Tapingsi Temple

　　Originally built during the Song Dynasty (1146), it took 22 years to complete and was finished in 1168, boasting a history of over 830 years. The temple was originally named Xiaokunlun Ancient Tibetan Temple and was renamed Tapingsi Temple after its reconstruction during the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era. In 1986, it was listed as a Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit. Covering an area of 500 square meters, the temple features a traditional quadrangle architectural layout and is a complex integrating temple, pagoda, memorial archway, and stele. It is also a rare surviving example of central-tower-based architecture from the Central Plains region of China, a style that had been lost since the Tang Dynasty. Within the temple grounds are a stone pagoda built in 1167, a memorial archway constructed in 1612, as well as cultural relics from the Qing Dynasty including the Mahavira Hall, scripture depository, left and right wing rooms, an iron pagoda, and the Yunleng Stele (a Buddhist memorial pillar).

　　Built against a mountain, Tapingsi Temple is surrounded by undulating peaks, with a towering pagoda peak rising in the center. The temple gate is made of brick and stone. To its left is the Jieyin Hall, beside which stand a pair of 5-meter-high Huabiao (ornamental columns), spaced 3 meters apart. These are rectangular stone pillars topped with stone lions and resting on fish-shaped pedestals. About 40 steps along a winding corridor leads to a stone archway designed to resemble wooden architecture. This double-eave, four-pillar, three-door structure stands 12 meters high and 7 meters wide. At its center hangs a horizontal plaque inscribed with “First Scenic Wonder,” dated “Built in the Year of Renzi, Wanli Era.” Below the plaque, the lintel features relief carvings of figures and animal motifs, all rendered in an elegant, rustic style with exquisite craftsmanship—regarded as a masterpiece of Ming Dynasty archway architecture.

　　At the end of the corridor are a Qing Dynasty Buddhist memorial pillar (also called a cloud stele) and a stone stele pavilion. The pillar is hexagonal, with the body divided into two sections and alternating short eaves. Its slightly upturned six-sided eaves crown an upper section inscribed with “Inscription on the Ancient Pagoda.” The pillar documents the temple’s storied past, including its destruction by fire and poetic tributes to the pagoda, all written in bold, graceful calligraphy.

　　Towering in the temple is a Song Dynasty stone pagoda, praised as “like a heavenly brush standing firmly against the sky, a tower rooted to the earth with steadfast grace.” This square, pavilion-style brick pagoda is hollow inside, standing 14.4 meters tall with a base perimeter of 6.2 meters. Its body is inlaid with colorful ceramic fragments forming various patterns, including three-dimensional animals and flowers, showcasing remarkable artistry. Inside the pagoda are 17 delicately carved divine statues, serene and lifelike. Graffiti left by visitors throughout the dynasties still remains, along with a slanted stone stairway just wide enough for one person to ascend and descend. Climbing to the top and gazing out the window evokes the feeling of “lifting one’s head to see the sun and sacred peaks nearby, looking out to see the plains and all their wonders below.” The pagoda’s top is adorned with a gourd-shaped precious bead finial, lending a dignified and steady impression. At dawn or dusk, when sunlight or sunset casts its glow, the view is especially breathtaking. A suspended bell at the pagoda's summit tolls at dusk, immersing visitors in the scene described as “the pagoda’s shadow hanging in the clear sky, the bell’s chime drifting through the white clouds.”

　　In the rear hall stands an iron pagoda, hexagonal and seven-tiered, with a height of 6.38 meters and a base circumference of 5.22 meters. Each tier is cast with multiple gilded divine statues and inscriptions detailing the pagoda’s casting history. The slight upward curve of each corner is adorned with small bells that tinkle melodiously in the breeze. When lit by candlelight, the pagoda reflects a golden glow, illuminating the entire hall. As the largest of its kind in Sichuan Province, this iron pagoda is an important relic for studying Qing Dynasty casting techniques.

　　With its long history, Tapingsi Temple has attracted many notable visitors over the dynasties, many of whom left couplets, poems, and paintings. An ancient poem praises the site: “A fairy peak rises abruptly before the temple, half in the clouds and half in the air; verdant ridges stretch in all directions, winding through seven levels of transcendence. Boundless merit echoes through the ages, majestic presence grand and profound; not yielding to the northern capital’s dew basin, it stands proudly guarding eastern Sichuan.”

　　Tapingsi Temple is not only a renowned ancient monastery but also a picturesque garden landscape. The surrounding area is planted with ginkgo, nanmu, pine, and cypress trees, their ancient trunks towering under a canopy of green, creating a tranquil and elegant atmosphere. Flowers and grass thrive here, offering a delightful scenery. Huang Zhuxuan of the Qing Dynasty once praised it: “In spring, the peach blossoms blaze brilliantly, resembling the Crimson City; in summer, wildflowers emit a subtle fragrance, no less than a fragrant paradise; in autumn, golden clouds cast their hue, akin to a golden cosmos; in winter, snow blankets the land, like a world of crystal.” These verses capture the beauty of the scenic spot across all seasons. Visiting Tapingsi Temple allows you to enjoy the charm of its gardens, admire the grandeur of the Song Dynasty pagoda, appreciate the exquisite details of the memorial archway, gaze upon the magnificence of the temple buildings, explore the serenity of this renowned monastic retreat, and ponder the mysteries of this Buddhist sanctuary. Amidst tranquility and simplicity, worldly worries melt away, transporting you to a realm that is peaceful, ethereal, and harmonious—a place you’ll never want to leave.