Feiyun Cliff Ancient Architectural Complex

Feiyun Cliff Ancient Architectural Complex

The Feiyun Cliff Ancient Architectural Complex is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Feiyun Cliff Ancient Architectural Complex is located on the north side of the Hunan-Guizhou Highway in Dongpo Village, Xinzhou Town, Huangping County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, 12 kilometers west of the county seat.

The temple at Feiyun Cliff is said to have been established by the Miao people. In the eighth year of the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty (1443), Commander Chang Zhi raised funds to build Yuetaan Temple. It has since undergone multiple natural damages and was destroyed twice in war—first in the 27th year of the Wanli era (1599) and then in the 5th year of the Xianfeng era (1855) of the Qing Dynasty. After successive expansions and renovations across dynasties, it developed into a uniquely distinctive ancient architectural complex, with the majority of the surviving structures being from the Ming and Qing periods. The Feiyun Cliff Ancient Architectural Complex and the natural forest on the adjacent hillside are enclosed by two layers of brick walls. The outer wall stretches east to the Feiyun Cliff Waterfall, south to Xiushui Stream, west to the horse racing and bird fighting grounds, and north to the natural forest. The inner wall is built along the mountain and the water, enclosing the ancient architectural complex within. The Feiyun Cliff Ancient Architectural Complex is an integrated ancient ethnic architectural ensemble that combines historical relics, scenic gardens, and ethnic culture.

Also known as Feiyun Rock, it was initially called Dongpo Mountain, also referred to as Yuetaan, and nicknamed Feiyun Cave due to the caves in the cliff. The overall layout of Feiyun Cliff consists of an eastern and a western courtyard. The eastern courtyard includes a memorial archway, the Imperial Scripture Tower, a corridor, the Dripping Emerald Pavilion, the Stele Pavilion, the Reception Pavilion, a small official hall, the Guanyin Hall, the Children’s Pavilion, and the Holy Fruit Pavilion. The western courtyard comprises the Yuetaan Temple Memorial Archway, the Cloud Dwelling Hall, the Cloud-Rearing Pavilion, the Mahavira Hall, the south and north wing rooms, and the Cuixiu Garden. There are dozens of cliff inscriptions and stone carvings from various eras preserved on the site, covering a protected area of 2 square kilometers. On the eighth day of the fourth lunar month each year, the local Miao people hold their annual ethnic festival here, making it the liveliest time of the year at Feiyun Cliff and also the venue for the local Miao lusheng gathering.

According to *Ancient Architecture of Guizhou*, “The layout of the Feiyun Cliff Ancient Architectural Complex can be divided into eastern and western courtyards. The eastern courtyard has a relatively flexible arrangement, with the mountain gate and the Imperial Scripture Tower both situated along the central axis. Behind the Scripture Tower, breaking from conventional design, structures such as the corridor, Dripping Emerald Pavilion, Holy Fruit Pavilion, Stele Pavilion, and Reception Pavilion are arranged along the mountainside and waterfront on either side of the axis, creating a more open space that draws the viewer’s gaze toward Feiyun Cliff. The western courtyard features a more orderly layout, with the Yuetaan Temple and the grand official hall each forming their own distinct structures.” In 1983, the renowned ancient architecture expert Luo Zhewen visited Feiyun Cliff and spoke highly of its architectural design. This ancient architectural complex embodies the style of late Qing southern Chinese architecture while also retaining distinctive regional characteristics. Its pavilions and towers all carry the charm of garden architecture, exuding refined elegance.

In 2006, the Feiyun Cliff Ancient Architectural Complex was included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council as a historical site from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units