Lufeng Huashan Temple

Lufeng Huashan Temple

Lufeng Huashan Temple is a cultural relics protection unit of Shanwei City.

Huashan Temple is located on Shuangfeng Mountain in the urban area of Nantang Town, covering an area of 10.25 hectares. It is a religious tourist destination for overseas Chinese, compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, as well as visitors and worshippers from eastern Guangdong. In 1997, Huashan Temple was designated as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit by the Lufeng Municipal People's Government.

Although not very high, Huashan features two peaks standing opposite each other, elegant and majestic. The area is covered by ancient banyan trees that block out the sky, filled with birdsong, fragrant flowers, stone cliffs, and clear springs—truly picturesque. Huashan Temple was first built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, boasting a history of over 500 years. Initially, it was a single hall shrine dedicated to Mazu, known as “Mazu Palace.” In the eighth year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1828), it underwent renovation and expansion, adding east and west wing rooms and a rear hall, enshrining the “Three Jewels Buddha,” and was then renamed “Huashan Temple.”

Huashan Temple features the architectural style of temples from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its gate is adorned with simple yet classic carvings, and the temple layout is well-planned. The main hall is centrally located and shaped like a gracefully dancing butterfly. The Temple of the Heavenly Holy Mother within the complex has a rigorously structured design and is richly decorated. The gilt plaque inscribed with “Mahavira Hall,” written by Zhao Puchu, former president of the Buddhist Association of China and a renowned scholar, hangs prominently above the hall’s entrance. The front hall enshrines the “Heavenly Holy Mother,” while the rear hall houses the “Sakyamuni Buddha.” Their divine visages are solemn, kind, and remarkably lifelike. Temple plaques such as “Shelter of the Land and Its People” and “Divine Light Over the Seas” shine brilliantly. On the left side of the temple are several rooms. An ancient stage stands in front of the temple; after renovation, it features a double-eave hip-and-gable roof with flying eaves and painted pillars. The lower level is a 13-meter-long and 16-meter-wide dormitory that can accommodate nearly 100 people. On both sides of the temple are two stone-railed winding paths leading directly to the mountaintop, meandering corridors connecting to the three-arched “Sacred Virtue” Bridge and a large, charming health pool. There are also the dignified and elegant “Jade Garden Pavilion” and “Moon-Playing Pavilion” with glazed tile roofs. On the left peak of Huashan lies the “Five Peaks Time View,” where one can observe the shape of the number “5” upon closer look. The right peak features the “Pleasant Mind Pavilion” and the “Immortal’s Footprint.” The so-called “Immortal’s Footprint” is a depression in a huge rock beside the “Pleasant Mind Pavilion,” resembling a human footprint approximately 80 cm long and 30 cm wide—strikingly similar to a giant stepping on the rock, which is truly astonishing. There is also a cliffside spring that flows year-round, offering a unique scenic view.

Huashan Temple is lush with trees, including bodhi trees, kapok trees, and especially a forest of banyans. Among them, three ancient thousand-year-old banyans tower above, shading the sunlight with their dense foliage. The trunks and roots of these banyans are interconnected, giving rise to the saying “sharing the same vital breath and roots”—a distinctive and remarkable sight at Huashan Temple, considered truly unique. Among the dense shade of these ancient banyans lies a forest of stone steles, chronicling the long history of Huashan Temple and narrating its trials and glories over centuries. Every year on the 23rd day of the third lunar month, the temple holds a fair. During the fair, traditional opera performances are held on the ancient stage, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.