Huineng Temple

Huineng Temple

Huineng Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Liaoning Province.

Huineng Temple is located to the east of the government office of Xiàfǔ Mongolian Ethnic Township, Beipiao City. In the early Qing Dynasty, the Office of the Right Wing of the Tümed was established here, hence the name Xiàfǔ. In the late Qing Dynasty, the outstanding Mongolian writer and poet Injannashi was born in Zhōngxìnfǔ, adjacent to the east of Xiàfǔ Lín. Huineng Temple lies to the north of Guānshān Mountain and faces the Dàlíng River to the south. To its left is... [text truncated] The environment is elegant, and it has long been a place of reverence.

According to the Mongolian inscription in the temple: In the early Qing Dynasty, Wēnbù Cháohérì, a descendant of Genghis Khan, moved from the Tümed Banner in Hohhot to this area. When he became a Beizi (a noble title), he built a glazed-tiled temple. His great-great-grandson, Hāmùgā Báisīgǔlǎngtú Beizi, in order to promote Buddhism, invited monks from various places and carried out construction and expansion work on the scripture depository, the Mahavira Hall, the bell tower, the drum tower, the mountain gate, the scripture lecture hall, and the east and west side halls in the 3rd, 15th, and 22nd years of the Qianlong era (1738, 1750, 1757). He also built a red courtyard wall, forming a grand temple complex. In the 21st year of Qianlong (1756), the emperor bestowed the name “Huineng Temple.”

Later generations of ruling Beizi continued their ancestors’ legacy, expanding upon the original foundation. In the 48th, 49th, and 60th years of Qianlong, and the 5th, 8th years of Jiaqing, as well as the 1st year of Daoguang, multiple renovations, reconstructions, and additions were made, including the Seven-Bay Hall (also called the Shede Hall), the Guan Yu Hall, and the Scripture Lecture Hall. Stone lions were carved, flagpoles erected. At its peak, the temple housed no fewer than a thousand monks, with countless Buddha statues inside—earning it the name “Ten-Thousand Buddha Granary.”

There is a local legend about Huineng Temple: it is said that the temple was originally a golden palace built by the Beizi of the Tümed Banner who intended to rebel against the Qing and declare independence. However, his wife, who was of the Qing imperial family, revealed the plot. Fearing execution, the Beizi quickly replaced the statues with Buddhist figures and turned the structure into a temple, thus transforming it into a large monastery.

The temple is 192 meters long from north to south and 63 meters wide from east to west, covering an area of over 12,000 square meters. There are currently 16 existing structures, totaling more than 170 rooms. It adopts traditional ancient Chinese architectural forms. From south to north are the mountain gate, the Heavenly King Hall, the Main Hall, the Scripture Depository, and the Seven-Bay Hall, with side halls and bell and drum towers distributed on both sides. Towering pine and cypress trees fill the grounds, some several people’s armspans around with canopies like umbrellas. The magnificent halls are tucked among lush greenery, creating an exceptionally serene landscape.

The Main Hall (also called the Scripture Chanting Hall) is built on a high platform, tall and majestic, and is the principal structure of the temple. The hall is square-shaped, covering over 900 square meters, with a three-story pavilion-style design consisting of 81 rooms, commonly referred to as the "Eighty-One-Room Hall." It is a skillful combination of Tibetan, Han Chinese, and Mongolian architectural art. The front porch is five bays wide and one bay deep, with red-painted folding-screen pillars. The tops of the pillars and eaves are decorated with dragon and streamer-pattern motifs. Inside, there are 30 vermilion-painted pillars arranged in rows, seven bays wide and six bays deep, totaling 42 rooms. Two central square pillars rise all the way to the roof. The rear and sides of the hall originally housed statues of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats. The central area could accommodate hundreds of monks chanting scriptures. The hall is adorned with colorful banners and hangings, enhancing the mysterious atmosphere in the dim light. The second floor has a square layout surrounded by corridors, connected throughout, with a raised walkway separating it from the central square hall. Wooden stairs lead up to the third floor, offering a commanding view of the surroundings—distant mountains and clear waters below, and the solemn temple before you, creating a uniquely serene ambiance. The door is adorned with a plaque covered with nine dragons, and the cloud-dragon pillars on both sides are exquisitely carved. The thick white walls, imitation white grass-style red-dyed hemp rope bands, along with uniquely shaped pillars, gilded roofs, and other Tibetan Buddhist esoteric decorations, combine with traditional Han Chinese features such as hip-and-gable roofs, green tiles, bracket sets, and roof ornaments—resulting in a novel style and complex structure. Behind the scripture hall is the scripture depository, with a hip-and-gable roof, five bays wide and three bays deep, surrounded by red pillars. Beyond it lies the Seven-Bay Hall.

Also noteworthy are the pair of stone lions on the terrace in front of the mountain gate. Including their pedestals, they stand 3 meters tall. Such large, robust, and finely carved stone lions are very rare.

With a history of nearly 260 years, Huineng Temple remains largely intact today. It is the largest monastery still in existence in the province and even the entire Northeast region. In 1988, it was listed as a key cultural relic protection unit of Liaoning Province.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Liaoning Province