Yao'an Longhua Temple

Yao'an Longhua Temple

Yao'an Longhua Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Yao'an Longhua Temple, commonly referred to as -Temple, is located at the western foot of Guanglu Town, 12 kilometers north of Yao'an County. The Western Mountain coils like a dragon in flight, with steep, rugged ridges rising abruptly—hence its folk name, Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Lush and green, Dragon Tiger Mountain is dotted with chestnut, tea, bodhi, and towering pine and cypress trees. Longhua Temple sits amidst these perilous woods. The original site of the temple was called Reclining Buddha Nunnery, first built between 907–923 AD (during the Later Tang Tianyou era, under the reign of Meng Cao Shilong). According to the "Record of the Reconstruction of Longhua Mountain -Temple Stele" written by Cai Longsong of Guangshan County, Henan, a native of the Qing prefecture: “One night, a divine monk came to worship here but left by midnight. Thereafter, the Dali monk Zhicong established a nunnery on this spot, diligently observing precepts, founding the temple and pioneering the monastery, later known as the ancient shrine.”

In the 13th century, when Mongol troops overthrew the Dali Kingdom, Chancellor Gao Taixiang died for his country. His daughter, Bodhi, grieved over the fall of her nation, the separation of her family, and the scattering of her brothers, and thus became a nun at Reclining Buddha Nunnery. She planted bodhi seeds gifted by an Indian monk at her birth behind the temple, hoping to divine the fate of her brothers. Nine seeds grew well, and indeed, all nine brothers survived and were eventually reunited. Her elder brother, Gao Changshou, was appointed Governor-General of the Yao'an Military and Civilian Administration, renovated Reclining Buddha Nunnery, renamed it -Temple, and commissioned a bodhi statue for enshrinement.

In the early Ming Dynasty, Monk Shangya held Buddhist services here, attracting over 700 eminent monks from across the regions, including Panlong, Guting, Zongfeng, and Zhenxu. Later, monks Zhicong and Mingzhuan also arrived, making Longhua Temple one of the Buddhist sacred sites in western Yunnan. In the late Ming Dynasty, Monk Jikong came from Sichuan to Yao'an to lecture, specializing in monastic discipline. Monks from various temples supported him by allocating fields and rents, donating gold and silver, and expanding the temple complex.

In 1638, traveler Xu Xiake visited this place and briefly described the local geography and scenery. The then-abbot of Longhua Temple, Jikong, served him lunch and invited him to rest in the rear chamber.

Longhua Temple was destroyed by fire in the 57th year of the Kangxi reign (1717), but was rebuilt by Tusi Gao Yinghou and Abbot Jikong. It was destroyed again in the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894), but was reconstructed by local resident Ma Siliang and Abbot Jue’an. The reconstruction retained the original foundation and replicated the original structure. However, both fires spared the Great Compassion Hall (Yuantong Tower) and the rear chamber, so they remain Ming Dynasty architecture.

The architecture of Longhua Temple is solemn and majestic, centered along a main axis in the style of ancient palatial buildings, rich in local character. The mountain gate is a pavilion-style structure, with a couplet inscribed on both sides by Qing scholar You Yunlong: “The Buddha was born in the Pure Land, the mountain was consecrated in the Tang era,” and the horizontal plaque reads “Ancient Longhua Temple.” On both sides of the gate are clay statues of the two guardians, Heng and Ha. Entering, you come to a small rectangular courtyard, with access to a secondary courtyard on either side. The secondary courtyard has a rectangular flower stand with a tree known as bodhi—though it is actually an elm. Flanking the courtyard are bell and drum towers, double-eaved and three-tiered, standing tall and facing each other, exquisitely carved and brilliantly painted. Steps lead up from both sides to the central corridor (also called the passageway or lobby), near which is a fence beside a pool roughly 10 meters long and 5 meters wide. The water is clear, allowing views of fish swimming. On both sides of the pool are flower stands, and at the center is a Buddhist niche housing a statue of Bodhi Girl, daughter of Gao Taixiang, chancellor of Dali at the end of the Song Dynasty. On either side hang couplets by Qing scholar Zhao Heqing: “Grieving over the fall of her kingdom and the chaos of Yuan and Duan dynasties, imperial glory and noble titles vanish like bubbles; renouncing the world out of filial piety, she attained enlightenment through the Dharma King, her golden statue cast on this sacred mountain.” The horizontal plaque reads “Fruit of Bodhi Attained.” Behind the statue, a line of Sanskrit is inscribed directly inside the niche. Along the sides of the pool, steps lead up to the main hall courtyard, whose four corners contain flower stands planted with osmanthus, cypress, and magnolia. Near the pool in the courtyard stands a stele pavilion integrated with the Bodhi Girl niche. On both sides of the pavilion are stone tablets, one written by acting provincial governor and Yunnan Salt Transport Commissioner You Yunlong, recounting the legends and history of destruction and reconstruction of the ancient Longhua Temple. Visitors ascend from both sides of the courtyard to the main hall, which features a spacious corridor along its exterior, edged with marble screen railings. The main hall is five bays wide and four bays deep, its structure grand and imposing. Inside are statues of the Three Ages of Buddhas seated on lotus thrones, flanked by figures of Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Bodhidharma, King Kinnara, Ananda, and Kasyapa—all relics from the Qing Dynasty, solemn and dignified. The niches are adorned with intricate wood carvings, bringing numerous historical legends vividly to life. Brick carvings are found throughout the building, a rarity in other structures across the province.

In addition to the main hall, side chambers, corridors, and bell and drum towers, Longhua Temple also includes over a hundred rooms such as side rooms, the rear chamber, and Yuantong Tower. Ancient cypresses tower outside the temple, lush and green, making it one of the better-preserved ancient architectural complexes in the county. Every year on the eighth day of the second lunar month, the “Longhua Festival” is held. During the three-day event, people flock here from Dayao, Yongren, Mouding, Nanhua, Xiangyun, Binchuan, and Panzhihua, with daily attendance reaching tens of thousands. In September 1981, the Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture People’s Government designated it as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Address: Western Mountain, Guanglu Town, 12 kilometers north of Yao'an County, Chuxiong Prefecture

Type: Historical Site / Temple

Recommended Visit Duration: About 2 hours

Ticket Information:

Door Price: 2.0 RMB

Guanglu Town: Located 12 kilometers north of Yao'an County in the northern part of the county, Guanglu Town is one of the earlier-developed ancient towns in Yunnan Province. The ancient town is situated on the gentle slopes at the foot of Guangmu Mountain, facing southeast and backed by the northwest. It lies against Guangmu Mountain, with Xiaoyi Back Mountain to the left and Gaotuo Mountain to the right. Between Guangmu Mountain and Gaotuo Mountain lies Dakanglang Jing, a stream that flows year-round through the ancient town into the Qingling River. The ancient town is surrounded by mountains and water, shaded by green trees.

Guanglu Ancient Town has a long history. In the second year of Emperor Wu of Han’s Yuanshou reign (109 BC), Nongdong City was built on Gaotuo Mountain in Jiucheng Village. During the Tang and Song dynasties, the town underwent multiple expansions... More details about Guanglu Town++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units