Fenglin Temple on Mount Wutai

Fenglin Temple on Mount Wutai

Fenglin Temple on Mount Wutai is a cultural heritage site protected by Wutai County.

Fenglin Temple on Mount Wutai is located 1,700 meters northwest of Huochang Natural Village, Xinfang Village, Taihuai Town, Wutai County. According to the *Records of Mount Qingliang*, it was initially built as a hermitage by Monk Chetian during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1522–1566). “By the Wanli era (1573–1620), the hermitage was upgraded to a temple and bestowed the name Fenglin.”

The temple was renovated during both the Qing Dynasty and the Republican period, but it later suffered repeated damage from wars and was eventually razed to the ground. Only the Stupa of Master Erhu and the stupa of his disciple remain. In 1996, Monk Zhenhui rebuilt the temple, preserving the architectural style of the Qing Dynasty. The temple has now reached an initial scale. It faces east and measures 127.89 meters from east to west and 100.3 meters from north to south, covering an area of 13,000 square meters. In December 2007, the Mount Wutai Scenic Area Government designated it as a county-level cultural heritage site. (*Xinzhou Cultural Relics Collection*)

Source: Xinzhou Website

Xinfang Village: Located in the central area of the Buddhist holy site Mount Wutai, Xinfang Village administers five villager groups: Xinfang, Hebei, Huochang, Xigou, and Wayao, with a total of 185 households and 593 residents. In recent years, with strong support from civilizational committees at the provincial, municipal, county, and district levels, Xinfang Village has focused on both well-off society construction and cultural development, achieving remarkable results. According to incomplete statistics, in 2007, the village’s total economic income was 2.71 million yuan, with an average per capita income of 2,411 yuan. The village’s appearance has significantly improved, and the living standards of its residents have risen markedly. Since 1998, Xinfang Village has been honored for ten consecutive years as a... [More details about Xinfang Village]++