Yuehua Temple

Yuehua Temple

Yuehua Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located in Mengli Village, Wushi Town, Qujiang, Yuehua Temple was built during the same period and by the same monk as Nanhua Temple. Both temples were constructed during the Tianjian era of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (505–519 AD), and the monk who oversaw their construction was the Indian monk Master Zhiyao.

It is said that this great monk not only had deep spiritual insight but was also a renowned “prophet,” capable of foreseeing events within the next five hundred years—somewhat like Liu Bowen of the early Ming Dynasty in China. He told his disciples: “China is now at an opportune time to promote Buddhism. Why not go there to spread the teachings?” So, he set off from the sea with several of his top disciples. They first arrived at Nanhai (Guangzhou) in China. The abbot of Guangxiao Temple in Guangzhou led thousands of monks to the dock to welcome them, with a grandeur akin to a national reception for a foreign head of state.

Master Zhiyao stayed at Guangxiao Temple for a few days. Before departing, he said to the abbot: “As I am new to your country and have nothing else to offer, I bring you this small tree, called the Bodhi tree. The Buddha attained enlightenment after meditating under such a tree for six days and nights. Now I will plant it in your temple. In one hundred and seventy years, a living bodhisattva will shave his head under this tree and preach the supreme teachings. You may erect a stone tablet to mark this prophecy—I will not speak falsely.” With that, he personally planted the Bodhi tree, brought from India, in the temple grounds. The abbot immediately instructed the monks to bow in reverence to the sapling and chant “Amituofo” together.

Master Zhiyao left Guangxiao Temple and continued northward. The abbot of Guangxiao Temple truly erected an altar and inscribed a stone tablet beside the Bodhi tree: “In one hundred and seventy years, a living bodhisattva will shave his head under this tree and expound the supreme Dharma.” It is said that this tablet is still preserved at Guangxiao Temple to this day.

Master Zhiyao wanted to personally find a sacred site in China to build a temple. He and his disciples sailed up the Beijiang River and reached the area around Feilai Temple in Qingyuan. Though the scenery was beautiful, they felt it lacked sufficient karmic connection with the Buddha—it could only shelter junior monks, not produce great bodhisattvas. So they continued upstream. One day, as their boat reached Baitu Town in Qujiang, they noticed a stream flowing out from the east. From a distance, Master Zhiyao saw that the water from this stream remained separate from the main river for quite a stretch, and the river water there looked particularly clear and pristine. He asked the boatman to steer toward the mouth of the stream. He crouched down, cupped his hands, and tasted the water. “Ah!” he exclaimed. “You don’t know until you try. This water is incredibly sweet—drinking it refreshes the heart and lungs, making one feel completely at ease. I’ve traveled all over the world, yet I’ve never tasted such unique stream water. All of you try some and see if you feel the same.” The disciples eagerly scooped up the water and drank, all marveling in unison: “Wonderful, wonderful. This stream must originate from a sacred place. Let’s follow this stream upstream.”

It turned out that the mouth of this stream was called Caoxi Kou, and the stream was the Caoxi, named after passing through Caojia Village (inhabited by descendants of Cao Cao from the Three Kingdoms period). It originated from the famous Dabao Mountain Valley, flowed through Mapo Town, exited at Baitu, and merged with the Beijiang River. When Zhiyao and his party arrived at Caojia Village (also called Caocun or Caoxi Village), they immediately sensed an auspicious and spiritually rich atmosphere, so they ventured into the mountains to explore. Upon reaching the summit behind the village and looking out over the surrounding peaks, he felt the landscape seemed oddly familiar. He asked the locals the name of the mountain. They told him it was called Baolin Mountain. Hearing this, he was startled: “Yes, it resembles the sacred Mount Baolin in the Western Paradise!” “Wonderful, wonderful!” he exclaimed. Then he said to his disciples: “We’ve found our sacred land. Let us stay here.”

