Ancient Wujinyan Nunnery

Ancient Wujinyan Nunnery

Wujinzang Nunnery is located to the right of Nanhua Temple, covering an area of several thousand square meters with dozens of nuns in residence, making it the largest nunnery in the province at present. In addition to its magnificent Buddhist halls, Wujinzang Nunnery now also has two rows of buildings that can accommodate over a hundred nuns, as well as a dining hall, guest hall, merit hall, and more. A plaque inscribed with the name "Ancient Wujinyan Nunnery" by the late Zhao Puchu, former president of the Buddhist Association of China, hangs above the main gate. On the back wall of the main hall is embedded a stone stele engraved with a portrait of Wujinzang.

Shaoguan Wujinyan Nunnery

Wujinyan Nunnery was originally built by Wujinzang, a nun from the early Tang Dynasty. From the Tang Dynasty to the present, it has been relocated several times. According to Volume Six of the Qing-era "Caoxi Tongzhi" ("Comprehensive Records of Caoxi"), in the section "Record of Master Hanshan’s Revival of Caoxi," it is stated: “To the right of the spring lies a small ridge shaped like a tongue, with a pot clamp to its right, which is the right jaw — the ancient site of the nunnery where Wujinzang lived.” The "Chronological Biography of Monk Xuyun" also records: “Wujinzang was the first disciple of the Sixth Patriarch. Her nunnery was likely located to the right of Zhuoxi Spring. Master Hanshan once renovated it, but it had long fallen into disrepair...” Based on these historical accounts, the site of the ancient Wujinzang Nunnery is believed to be where the newly built Memorial Hall of Monk Xuyun now stands, west of Zhuoxi Spring.

Wujinyan Nunnery has been relocated several times. When Monk Xuyun revived Nanhua Temple, he considered the proximity of the nunnery to the temple to be inconvenient. Thus, in the 30th year of the Republic of China (1941), he purchased several civilian houses about two kilometers east of the temple in Baishuxia Village. After renovation, he hung a plaque reading “Ancient Wujinyan Nunnery” and moved the nuns there to continue their practice. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, during the land reform period, these houses were distributed to farmers, and the nunnery was again relocated to Haihui Pagoda, about one kilometer east of the temple. In 1957, for ease of temple management, all the nuns were moved to reside within Nanhua Chan Temple.

After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, the Party’s religious policies were fully implemented. Nanhua Chan Temple was reopened, normal religious activities resumed, and the number of monks and nuns increased. Venerable Weiyin, the abbot, considering the needs of the nuns for a quiet place to practice, decided to raise funds to rebuild Wujinyan Nunnery. At that time, with a generous donation of HK$100,000 from Bhikkhuni Xingzhi of Hong Kong's Prajna Hermitage, as well as contributions from other devotees, the funding issue was resolved. Consequently, in 1986, a new site was chosen about 150 meters west of the temple for construction, and the project was completed in 1987. The newly built Ancient Wujinyan Nunnery covers a total area of over 3,000 square meters. Its central axis consists of: the Heavenly King Hall, the Main Hall, and the Wujinzang Nunnery Hall; surrounding areas include the Guest Hall, Dining Hall, Storage Room, Incense Kitchen, Monks’ Quarters, and restrooms. Except for the Incense Kitchen and restrooms, the rest are all two-story mixed-structure buildings.

The name "Wujinzang" originates from the Dharma name of a female disciple of the Sixth Patriarch.

Back then, when the monk Huineng had just attained enlightenment at Dongshan Temple in Huangmei, Hubei, and was returning south, he was pursued by a group of followers of Shenxiu. With great difficulty, he fled to Baolin Temple in Caoxi, Shaoguan (now Nanhua Temple). However, since Baolin Temple was in ruins and uninhabitable at the time, he sought lodging from nearby villagers and was warmly received by the Confucian scholar Liu Zhilue. Liu had an aunt who was a devout Buddhist and had been a nun, with the Dharma name Wujinzang. She chanted sutras every day. Hearing her, Huineng asked, “What sutra are you chanting, Reverend?” The nun replied, “The Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra.” Huineng said, “Well said, well said.” The nun asked, “Do you also enjoy chanting sutras, sir?” Huineng replied, “Yes, I do.” So the nun held up the scripture and asked about the characters. Huineng said, “I may not recognize the characters, but I understand their meaning.” The nun said, “How can you understand the meaning if you don’t know the characters?” Huineng responded, “The profound truths of the Buddhas have nothing to do with written words; they are all within one’s innate nature.” Then the nun would recite a passage and ask Huineng to explain it. Huineng spoke succinctly and insightfully, providing profound and clear interpretations. The nun was greatly astonished and told her nephew Liu Zhilue about it. She said, “This visitor is no ordinary person; he must be a sage. He doesn’t even recognize the characters, yet he can explain the sutras so well — truly rare.” Liu said, “Is that so? Then I’ll talk to him tonight and test him to see who he really is.”

