Nianfo Temple

　　Nianfo Temple is situated on Huancui Mountain in Zhenning County, Guizhou Province. Huancui Mountain is located just outside the north gate of Zhenning County town, featuring dense forests and serene, beautiful landscapes. In the early Ming Dynasty, local residents built the Xuan Tian Palace on the mountain, which became one of the eight scenic spots outside Zhenning’s ancient city. A poem once described it: “High ridges layered with green, fragrant grass flourishing; amid them a secluded pavilion nestled in the emerald haze. Ten thousand households’ smoke blends with the blue ridges; in cold woods, white clouds drift from a few spots. Exploring paths tangled with thick moss, I gather the moon above flowing streams, immersed in green ripples. Sharing meditation mats with monks, we gaze at the fragrant city views still gently lingering.” From the fourth to the eleventh year of the Xianfeng reign during the Qing Dynasty, the mountain suffered several military fires, and all its trees were cut down. Monks replanted the forest, and within a few years, it regained its former beauty. In the thirty-first year of the Republic of China (1942), the Field Hospital of the 124th Division of the Military and Political Department relocated to the county town, and soldiers cut down the trees for firewood. Within ten days, not a single tree was left standing. After long-term replanting efforts, Huancui Mountain has once again become covered with trees and offers a pleasant landscape in recent years.

　　The temple complex on Huancui Mountain originally belonged to the Zhenwu Temple, which was first built during the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty. It underwent renovations during the Kangxi, Xianfeng, and Guangxu reigns of the Qing Dynasty. In the 20th year of the Republic of China (1931), Li Xiangxiang, the then-county magistrate of Zhenning, oversaw a major renovation of the temple buildings. In 1986, Master Youyuan came to Huancui Mountain to establish Nianfo Temple. Through over a decade of effort, the appearance of Huancui Mountain changed significantly. In 1995, the temple built the Heavenly King Hall, and in 1998, the Mahavira Hall was constructed, along with newly crafted Buddha statues. A road leading to the mountaintop was also built from the back of the mountain, greatly facilitating pilgrims and tourists visiting the site. Since 1986, the temple has invested more than 400,000 yuan in its development. The site houses precious Buddhist scriptures such as the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Ksitigarbha Sutra, the Diamond Sutra, the Medicine Buddha Sutra, the Guanyin Sutra, and the Amitayurdhyana Sutra. There are also two stone tablets engraved during the Daoguang and Guangxu reigns.