The next day, Master Zhiyao went to Shaozhou Prefecture to meet with the local governor, Hou Jingzhong. For simplicity, we’ll refer to him here as “Governor Hou.” Master Zhiyao recounted to “Governor Hou” the entire journey of searching for the sacred site, and finally declared: “Your land’s Caocun Baolin Mountain is no different from the sacred Mount Baolin in the Western Paradise. A Buddhist temple should be built here. In one hundred and seventy years, a living bodhisattva will come to expound the supreme teachings, and those who attain enlightenment will be as numerous as trees in a forest.”

Governor Hou was, of course, overjoyed to hear such words from Master Zhiyao, the Tripitaka master. To have such a feng shui treasure within his jurisdiction—how could it not bring prosperity? He immediately reported the matter to Emperor Wu of Liang.

Emperor Wu acted even more decisively. With a single stroke of his imperial brush, he issued an edict to the Shaozhou authorities: Master Zhiyao was to draw up construction plans for the temple based on the layout of the sacred Mount Baolin in the West. The Shaozhou “governor” was to personally oversee the project and expedite the construction of Caoxi Temple, with the imperial court offering full support.

With the emperor’s backing, building a temple was nothing—if anything, constructing a hanging garden would have been no problem. In just three years, a grand, solemn, and magnificent Buddhist temple was completed. Emperor Wu himself bestowed upon it the name “Baolin Daochang” (Baolin Monastic Field).

It is said that Master Zhiyao the Tripitaka master later did not take up residence or preach at Nanhua Temple. He felt unworthy of the sacred site and thought he could only serve as a gatekeeper. So, he and his disciples built a “Yuehua Temple” in Mengli at Wushi Market. After Master Zhiyao passed away, his disciples preserved his relics and enshrined them at Yuehua Temple for over 1,400 years (until the early years of liberation). According to current research, there are various accounts regarding the fate of Master Zhiyao’s relics. One legend says that during the early liberation period, someone tried to throw the relics into the Beijiang River because the land reform team was coming to eradicate feudal superstitions. A monk (some say an old farmer) secretly moved the relics out of the temple one night and buried them on a hill, sparing them from disaster. Later, during the Cultural Revolution, some local “Red Guards” learned of the relics and searched for the burial site. Once again, an old farmer secretly unearthed the relics, placed them in a “golden stupa” (a type of ceramic urn used in Guangdong for storing human remains), and took them to Nanhua Temple, hoping they could be preserved there. But at that time, Nanhua Temple was in even greater peril—who would dare take on such a responsibility? Nanhua Temple couldn’t even protect the relics of the Sixth Patriarch, let alone those of Master Zhiyao. And so, the whereabouts of Master Zhiyao’s relics remain unknown to this day.

Yuehua Temple has long since been occupied by a factory and no longer exists. Fortunately, in recent years, Master Guangfeng of Furongshan Temple in Shaoguan has enjoyed flourishing fortunes and substantial resources, and thus sent his sole disciple, Monk Yaokun, to rebuild Yuehua Temple in Wushi. With the support and assistance of the city’s religious affairs department, the local government, and the community, Yuehua Temple has today reopened its doors, revived its Buddhist activities, regained its vitality, and welcomes visitors and worshippers from all directions.

Wushi Town: Wushi is one of the major towns in the southern part of Qujiang County, Shaoguan City. It lies 10 kilometers north of Qujiang County, 5 kilometers from the Mapo exit of the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway, and 4 kilometers from the Shaxi exit. To the south, it borders Kengkou Town in the same county; to the east, it neighbors Wengyuan County and Shaxi Town of the same county; to the west, it borders the Beijiang River, across which lies Zhangshi Town in the same county. Wushi Town covers an administrative area of 66.3 square kilometers, with a population of nearly 13,000, including 7,200 agricultural residents and 5,800 workers, officials, and townspeople.

1. Geographic Advantages:

Wushi Town enjoys highly convenient water and land transportation, with the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and Provincial Highway S... More detailed information about Wushi Town++