Hongchunping

Hongchunping

Guide Hongchunping is located at the foot of Huangmao Peak on Mount Emei, at an altitude of 1,120 meters, and is one of the mountain’s key temples.   Highlights “The Double Hundred-Character Couplet”: Composed by Feng Qingyue during the Republic of China period, the upper couplet depicts the enchanting scenery around the temple, while the lower one outlines the lineage of Buddhism and the immeasurable merits of the monks. The text is elegant and the antithesis meticulous, making it one of the longest couplets in China and comparable to the Hundred-Character Couplet at Kunming’s Grand View Tower. The Carved Thousand-Buddha Lotus Lantern: Crafted during the Republic of China era, this lantern stands 2 meters tall with a diameter of 1.2 meters, featuring seven dragons coiling around the pillar. Its exquisitely carved, translucent design is a marvel of craftsmanship and ranks among the mountain’s most precious Buddhist relics. “Morning Rain at Hongchunping”: Surrounded by ancient trees, rare flowers, and verdant peaks, with misty clouds that drift as if it’s drizzling but isn’t, the area is praised as “Morning Rain at Hongchunping.” It was honored by Qing Dynasty scholar Tan Zhongyue as one of the ancient “Ten Scenic Spots of Mount Emei” and is a popular summer retreat. “Mountain walks bring no rain, yet emerald hues dampen the clothes” describes this very scene.

Introduction Hongchunping was originally the site where Indian monk Baizhang built a thatched hut during the Jin Dynasty (3rd century AD). A temple was established in the Song Dynasty and named Qianfo An (Thousand Buddha Nunnery). It was expanded during the Ming Dynasty by monk Chushan and renamed Qianfo Chanlin or Qianfo Chan Yuan (Thousand Buddha Zen Forest or Courtyard). In the 4th year of the Chongzhen era (1631 AD), monks Dexin and Ruifeng further expanded it. It has since undergone several renovations. The temple is named after three ancient thousand-year-old Hongchun trees that once stood in front of it. Today, two ancient Hongchun trees remain outside the temple: one is a transplanted dead stump by the gate, and the other, below the terrace, is lush and thriving. Several smaller Hongchun trees have also been planted later. Inside the temple is the “Zhengming Si Stele” from the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong era, inscribed in both Chinese and Tibetan, documenting the origins of Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimages to Mount Emei. It is the only wooden bilingual stele of its kind in Sichuan. The temple also houses calligraphy and paintings by renowned artists such as Ming Dynasty’s Poshan and Hai Rui, Qing Dynasty’s Zhang Wentao, and modern artist Xu Beihong. There is also a Thousand-Buddha Lotus Lantern, which is exceptionally delicate and uniquely charming.

Sichuan Meishan