the three peaks of Mount Emei from below: Lianxiangba at the eastern foot of the mountain, Huaideng Temple in the lower hills, and BaiLong Cave Guodelin in the mid-mountain area—but none match the proximity and openness of the Lingyan ruins. From here, you can quietly observe another wondrous and fantastical profile of Mount Emei from a deeper perspective, appreciating the intertwined beauty of strength and gentleness, grandeur and delicacy within the ‘layered’ landscape, thus stirring the imagination. The Ming Dynasty poet Zhang Yuzhi captured this sentiment in his *Visiting Lingyan Temple*: “A path through Lingyan leads into the blue-green wilds; after rain, the lotus blooms across the water, fragrant. Longing for a half-day of leisure beyond worldly bounds, pacing the cloisters only makes me busy seeking verses.”