That evening, Liu Zhilue sat down with Huineng. Liu said, “According to my aunt, you are a man of great knowledge, well-versed in both heaven and earth, and knowledgeable in all walks of life. It’s my honor today — please share your wisdom with us.”

Huineng replied, “Not at all, not at all. I’m just a humble traveler passing through, already a bother to my host. How could I accept such praise?”

Liu said, “At the same table, we’re like family. There’s no need to be modest. My own knowledge is limited, and to receive guidance from someone as wise as you is truly rare. Could you tell me, is there any common ground between Confucianism and Buddhism?”

Huineng said, “There is common ground, and there isn’t.”

Liu asked, “What is the common ground?”

Huineng replied, “Let me give you a few examples. Confucianism speaks of the Doctrine of the Mean, while Buddhism teaches detachment — both aim to guide people not to lean too far left or right, to avoid extremes, to hold to the middle path that aligns with the objective laws of things. Neither to overdo nor underdo. Confucianism values the Five Constants, while Buddhism observes the Five Precepts. For example, a benevolent person does not kill, a righteous person does not steal, a person of propriety does not commit adultery, a wise person does not drink excessively, and a trustworthy person does not lie. Confucianism speaks of loyalty and filial piety, while Buddhism speaks of compassion. There are many points of commonality.”

Liu asked, “What is the lack of common ground?”

Huineng replied, “Confucianism picks the fruit, while Buddhism plants the tree.”

Liu said, “I truly don’t understand — please explain.”

Huineng elaborated, “When ordinary people taste fruit, they don’t know its flavor until it enters their mouth, nor its nature until it enters their stomach. But Buddhism plants the tree — establishing strong roots. The fruit comes later; the tree comes first. The fruit is the end; the tree is the foundation. Good roots will bear good fruit, and bad roots will bear bad fruit. Cause and effect follow different paths. Therefore, Buddhism avoids planting bad causes, and naturally, one won’t have to endure bad results.”

Liu Zhilue was deeply moved after hearing this and shared it with the village elders. At the time, villagers such as Cao Shuliang, a descendant of Marquis Cao, quickly repaired and cleaned Baolin Temple, hoping to invite this visitor to take up residence in the temple to bring blessings to the village.

Fifteen years later, when Huineng emerged from Guangxia Temple in Guangzhou, he was warmly welcomed by the abbot, Master Yinzong, who led over a thousand monks to escort the Sixth Patriarch back to Baolin Temple in Caoxi. During the reconstruction of the temple, Huineng specifically built a nunnery to the right of Zhuoxi Spring (also known as Jiulong Spring) for Wujinzang to reside in.

Due to this connection, since the Tang Dynasty, Wujinyan Nunnery has been managed by Nanhua Temple and is considered a subordinate temple. "Wujinyan Nunnery" is the practice site of China’s first female Chan master, Wujinzang Bhikkhuni. Both the late Ming Dynasty’s Master Hanshan and the modern-era Master Xuyun rebuilt this nunnery. The original site was to the right of Zhuoxi Spring. In 1942, Xuyun relocated the nunnery three li to the left of the temple at Baishuxia, naming it "Ancient Wujinyan Nunnery." All the nuns came here to practice, and a statue of the nun was enshrined in the nunnery as a model for female practitioners. It is said that the true body of Wujinzang was later enshrined at Xihua Nunnery in Wan Tou Village, Qujiang Bay (now Wan Tou Shu, Beijiang District, Shaoguan City), but was destroyed.

Wujinyan Nunnery was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and vanished without a trace. It was rebuilt in 1986, with a plaque hanging above the main gate inscribed with the name "Ancient Wujinyan Nunnery" by Zhao Puchu, and a couplet beneath it: “Bright moon and gentle breeze, endless treasures; sorrowful winds and patient lands, deep karmic bonds.”

Address: Nanhua Temple, Ma'ba Town, Qujiang District, Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province

Ma'ba Town: This town is the seat of Qujiang County, located 15 kilometers from the center of Shaoguan City. It covers an area of 189 square kilometers, including 1,853 hectares of arable land and 9,003 hectares of forested land. In 2002, the total population was 98,000, of which 32,000 were agricultural. The town has 17 village committees, 7 neighborhood committees, and 234 natural villages. Transportation is well-developed, with the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, National Highway 106, and the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway (with Shaoguan’s southern entry/exit located here) running through the town. Water transport is smooth, with over 10 freight docks along the Beijiang River. Mobile phone and other communication networks cover the entire town; the area... More detailed information about Ma'ba Town++