Pengzhou Facao Temple

Pengzhou Facao Temple

Pengzhou Facao Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Hidden within Phoenix Mountain in Danjing Mountain Town at an altitude of 750 meters, Pengzhou Facao Temple has a history of more than 1,100 years. According to remnants of inscriptions at the temple: Dharma Master Dinghui was practicing meditation on Danjing Mountain when one evening he noticed a golden radiance above Fengming Village on Phoenix Mountain. This auspicious sign lasted for several days, and on the final evening, while in deep meditation, the Patriarch Bodhidharma appeared and instructed Dinghui to go to Phoenix Mountain to promote Buddhism. Upon emerging from meditation, the master burned incense and paid reverence in gratitude for Bodhidharma’s compassionate guidance. In 905 AD, he then called upon disciples to build Mituo Nunnery on Phoenix Mountain. To commemorate Bodhidharma, a Bodhidharma Pavilion was also constructed beside Fengyi Bridge at the foot of the mountain. In the fourth year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty, Mituo Nunnery was renamed Facao Temple. “Facao” refers to the bodhisattva Dharmakara, who became Amitabha Buddha of the Western Pure Land. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign during the Qing Dynasty, the eminent monk Fayin of Facao Temple traveled far and wide in pursuit of learning. After returning, he took it upon himself to propagate the Dharma and deliver all beings. On the original foundation, he undertook major construction, erecting seven layers of halls.

The famous Three Wonders of Facao: the Swinging Pavilion Stele, the Frog Divine Rock, and the magical ancient ginkgo tree.

In his later years, the Ming Dynasty’s Master Zhizhong Yitian came to Pengzhou, retired at Mituo Nunnery, and served as its abbot. During this time, he built an unusually shaped stele pavilion, which then witnessed the nationally sensational phenomenon of the “Swinging Pavilion Stele with Ringing Golden Bells.” Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, was so impressed that he personally inscribed the words “Ancient Temple Granted by the Ming,” and bestowed a nine-dragon golden plaque.

The Frog Divine Rock is a massive stone located halfway up the mountain along the stone steps leading to Facao Temple. This enormous rock resembles a frog swallowing a locust, and it is surrounded by a poignant legend. It is said that among the celestial officials under the Jade Emperor in heaven, there was a minor officer in charge of frogs. Learning of a locust plague on Earth, and eager to relieve human suffering, he took the command flag from the drunken and negligent duty officer, rushed out of the heavenly gate, and arrived at Phoenix Mountain. There, he issued a call to war against the locusts to the frog assembly. Soon, the locusts were eradicated, and green crops sprouted across the fields. However, this officer had acted without permission, taking the flag in advance—an act that carried the death penalty. Before he could report the situation to the Jade Emperor, the negligent officer falsely accused him of stealing the flag. The Jade Emperor then decreed: execution is warranted, but considering his past merits, he shall instead suffer torment among the scattered rocks of Phoenix Mountain.

The temple also houses two towering thousand-year-old ginkgo trees, over thirty meters tall, with lush foliage and intertwined roots that embrace two massive rocks. Legend has it that in 1953, when constructing the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway, a large number of sleepers were needed, and these two ancient ginkgos were initially marked for felling. Just as workers were about to cut them down, glazed tiles from the temple’s Mahavira Hall began to fall one after another. Those present cried out that the trees must not be cut, and thus these two millennium-old ginkgos were spared. Today, these ancient and mystical ginkgo trees remain vigorous and full of life.

Protected area: bounded by the existing perimeter wall.

Construction control zone: extends 40 meters beyond the protected area.