Beishan Ancient Temple

Beishan Ancient Temple

Beishan Ancient Temple is a cultural heritage site protected by Yangshan County.

Yangshan’s Beishan Ancient Temple is nestled at the foot of Xianling Mountain, facing south with its back to the north. Built in harmony with the mountain’s contours, it spans over ten acres and features soaring upturned eaves and a majestic structure. Surrounded by embracing peaks and lush trees, the temple boasts the Yumen Cascades tumbling gracefully before it, while within, flourishing flowers and trees create a serene environment, making it the finest temple in the county.

Beishan Ancient Temple was first built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1522–1566) and underwent multiple renovations in subsequent dynasties. The temple originally consisted of a grand courtyard with four sections: the right section housed the Shrine of Zheng the Immortal, the left the Shrine of Han the Immortal, and the center the main gate inscribed with the characters “Beishan Ancient Temple.” A pair of stone lions stood guard on either side of the gate. Inside the gate lay a liberation pond, fed by the clear, winding waters of the “Ancient Cave Rhyme Spring” at the back of the temple. A Golden Water Bridge spanned the pond, leading to the second section—the Hall of the Yuan Emperor—flanked by the Shrine of the Three Yuan on the right and the Shrine of the Seven Sages on the left. The shrine walls featured eight rare steles engraved with cursive calligraphy from Song dynasty master Mi Fu, including “Gaze at the Mountain Hut,” along with Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasty inscriptions. The third section included the Shrine of Wenchang on the right, the Guanyin Pavilion in the center, and the Pine and Osmanthus Reading Grove on the left, with walls inlaid with steles such as the authentic calligraphy of Han Yu by Yangshan magistrate Xiao Bingrang of the Qing Dynasty, reading “Kites Fly and Fish Leap,” as well as works by Song dynasty’s Wen Tianxiang (“Loyalty, Filial Piety, Integrity, and Chastity”), Qing dynasty’s Fu Xi’s “Paying Homage to Han Wengong’s Temple,” and Jian Chaoliang’s “Climbing Xianling Mountain.” These artworks, celebrated for their exquisite brushwork, were truly breathtaking. The fourth section was the Mahavira Hall, housing the Three Jewels Buddha statues and the Eighteen Arhats, all exquisitely carved with lifelike expressions and postures. Unfortunately, the hall was later demolished to build an auditorium, and the statues were buried.

From the temple gate, visitors can gaze into the distance to see emerald mountains draped like brocade, the Huangchuan River winding like a silver ribbon, neatly arrayed fields in the suburbs, and towering urban buildings—vibrant scenes unfolding in full splendor.

Today’s Beishan Ancient Temple follows a Song dynasty-inspired, Ten Directions Monastery architectural style, presenting a solemn and distinctive aesthetic. The Mahavira Hall shines in golden glory with an air of reverence, the Arhat Square is majestic, and the Bell and Drum Towers are thoughtfully arranged. Structures such as the Western Pure Land, the Scripture Repository, the Lotus Pond, and the Buddhist Pagoda have all been completed, establishing Beishan Ancient Temple as another significant Buddhist sanctuary in Guangdong and a premier tourist attraction in northern Guangdong.

As a renowned ancient temple in Qingyuan City and part of the Southern School of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, Beishan Ancient Temple is also the largest religious venue in northwestern Guangdong. Its resplendent golden Buddha statues are enshrined throughout the temple’s halls and squares, making it the temple with the highest number of Buddha statues in Asia.