Yingxian Wenshu Temple

Yingxian Wenshu Temple

Wenshu Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Wenshu Temple is located in Xiaoshi Village, 11 kilometers from Yingxian County, and is one of the thirteen major temples of ancient Yingzhou. Legend has it that the Bodhisattva Manjushri once preached here, hence the name. According to the *Yingzhou Annals* from the Ming Dynasty: "In the sixth year of the Qian Tong era (1007 AD), the Western monk Master Yitan lectured on sutras in the temple, after which halls were built." The existing buildings date back to the mid-Ming Dynasty, including a main hall with three bays, three-bay side halls to the east and west, and a front section with bell and drum towers. The mountain gate is three bays wide and one bay deep, with statues of the Four Heavenly Kings on either side—vividly crafted and powerfully imposing. The Buddha statues inside were recently repainted in bright colors and serve as valuable material for studying Ming and Qing dynasty sculpture and murals. The temple's layout is rational and its structure well-organized. In the temple grounds, there is an ancient pine with frosty bark and verdant needles, its trunk twisting like a dragon—it is commonly known as the "Ancient Dragon Pine." Legend says it was planted by an Indian monk and is over 900 years old.