Guanghui Temple

Guanghui Temple

Guanghui Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Guanghui Temple, originally named Guomang Temple, is called "Saikehoguanba" in Tibetan, meaning "the blessed land of the glorious dharma." It is located on the north side of Yamenzhuang Village, Dongxia Township, Datong County, more than 30 li from the county town of Qiaotou. Historical records indicate that Guanghui Temple was established in the seventh year of the Shunzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty. The founder was Tenzin Gyatso from Drepung Monastery in Tibet, with the dharma name Longba Tenzinbu. At that time, it was called Guomang Temple (Guomang means "many doors" in Tibetan) and belonged to the Guomang Zhacang system of Drepung Monastery in Tibet.

Historical records indicate that Guanghui Temple was established in the seventh year of the Shunzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty. The founder was Tenzin Gyatso from Drepung Monastery in Tibet, with the dharma name Longba Tenzinbu. At that time, it was called Guomang Temple (Guomang means "many doors" in Tibetan) and belonged to the Guomang Zhacang system of Drepung Monastery in Tibet. In its early days, the temple only had a college for exoteric Buddhism. In the early years of the Kangxi reign, a tantric college was added, making it a temple with both exoteric and tantric teachings. At that time, it was as renowned as Ta'er Monastery, Youning Monastery, Longwu Monastery, and Xiaqun Monastery, collectively known as the Five Major Gelug Sect Temples of Qinghai. The residence of the Mindroling Hutuktu, it held considerable influence in Gansu and Inner Mongolia. By the end of the Kangxi reign, it housed over 700 monks, with more than 600 halls and monk quarters. In the first year of the Yongzheng reign (1723), when the Mongolian Hoshot tribe of Qinghai, led by Lobsang Danjin, along with the Zhungeer tribe's Tsewang Rabtan, rebelled against the Qing, some monks, incited by certain upper-level figures, aided the rebels, turning "a place of cultivation into a den of rebellion." By the end of that year, Qing generals Nian Gengyao and Yue Zhongqi recaptured Xining and Datong, destroyed Guanghui Temple, killed over 700 monks including the temple’s abbot Qozang, and demolished sacred stupas, burning down Buddha halls and scripture chambers. In the tenth year of the Yongzheng reign (1732), the Qing government allocated 100,000 taels of silver for its restoration and bestowed upon it the name "Guanghui Temple." Thus, the once-declining Guanghui Temple regained its former prosperity. During the Qianlong reign, the imperial plaque "Fahai Temple" was conferred upon it.

In the forty-seventh year of the Qianlong reign, the imperial plaque "Dali Jin Dian" was conferred. In the fifth year of the Tongzhi reign (1866), the temple suffered a second catastrophe, and along with Quezang (Chaocang Temple) and Er’guolong Temple (Youning Temple), it was destroyed in war. In the thirteenth year of the Tongzhi reign (1874), plans for reconstruction were made, and rebuilding began in the early years of the Guangxu reign. The project took three years, costing 57,000 taels of silver, and included the construction of 500 monk quarters, a grand scripture hall, a five-story wooden structure tower, and side rooms. The main hall featured upturned eaves, painted beams, and corridors adorned with murals, making it extremely magnificent. The monk quarters and side rooms were small, exquisite, and uniquely designed.

In the early years of the Republic of China, the temple housed over 700 monks, with 600 halls and quarters. It also oversaw eight branch temples—Qijia, Longqu, Songfan, Zhugu, Banggu, Duojia, Dongta, and Zhangjia—and five tribal groups: Xingma, Xianghua, Xinshun, Guihua, and Nalong, governing a total of over 6,000 lay and monastic followers. The temple included the Tsanney Dratsang (exoteric college), Jujupa Dratsang (upper tantric college), Jumeipa Dratsang (lower tantric college), Dikori Dratsang (college of literature and astronomy), and Manba Dratsang (medical college). There were twelve fixed "Lalang" areas managed by resident monks, with the Great Lalang overseen by the temple’s head, Mindroling, and the Bra Lalang managed by the Manifest Buddha.

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the monks of Guanghui Temple have made their due contributions to defending the newly established people’s government and building a new life, earning recognition from the Party, the government, and widespread praise from the public. However, they could not escape the upheaval, and all halls and quarters were completely demolished. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, under the radiant guidance of the Party’s ethnic and religious policies, this ancient temple in the pine woods regained new vitality.

On November 14, 1995, at 11:00 a.m., the enthronement ceremony of the 9th Mindroling Hutuktu was held in the grand scripture hall of Guanghui Temple. Leaders from the Provincial Ethnic Affairs Commission, the Xining Municipal Government, the Municipal CPPCC, the Municipal Party Committee’s United Front Work Department, the Municipal Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau, the Guinan County Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau, and the Huzhu County Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau, as well as leaders of the county’s major leadership bodies and heads of relevant county-level departments, came to the temple to offer congratulations. Over ten thousand devotees from parts of Haibei, Haixi, Hainan, and Haidong counties and townships attended this grand Buddhist celebration.

Since the 9th Mindroling Hutuktu took up residence in the temple, its reputation has grown steadily, with flourishing incense offerings and profound changes in the spiritual outlook of the monks. On July 10, 1998, relevant county-level departments actively raised over 63,000 yuan (with 23,000 yuan raised by the temple itself) and constructed two stupas 246 meters from the original temple entrance.

The two stupas stand 8.9 meters tall. One is named the "Bodhi Stupa," a square-shaped stupa; the other is named the "Supreme Stupa," a round-shaped stupa.

To promote ethnic unity and restore the temple’s original historical appearance, with the support of the County Culture Bureau and the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau, on July 23, 1999, over 4,000 yuan was raised to rebuild the Qing Yongzheng Imperial Tablet Bestowed Upon Guanghui Temple and the Reconstructed Qing Yongzheng Imperial Inscription Tablet for Guanghui Temple.