Shijing Temple

Shijing Temple

Shijing Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Shijing Temple is one of the Five Major Buddhist Forests in Western Sichuan. It was here that the first Tibetan Gelug lineage secret sect site directly descended from the great master Tsongkhapa was established in Han Chinese regions. Located on Tiansheng Mountain, which lies on the eastern foothills of the central section of Longquan Mountain, it is within Shijing Village, Chadian Township, Longquanyi District, Chengdu. Crossing the Longquan Mountain ridge to the west, it is 18 kilometers from Longquan Town and 37 kilometers from downtown Chengdu; it is four kilometers east of the tourist destination Longquan Lake, 21 kilometers south of Sancha Lake, adjacent to the Chengdu-Chongqing Expressway, with the old Chengdu-Chongqing Highway running right across the temple’s front mountain gate. The temple forms a renowned scenic tourism area with other attractions in Longquanyi District such as Changsong Summer Resort, Ten-Thousand-Mu Flower and Fruit Mountain, Bai Gongyan Reservoir, Bao Shi Lake, Longquan Lake, as well as Zhangjia Cliff Lake and Sancha Lake in Jianyang.

Shijing Temple was originally built around the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (220 AD). Initially, it was an official family temple. During the Shu Han period (221–263), the Shu general Zhao Zilong inherited this estate, and it became known as “Lingyin.” In the Tang Dynasty, the main hall was constructed. During the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty (1436–1449), the renowned monk Master Chushan from Hubei was invited by the King of Shu to reside at Lingyin Temple. He contributed funds to renovate the temple and enhance its Buddha statues, making structures such as the Grand Treasure Hall magnificent and resplendent in gold. He also added halls including the Arhat Hall, Dongyue Hall, Guanyin Hall, Ran Deng Hall, and Niangniang Hall, and renamed the temple Tiansheng Temple. During his time at Tiansheng Temple, Master Chushan traveled by boat along the Jinjiang River, journeyed through the gorges, and visited regions such as Chu and Wu. He received great hospitality from the King of Jing and the King of Jiangxia, gaining widespread fame. He revitalized Buddhism, became a renowned eminent monk, and was conferred the title of Jingbi Chan Master by the imperial court. Tiansheng Temple also gained fame throughout Bashu and renown across the country under his guidance. Master Chushan himself is revered as the founding patriarch of Tiansheng Temple. Classical Chinese works such as “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio” and literary figures from past dynasties, as well as modern writer Li Jieren in his work “Ripples in Dead Water,” have all described the fame and bustling incense offerings of Shijing Temple. After Master Chushan passed away, an ancestral shrine was built on the Dan cliffs behind the temple, enshrining the “flesh-body Buddha.” In 1767, during the Qing Qianlong reign, Song Sirén, the magistrate of Jianzhou, visited the temple and was moved to present a stone-carved copy of the “Diamond Sutra.” As a result, Tiansheng Temple was renamed Shijing Temple. After several major renovations during the Qianlong and Jiaqing eras, the temple took on its current scale.

Through centuries of change, Shijing Temple now covers an area of over 200 acres. The temple complex faces east and is built against the mountain, with structures rising progressively from east to west along the slope. Major buildings include the screen wall mountain gate, the Heavenly King Hall, the pack-animal hall, the stupa forest, the Mahavira Hall, the Three Saints Hall, the Kunling Hall, the Ancestral Shrine, the Abbot’s Courtyard, the Master’s Hall, the Scripture Depository, and the Five Contemplations Dining Hall. In 1983 and 1984, Zhao Puchu, then President of the Buddhist Association of China and Vice Chairman of the 8th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, visited Shijing Temple twice. Following the wishes of the Panchen Lama Chökyi Gyaltsen, he relocated the first fundamental Western Esoteric Buddhism site established by Master Nenghai after returning from Tibet to Han regions to this temple from Jin Ci Temple, setting up a tantric altar. In 1981, Shijing Temple was listed as a municipal-level key cultural relic protection unit by the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government. After Master Chushan passed away, an ancestral shrine was built on the Dan cliffs behind the temple, enshrining the “flesh-body Buddha.” In 1767, during the Qing Qianlong reign, Song Sirén, the magistrate of Jianzhou, visited the temple and was moved to present a stone-carved copy of the “Diamond Sutra.” As a result, Tiansheng Temple was renamed Shijing Temple. After several major renovations during the Qianlong and Jiaqing eras, the temple took on its current scale. Nestled against the mountain with shaded courtyards, Shijing Temple has long been famed for its magical landscapes such as “ten thousand trees screening the sky” and “gazing at Shijing Temple from afar, half the sky appears purple.” In front of the Mahavira Hall stands a millennium-old podocarpus tree, planted during the Xiande era of the Later Zhou Dynasty (954–959). On the north side of the adjacent Great Buddha Hall are two ancient ginkgo trees, planted during the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (627–649), which remain lush and bear abundant fruit to this day.

Protected Area: Bounded by the existing perimeter wall.

Construction Control Zone: Extending 50 meters beyond the protected area.

Address: National Highway 318, Longquanyi District, Chengdu

Type: Temple

Recommended Visiting Time: 1–2 hours

Phone: 028-84810059

Opening Hours:

8:00-18:00

Ticket Information:

Door Price: 2.0 RMB

Shijing Village: Shijing Village spans an area of 6.26 square kilometers, comprising 18 groups, with 3,200 mu of arable land. It is known for producing peaches and loquats. The village currently has a population of 2,410, with 720 farming households and 1,340 rural laborers. There are 5 village officials and 58 Party members. In 2009, the per capita net income of the village was 5,100 RMB. The famous attraction within its jurisdiction, Shijing Temple, is located on Tiansheng Mountain, which lies on the eastern foothills of the central section of Longquan Mountain, within Shijing Village, Chadian Town, Longquanyi District, Chengdu. Crossing the Longquan Mountain ridge to the west, it is 18 kilometers from Longquan Subdistrict and 37 kilometers from downtown Chengdu; it is four kilometers east of the tourist destination... Detailed information about Shijing Village++