Huafeng Temple

Huafeng Temple

Huafeng Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located in Hefeng Village, Luogang District, Huafeng Temple is a renowned Buddhist temple in China, situated 41 kilometers from Zengcheng City. It serves as both a sacred Buddhist site, a revolutionary base, and a tourist attraction. Huafeng Temple is one of China’s famous Buddhist temples.

Built in 1682 during the autumn of the Renxu year in the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, Huafeng Temple was initiated by Monk Nanqiao and has a history of 323 years. Historical records describe the temple as having magnificent and exquisitely constructed architecture, once famed as “a unique scenic wonder in an ancient temple, with a hundred old plum trees forming their own fragrant realm.” There were 27 scenic spots and historical sites, including “Monk Returning at Dust-Cutting Stone,” “Cooling in One-Leaf Pavilion,” “Buddha’s Trace Rock,” “Plum Blossom Valley,” and “Arhat Stream.” The temple complex covered an area of over 40,000 square meters, with a total built-up area of 5,600 square meters.

After its establishment, Huafeng Temple flourished with incense offerings and a continuous stream of worshippers. Records indicate that from its founding monk Nanqiao to Master Huiguang during the Guangxu era, a total of 12 generations of eminent monks presided over Buddhist activities and passed away here. During the Republican period, monks still managed the temple’s Dharma hall. Among the 100-volume “Records of Chinese Buddhist Temples” compiled by Master Mingcheng, only the “Records of Guangxiao Temple” and the “Records of Huafeng Mountain” from the Guangzhou area were included. This shows that Huafeng Temple holds an important place in the history of Chinese Buddhism and is one of the country’s renowned Buddhist temples.

Huafeng Temple is not only one of the few distinguished Buddhist temples in South China but also served as a guerrilla base established by the Dongjiang Column of the Eighth Route Army in the Hefeng area during the Anti-Japanese War.

Elderly locals vividly recall how, during multiple Japanese encirclement campaigns, guerrillas and revolutionary civilians used Huafeng Temple as shelter to evade danger. In the famous Battle of Huangqi Mountain, after suffering heavy losses, the Japanese invaders took out their rage on Huafeng Temple, looting centuries-old temple treasures, scriptures, and documents, dispersing the monks, and burning down the temple. An elderly witness recalled that dozens of ancient buildings and scenic structures around the temple burned for days and nights, leading to the complete destruction of Huafeng Temple. Most of the guerrilla fighters who had operated there also perished in later battles.

Reconstruction of Huafeng Temple is currently underway. Shi Chengxi, the overall reconstruction commander and abbot of Huafeng Temple, told reporters that to commemorate the martyrs of the Dongjiang guerrillas and promote the temple’s revolutionary legacy, plans include building a Dongjiang Column Memorial Monument and Rest Pavilion within the temple’s reconstruction design. This will not only honor the spirits of the fallen soldiers but also provide a site for local youth to learn about revolutionary history.