Yingjing Yunfeng Temple

Yingjing Yunfeng Temple

Yingjing Yunfeng Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located 4 kilometers southeast of Yingjing County, it covers an area of over 80 acres. Legend has it that when Nüwa was gathering stones from Taihu Lake to mend the sky, one stone accidentally fell into the temple grounds and was called the "Taihu Flying Stone," hence the temple is also known as "Taihu Temple."

Ya’an Yunfeng Temple was first built in the Tang Dynasty, bestowed with an imperial plaque in the Song Dynasty, destroyed in wars during the Yuan Dynasty, restored in the Ming Dynasty, and further renovated in the Qing Dynasty. The temple boasts three wonders: ancient nanmu trees, sacred water, and the Taihu stone; and three marvels: the Buddhist pagoda, the wind cave, and the swaying monument. It has attracted many literati and artists, such as Zhang Daqian, -, and Liu Wenhui, who composed poetry, painted, and created calligraphy here. The temple is shaded by thousand-year-old nanmu, ginkgo, and ancient fir trees, forming a natural "oxygen bar," making it a great destination for sightseeing and vacation.

With the grandeur of an ancient temple, Yunfeng Temple was listed as a cultural relic protection unit of Xikang Province in 1954 and as a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province in 1992.

Through the vicissitudes of time, Yunfeng Temple was revitalized by the modern eminent monk Master Qingde, who restored its nine tiers and eighteen halls. The morning bells awaken the world, the evening drums warn people, Buddhist chants linger in the air, and incense burns continuously. During temple fairs, streams of devotees flock here.

Yunfeng Temple was first built in the Tang Dynasty and flourished for over 600 years. By the early Yuan Dynasty, due to the fierce resistance of Sichuan residents against the Yuan army invasion, Kublai Khan harbored deep hatred for the people of Sichuan. After entering Sichuan, he ordered widespread burning and slaughtering, leading to the temple being burned down and monks and laypeople suffering. By the Ming Dynasty, as the wars subsided, a few impoverished monks at Yunfeng Temple began fundraising from all directions to restore the temple. The temple expansion project saw two peaks: one during the mid-Ming Dynasty and another during the Qing Qianlong to Daoguang periods. The second restoration and expansion lasted over 110 years, with an especially grand scale surpassing any previous efforts in history. The famous "Swaying Monument" at Yunfeng Temple documents this restoration. Looking at the temple’s thousand-year history, it truly embodies "built in the Tang, destroyed in the Yuan, restored in the Ming, and continued in the Qing."

After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, with the gradual implementation of the policy on freedom of religious belief, although Yunfeng Temple suffered damage during the ten-year -, it still holds an indelible place in the hearts of the people of Yingjing County.

In 1990, Yunfeng Temple (then called Taihu Temple) was listed as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province. In March 1995, it was approved to resume as a religious activity site and has since undergone continuous restoration and improvement. In 2001, Master Qingde, the abbot of Neijiang Shengshui Temple and a nationally renowned eminent monk, took office as the head of Yunfeng Temple, beginning the true reconstruction of the temple. Over three years, he raised over 6 million yuan to rebuild a series of structures including the Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Hall, Mountain Gate Hall, Western Trinity Hall, Chanting Hall, Meditation Hall, Ordination Hall, and Buddhist Pagoda. By 2004, Yunfeng Temple had become the largest and most influential religious activity site in Ya’an City, largely restoring the historical scale of nine tiers and eighteen halls, forming a complete Buddhist Chan monastery and truly earning the title of "Famous Temple of Western Shu."

Over its more than thousand-year history, Yunfeng Temple has seen flourishing incense offerings for most of its existence, with only brief interruptions due to wars. Its survival and development reflect a microcosm of society, and it can be said that the history of Yunfeng Temple mirrors the thousands of years of history of Yingjing. To this day, Yunfeng Temple continues to have a broad influence within the Buddhist community of western Sichuan and in the social life of Yingjing, holding a pivotal position in the history of Yingjing. The traditional temple fairs on the ninth day of the first lunar month and the nineteenth day of the sixth lunar month have become important events in the lives of the people of Yingjing. Historically, many notable figures and literati have left their footprints here, including the scholar Huang Yunhu, painter Zhang Daqian, Red Army general Luo Binghui, -, and former Xikang Provincial Chairman Liu Wenhui. Especially after the nationally renowned eminent monk Master Qingde became the abbot of Yunfeng Temple, the temple gained significant renown within the Buddhist community of the province. In 2002, Yunfeng Temple successfully hosted a grand Buddhist Water-Land Dharma Assembly, and in 2004, it held a grand celebration for Master Qingde’s enthronement as abbot, marking the first abbot of the Buddhist community in Ya’an in nearly a century. This further elevated the temple’s influence in the Buddhist community and its reputation in society. Under Master Qingde’s leadership, Yunfeng Temple will achieve its greatest accomplishments in a millennium.

