Jile Temple in Dai County

Jile Temple in Dai County

Jile Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Dai County.

Jile Temple is located in Shizi Mountain, approximately 2,000 meters south of Shangmujiao Village, Eko Town, Dai County. Its founding date is unknown, but the existing structure features Qing Dynasty architectural style. Nestled against the mountain and facing south, the temple covers an area of 2,923 square meters. Currently, only the foundation of the main hall and the monks' quarters to the east and west remain, with the rest being newly built. The monks' quarters are built in a stone-vaulted cave structure. The temple currently houses an iron cloud plate from the 18th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1679). In 2002, the Dai County People’s Government designated it as a county-level cultural relic protection unit. (Content excerpted from “Xinzhou Cultural Relics Collection”)

Jile Temple is adjacent to Shifo Temple in Fanshi County to the east, faces Guifeng Temple across the ridge to the south, neighbors Baiyun Temple in Eko to the west, and connects to Hongji Temple to the north. Originally part of Fanshi County, it was incorporated into Eko Town, Dai County, in 1955. During the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, Master Qingyi (1842–1916), a renowned monastic from Zhongxiang, Hubei, who was known for his simple lifestyle, diligent study, and strict adherence to monastic discipline, and who inherited the lineage of both the Linji and Caodong schools, traveled to Mount Wutai to pay homage to the sacred site of Bodhisattva Manjushri. He discovered that this place, surrounded by high mountains and treacherous paths, rarely visited by people, possessed serene and secluded scenery — perfect for meditation. He thus established the temple, opened it to practitioners, and for a time, Jile Temple became a widely renowned monastery that welcomed monks from all directions. Nestled within towering mountains, the temple resembles a precious lotus bud, offering a mild climate in both winter and summer and breathtaking scenery. It is truly a sacred site for spiritual practice and a tourist destination featuring around 30 scenic spots, including notable ones such as Lion-Elephant Mountain, Phoenix Spring, Wukong Meditating, Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother, and the Sky-Gazing Buddha. The temple grounds are rich in vegetation and diverse tree species, with evergreen pine forests and vibrant flowers that create a garden-like atmosphere. (Content excerpted from Shanxi Buddhism Network)

Source: Xinzhou Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics

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