Khaxian Huguo Pilu Chan Temple

Khaxian Huguo Pilu Chan Temple

Huguo Pilu Chan Temple backs onto Cangshan Mountain and faces the Yushui River. It is a Buddhist Chan sect temple in Northeast China known for its long history, grand scale, well-preserved structure, and serene environment. Throughout the long course of history, the ancient Changshou Mountain Pilu Chan Temple has experienced ups and downs but has remained a place of enduring incense and reverence.

Upon entering Huguo Pilu Chan Temple, the first things that catch your eye are two majestic ornamental columns. Standing 8.8 meters tall, these columns are crafted from premium white marble, featuring exquisite carvings and a towering, imposing presence that commands respect. Behind the columns lies a memorial archway meticulously carved from grass-white marble, standing 7.7 meters high and 6.6 meters wide. This three-tiered, antique-style structure is grand and radiant, leaving visitors in awe. Below the archway stand two stone lions, each 3.5 meters tall, guarding the mountain gate with a majestic and lifelike demeanor that reflects the temple’s grandeur. Ascending the steps from the archway, you are greeted by an inkstone jade stele. The stele stands 5 meters tall and 1.5 meters wide, inscribed with the four characters “Bodhi Field” (菩提道场), handwritten by Zhao Puchu, former president of the Buddhist Association of China. It is the tallest stone stele in Northeast China, adorned with exquisitely detailed carvings on its surface. The back of the stele records the temple’s restoration history. Behind the inkstone jade stele lies the exquisitely designed Eight Treasures Lotus Pond. In the pond, a white jade statue of Guanyin, with a kind and serene expression, stands peacefully. The water is crystal clear, lotus flowers bloom in vibrant colors, and released fish swim gracefully, creating a tranquil atmosphere that brings a sense of inner peace and ease. In summer, admiring the lotus by the pond feels like stepping into a fairyland, where a spiritual cleansing energy seems to arise naturally. A poem reads: “A thousand-foot cliff guards the Longevity Pass; monks who come here tremble with fear. Thankfully, Guanyin extends her compassionate hand—this very place is our true home.” Just a few meters away from the Eight Treasures Lotus Pond is the Heavenly King Hall, where the statues of the Heavenly Kings stand majestically, exuding an overwhelming presence as guardians against all evil spirits—truly befitting their role as protectors of this mountain. Exiting the hall, an ancient, towering maple tree by the entrance reaches toward the clouds, as if narrating the area’s long and storied history. To the west of the maple tree lies an ancient well dating back a thousand years. The well is three meters deep, with one meter of water, and its crystal-clear, cool, and sweet water has continuously provided drinking water for both visitors and monks for centuries. The current abbot of the temple, Venerable Daoxuan, composed an inscription in refined words for this meritorious well and erected a stele, allowing more visitors to understand, appreciate, and admire it. The Nianhua Hall is located to the east of the courtyard. With its tranquil and elegant ambiance, it serves as a space where the abbot delivers teachings, chants scriptures, and meets distinguished guests and devotees. To the west of the courtyard, across the path, are the Pagoda Courtyard, Golden Light Cave, and Chan Source Ancient Cave. Within the Pagoda Courtyard, three pure white marble pagodas stand solemnly and immaculately. They are the relic stupas of Venerable Xu Yun, Venerable Di Hua, and Venerable Ben Ru. The Golden Light Cave is built in imitation of the stone gates of the underground palace of the Ming Tombs in Beijing, enshrining the guardian deities of the Light Assembly. The Chan Source Ancient Cave houses a sacred statue of Bodhidharma and is where the monks pay homage to their patriarchs on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month.

Ascending the white marble steps, you will reach a two-story, hexagonal pavilion—the Chaorxu Pavilion. Located at the center of the Changshou Mountain scenic area, this pavilion sits atop the Kangtai Zhen Tomb Stele, which is a provincial-level key cultural relic protection site. Despite nearly a thousand years of wind and rain, the more than 2,000-character engraved inscription remains clearly legible. Kang Taizhen, originally from Huawu Village in Lizhou (now Dongshang Village, Dachengzi Town, Khaxian County), was a layman surnamed Kang with the Taoist name Taizhen, also known as Cloud Peak Real Man. He was an influential Taoist figure during China’s Jin and Yuan dynasties, known for his ethereal presence, flowing beard, and remarkable longevity of 92 years. He preached Taoism for over 70 years and had more than a thousand disciples. It is because of Cloud Peak Taoist that Changshou Mountain gained widespread fame. At the top of Changshou Mountain, on a piece of bluestone, there are two foot-shaped cavities, each two inches deep and one inch long, said to be the footprints of the immortal who taught Taoism to Kang Taizhen in his youth—thus they are called the Immortal’s Footprints. The abundant and lush tree species on Changshou Mountain are also attributed to the efforts of Kang Taizhen, who preached and accepted numerous disciples throughout his life. It is said that for every disciple he took, he asked for nothing in return except that they plant a tree on the mountain to demonstrate their sincerity in learning the Tao. As time passed, those saplings grew into towering trees. What Kang Taizhen left behind is not only a forest of ancient trees but also our enduring reverence and remembrance for him.

The Thousand Buddha Pilu Treasure Statue in the Pilu Hall of Fayuan Temple is rarely seen elsewhere in the country. Behind it are enshrined the bodhisattvas Manjushri and Samantabhadra, while the four walls display murals depicting Sudhana’s Fifty-Three Visits. Beams and brackets are hung with exquisitely embroidered Buddhist banners. Such a structurally intact, intricately crafted, and magnificent hall is truly rare in northern China. This is an important site for the monks’ daily prayers and for significant Buddhist ceremonies such as the Uposatha observance on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month. On the hillside behind the hall stands the Many Treasures Buddha Pagoda, which stands 14.68 meters tall and is entirely carved from finely worked grass-white marble. Below the pagoda is an underground palace that enshrines a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha and various sacred ritual implements. Above, in the heavenly palace, two genuine relics of the Buddha are enshrined, adding infinite spiritual aura to the entire scenic area. This pagoda is the only Indian-style stupa relic pagoda in the three northeastern provinces. Its unique design and exquisite carvings captivate visitors, leaving them lost in thought.

The entire temple complex is built along the mountain, arranged in a terraced, step-like formation and embraced by encircling hills. The halls within the compound are resplendent and majestic, adorned with couplets that shine brilliantly, making it an important Buddhist cultural landmark in Western Liaoning.