Qingxu Shouningsi Temple

Qingxu Shouningsi Temple

Qingxu Shouningsi Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Taiyuan City.

The Dachang Shouningsi Temple in Jiyi Township, Qingxu, was originally built during the Tang Dynasty. Legend has it that Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, once visited Miao Guangyi, a meritorious official of that time. According to inscriptions in the temple: it was already an ancient temple during Emperor Taizu’s reign, and records tell of two monks, Yan and Zhao, who miraculously provided provisions for the imperial army. The temple was later rebuilt during the Ming Chenghua era, reconstructed in the second year of the Jiaqing reign, and renovated during the Daoguang era to reach its current scale.

Folklore tells of another monk in the temple known as Tian Shanyou. During busy farming seasons, villagers often sought his help. On some days, multiple people asked him to assist with tasks such as weeding millet fields, hoeing sorghum, or tending cornfields. No matter how many requests he received, he always agreed — and miraculously, all the work would be completed by the next day. News of this spread quickly, eventually reaching Zhao Kuangyi (Emperor Taizong of Song), who wondered if such a miraculous person truly existed. He decided to visit the monk himself. Knowing the emperor was coming, Tian Shanyou intentionally avoided meeting him but levitated mid-air near the temple to listen. As Emperor Zhao Kuangyi rode into the temple and searched from the front courtyard to the back, he noticed the main hall door was open. Assuming the monk was inside chanting scriptures, he urged his horse forward. Just as the horse’s front hooves stepped into the hall and he peered inside, there was no one to be seen. The emperor remarked, “It’s an empty shrine.” Tian Shanyou, still floating in the air, replied, “I thank Your Majesty for your grace.” To this day, the stone at the entrance of the hall still bears deep hoof prints. After receiving this recognition, Tian Shanyou went to Mount Mian to receive incense offerings. Since then, whenever there was a drought, villagers would journey to Mount Mian to pray for rain — and their prayers were always answered.

Whether through historical records or folklore, it is clear that Shouningsi Temple has a long and storied history. It can rightly be called a thousand-year-old temple.

The Five Hundred Arhats Hall at Shouningsi Temple is not only the only one of its kind in Shanxi Province, but also currently the largest arhats hall structure in the entire country. Speaking about the origins of its construction, Venerable Yichi said it all started with a “sudden inspiration.” In 2003, during his first Sunday at Wuhan Buddhist College, he visited the Five Hundred Arhats Hall at Guiyuan Temple in Wuhan. On a whim, he drew a fortune stick using the traditional folk method of arhat divination. The message read: “Diligently study the scriptures and toil hard; advise you to endure all worldly hardships.” Venerable Yichi immediately felt that this was a divine guidance from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Back at school, he carefully placed the fortune slip in his book and silently vowed to deepen his Buddhist practice with even greater dedication.

Since then, Venerable Yichi developed a special affinity for arhat culture. From time to time, he would visit the arhats hall, contemplating the various postures and expressions of the arhats, gaining insights with each visit.

During the first summer break at Wuhan Buddhist College, Venerable Yichi returned to Shouningsi Temple and one day suddenly wondered whether there was an arhats hall in Shanxi Province. After extensively researching, he discovered that Shanxi, home to thousands of Buddhist temples, had not a single arhats hall. This prompted him to make a wish: upon graduating and returning to Shanxi, he would build a Five Hundred Arhats Hall at Shouningsi Temple.

This wish took root in Venerable Yichi’s heart like a seed, gradually sprouting, growing, and eventually bearing abundant fruit.

In January 2005, after graduating from Wuhan Buddhist College and returning to Shouningsi Temple, Venerable Yichi immediately began preparations to construct the arhats hall. After negotiating with Dachang Village, where the temple is located, he secured a vacant plot of land beside the temple. On March 18, the foundation of the Five Hundred Arhats Hall was laid, and a purification ceremony was held.

The construction of the arhats hall did not go smoothly. It required tremendous manpower, material resources, and funding, and faced numerous challenges and setbacks. Originally scheduled for completion by August 8, 2008, in time for the Beijing Olympics, the hall’s roof unfortunately suffered extensive leaks upon completion. By then, the construction team had already disappeared. Venerable Yichi had to invest substantial additional funds to redo the roof, which delayed the project by another two years.

Reflecting on these experiences, Venerable Yichi showed no signs of distress. Instead, he radiated a deep sense of faith and serenity. “That afternoon, after everyone had left, I stood alone in front of this empty plot of land when suddenly, I saw a golden, radiant Five Hundred Arhats Hall before my eyes. That’s why I firmly believe that a magnificent arhats hall will definitely stand here.”

Venerable Yichi has a unique understanding of arhat culture. He believes arhats are more approachable and easier to learn from. Arhats have three main characteristics: first, they possess purified senses and have eliminated afflictions; second, they have transcended birth and death, attaining nirvana; third, they receive offerings from humans and gods while teaching according to conditions. While the highest goal for monastics today may be to become Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, the path begins with learning from arhats. Once one excels as an arhat, one can then progress to higher realms. The construction of this Five Hundred Arhats Hall aims to promote arhat culture.

Temple History

A Thousand-Year-Old Temple Through Ten Years of Development

Since becoming the abbot of Shouningsi Temple in 2000, Venerable Yichi has spent a decade leading the temple. Over the years, under the correct guidance of the government’s religious affairs department, the efforts of Venerable Yichi, and the support of devoted followers, the temple has seen rapid development in all areas. It not only fully meets the religious needs of local Buddhists but also attracts worshippers from surrounding regions. In 2008, it was rated as a “Five-Star” religious site by the Shanxi Provincial Religious Affairs Bureau.

The vision to develop Shouningsi Temple into a “Monastery of Martial, Medical, and Zen Practices” has been long-standing. From the beginning of his tenure, Venerable Yichi, guided by the Buddhist spirit of compassion and service, leveraged his expertise in traditional Chinese medicine. He publicly offered free medical consultations and herbal remedies to the surrounding community. Many who benefited from his care, even those who were not yet Buddhists, developed deep respect for Buddhism, the temple, and its monks. They often brought rice, vegetables, and other offerings to the temple. The temple’s charitable deeds spread widely, and its influence continued to grow.

The oldest surviving structures at Shouningsi Temple date back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The layout includes a north-south two-courtyard design with three side wings running east-west. Though weathered by time, the temple has seen rapid development over the years. In 2005, construction began on the country’s largest Five Hundred Arhats Hall, spanning 1,444 square meters. In 2006, a new dormitory building was added, covering 1,700 square meters. In 2010, a mountain gate plaza and fifteen auxiliary rooms for the arhats hall were built in traditional Chinese architectural style. Additionally, Venerable Yichi plans to complete a new mountain gate in 2011 and a scripture depository behind the Mahavira Hall in 2012.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Taiyuan Municipal Cultural Relic Protection Units