Yunmen Temple

Yunmen Temple

Yunmen Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

Yunmen Mountain Da Jue Chan Temple, commonly known as Yunmen Temple, is located at the foot of Ciyun Peak, 6 kilometers north of Ruyuan Yao Autonomous County. It is the birthplace of Yunmen School, one of the five major branches of Chinese Zen Buddhism. The temple was founded in the first year of the Tongguang era of the Later Tang Dynasty during the Five Dynasties period (923 AD) by Master Wenyan, the ninth-generation disciple of Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch and founder of the Yunmen School.

In 928 AD, Liu Yan, the King of Southern Han, bestowed the name “Guangtai Chan Monastery,” which was later changed to “Zhengzhen Chan Temple.” By the first year of the Qiande era of the Song Dynasty (963 AD), Liu Chang, the King of Southern Han, conferred the title of “Great Compassionate Cloud Supportive Sage Grand Illuminating Master” upon Master Wenyan and gifted him a “silk robe.” At the same time, he elevated “Zhengzhen Chan Temple” to “Da Jue Chan Temple.” Since the temple is situated on Yunmen Mountain, it came to be known as “Yunmen Mountain Da Jue Chan Temple.”

Yunmen Temple covers an area of 12,000 square meters, and the entire complex is solemn and serene. Its halls are similar in scale to those of major temples in China, featuring structures such as a liberation pond, the Heavenly King Hall, the Mahavira Hall, the Scripture Depository, and the dining hall. However, Yunmen Temple has a unique architectural style. Aside from the liberation pond located in front of the temple, the other halls are all interconnected, with over 180 rooms including halls, chambers, and towers, covering a construction area of more than 7,000 square meters. The gates, halls, chambers, and buildings all feature distinctive styles.

Among them, the two Buddha statues inside the Mahavira Hall—one standing and one lying in front of the Sakyamuni statue—are carved from pure Burmese white marble. The large colorful porcelain Buddha faces embedded in the surrounding walls, with the Eighteen Arhats below and the Twenty-Four Heavenly Gods above, are extremely rare among Buddhist temples in China. The temple also runs a Buddhist academy, cultivating batches of highly qualified personnel for the Buddhist cause. Within Yunmen Temple, there is a Memorial Hall for Master Xuyun and a stupa. In 1983, Yunmen Temple was designated as a National Key Buddhist Temple.

Yunmen Temple houses a Memorial Hall for Master Xuyun and a stupa. The back mountain is the famous Osmanthus Pool Scenic Area, where a waterfall cascades down dozens of meters of cliffs into a deep pool. The slopes around the pool are covered with osmanthus trees. In August and September, the fragrance of blooming osmanthus fills the mountains and valleys, creating an intoxicating atmosphere.

The newly built stone memorial archway of Yunmen Da Jue Temple stands 12 meters tall. The inner wall of the mountain gate preserves important stone steles, including the notable “Stele of the Late Master Shixing of Guangtai Chan Monastery of Shaoguan, Shaozhou, Great Han, Dabao First Year (958)” from the Southern Han Dynasty, which are precious Buddhist relics.

Half a li from the temple lies the Huihui Pagoda, surrounded by dozens of halls and rooms that can accommodate a hundred people. It currently serves as a practice site for nuns. The back mountain also features a newly built Memorial Hall and stupa for Master Xuyun, nestled in tranquil woods and springs, suitable for monks’ meditation and scripture study. In front of the temple are the Guanyin Mountain and Osmanthus Pool Scenic Area, home to attractions such as the Osmanthus Tide, Rice-Producing Rock, Nine Immortals Cliff, Compassionate Peak, and Iron Drum Mountain. With flowing springs, cascading waterfalls, rugged rocks, fragrant osmanthus, and breathtaking scenery, it is a truly picturesque place.

Scenic Spot Location

Yunmen Mountain Scenic Area, Ruyuan Yao Autonomous County, Guangdong Province

Yunmen Village: The Yunmen Village Committee of Rucheng Town, Ruyuan County, is located on the northern side of Rucheng Town and is one of the two old revolutionary base areas. It connects to Liuyi Town and Youxi Town. The committee administers 10 natural villages, with a total resident population of 1,565 and an agricultural population of 3,532. The total arable land area is 1,181 mu. In 2009, the total rural economic income was 9.57 million yuan, and the per capita net income was 4,077 yuan. The Yunmen Village Committee boasts unique tourism resources and profound Zen Buddhist culture. It is home to Yunmen Temple, which has a history of 1,075 years. Located in the mountainous region of northern Guangdong, Yunmen Temple is close to… [More details about Yunmen Village]

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units