Yunfeng Temple is a scenic destination supported by religious culture, located 4 kilometers from Yingjing County. The scenic area spans a total of 15 square kilometers, with an average annual temperature of 15°C, the lowest elevation at 1010 meters, and the highest at 2628 meters. The scenic area consists of three parts: the religious culture zone, the agricultural ecological zone, and the natural ecological sightseeing zone.

The religious culture zone is home to the thousand-year-old Yunfeng Temple, covering over 100 acres and designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit. This vast temple complex, spanning over a hundred acres, is entirely nestled among ancient nanmu and ginkgo trees, creating a unique microclimate environment. The original couplet on the mountain gate reads: "After walking just over ten miles into the mountains, not deep, yet upon entering the hall for worship, one feels instantly detached from worldly dust," conveying the psychological experience visitors have here. Yunfeng Temple was originally named "Taihu Stone Yunfeng Temple." The temple faces west and is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with Ma’er Mountain (formerly called Yunfeng Mountain) to the north, the Green Dragon Ridge to the left, the White Tiger Ridge to the right, adjacent to the Jiulong Creek spring, and facing the natural "Four Heavenly Kings" boulders, situating the temple on a feng shui treasure land resembling a throne. The ancient temple was first built in the Tang Dynasty, rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty, and further renovated in the Qing Dynasty. The original ancient architectural complex included left and right corridors, wing rooms, pavilions, dining courtyards, and six main halls: the Heavenly King Hall, Maitreya Hall, Vajra Hall, Vairocana Hall, Mahavira Hall, and Guanyin Hall, along with over ten smaller halls such as Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Ksitigarbha, Dragon God, Ox King, Pig Immortal, Yuqing, and Shangqing, commonly referred to as "nine tiers and eighteen halls." The ancient buildings were exquisitely carved and painted, majestic and grand, with a magnificent and imposing atmosphere. Legend has it that Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty granted a plaque allowing the monks of the temple to eat meat, adding a layer of mystery to the ancient temple. Over time, three major halls remain: the Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, and Guanyin Hall. The halls are arranged along the central axis from south to north, each rising higher than the last. The temple architecture is simple and elegant, rich in the charm of the Tang Dynasty. The wood carvings and reliefs are intricately crafted. The integration of Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist architectural features offers a unique aesthetic. Each of the three major halls houses vividly crafted Buddha statues and has long been a place of thriving incense offerings and continuous worshippers. In 2001, the nationally renowned eminent monk Master Qingde was invited to preside over Buddhist activities in the temple according to religious policies, and large-scale construction was undertaken to restore the former glory of the halls. In July of the same year, to respect history and protect ancient culture, the Taihu Temple Management Committee and the abbot proposed restoring Taihu Temple to its original name, Yunfeng Temple. Yunfeng Temple is also the center of the Pratyekabuddha Bodhimanda. From the Kai Shan Temple in the county town to Yunfeng Temple, extending to Mount Washan, dozens of temples along the way such as Lion Flat, Thunder Flat, and Guangxiang Temple form the Pratyekabuddha Bodhimanda. The long-standing Pratyekabuddha culture adds much mystery to the ancient temple. Temple fairs are held on the ninth day of the first lunar month, the nineteenth day of the second lunar month, and the nineteenth day of the sixth lunar month each year, drawing throngs of pilgrims to Yunfeng Temple, presenting a scene of prosperity.

In December 2011, through the great compassionate karmic connection of Abbot Zhizheng Deng of Yunfeng Temple and with the help of layperson Xu Yuan, the Buddha’s brain relic, blood relic, relics of Ananda, Rahula, Nagasena, Upali, the Ten-Power Mahakasyapa, Anuruddha, Sivala, Ajnata Kaundinya, Mahanama, Aniruddha, Mahanama, Sariputra, and Maudgalyayana, as well as the relics of 500 arhats, were respectfully welcomed from Yangon, Myanmar, and permanently enshrined at Ya’an Yunfeng Chan Monastery.

In front of the temple on the left stands a uniquely shaped, exquisite rock over ten feet tall, rising from the ground. Legend has it that when Nüwa was refining stones by Taihu Lake to mend the sky, she accidentally dropped one stone into Yunfeng Temple, hence it is called the "Taihu Flying Stone." The temple is thus also named "Taihu Stone Yunfeng Temple," abbreviated as Taihu Temple, and later renamed Yunfeng Temple. This extraordinary rock is naturally translucent and exquisite, offering different charms whether viewed from afar or up close, truly a marvel of nature. Even more remarkably, no similar rocks can be found nearby, leading some to speculate it might be a meteorite. Regarding its origin, the original couplet on the Maitreya Hall reads: "We ask where this piece of Taihu stone truly flew from, the Maitreya smiles silently, stroking his belly." Since even the Maitreya Buddha cannot explain its origin, let this eternal mystery remain for us to ponder.