Bright Moon Temple

Bright Moon Temple

Bright Moon Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Bright Moon Temple is located in Shiwan Town, Boluo County, and is one of the Five Temples of Luofu Mountain, often regarded as the foremost among them.

During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism was widely practiced. In the third year of the Tianbao era (744 AD), Emperor Xuanzong of Tang decreed the establishment of the Bright Moon Ordination Platform at Yanxiang Temple on Luofu Mountain. Later, a stone inscription of the “Bright Moon Ordination Platform” was erected in Tieshang, which became a site for tonsure and ordination of monks in the middle and lower reaches of the Dongjiang River. In the second year of the Yongxi era (985 AD) during the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty, the monk Shi Shourong built a temple in Tieshang. Upon digging the foundation, he discovered the inscribed stone of the “Bright Moon Ordination Platform,” and thus named the temple Bright Moon Temple. With a history of over 1,200 years, it is truly a millennium-old temple.

Built on the southern foothills of Luofu Mountain, at the highest point northeast of Tieshang, the temple faces south and features a three-courtyard layout. Its structures ascend progressively along the mountain slope, covering a width of over 60 meters and a length of more than 90 meters, with a total area of approximately 10 acres. The temple is enclosed by high walls, shaded by ancient trees, and adorned with clusters of flowers and plum blossoms. Five fragrant melia trees add to the delightful aroma. Originally, a stone memorial archway stood in front of the temple gate, inscribed with the four large characters “Luofu’s First Site.” The couplet on the archway read: “Luofu stands tall, commanding reverence; its solemn halls inspire awe, evoking the eternal reputation of the Puyue region. Seasonal offerings gather noble figures, whose ranks and tributes honor ancestral grace for ten thousand years.” Beside it once stood a stone tablet inscribed with the words “Home of Plum Blossoms.” In ancient times, travelers visiting Luofu Mountain would first stay at Bright Moon Temple before exploring the mountain, earning the temple the reputation of “Luofu’s First Site.”