Ankang Foyin Temple

　　Foyin Temple is situated on the southern bank of the Yue River in Wuli Town, Ankang City, beside the scenic Guabang Mountain. With a total area of over 500 acres, the temple sits high and offers a broad view. The Yue River valley and the “Shitian” Expressway run right in front of the temple, while the Xikang Expressway and Wuli Airport are just a few kilometers away, making it easily accessible with picturesque surroundings. Two mountain streams embrace the temple and converge into a pool known as Egret Pool. The landscape features a harmonious blend of mountains and water, symbolizing a twin-dragon embrace, egrets nesting here, and auspicious clouds lingering above. The temple faces north and is nestled within thousands of acres of pine forests. Built in accordance with the terrain, it can be admired from several miles away for its majestic and solemn presence.

　　Guabang Mountain’s Foyin Temple has long been renowned for its profound cultural heritage (dating back to the Warring States period through the Qin and Han dynasties). During the Qin Dynasty, King Hui of Qin established the Xicheng County under the Hanzhong Commandery at the foot of this very mountain, which is now a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit. It is also said that an imperial edict plaque was once hung here by the emperor, hence the origin of the name “Guabang” (Plaque Mountain). Originally, Foyin Temple consisted of a two-courtyard Guanyin Temple and Gelao Temple, with around thirty rooms. It was highly popular and believed to be extremely efficacious, attracting worshippers and visitors from Sichuan, Hubei, Guanzhong, and Xi’an. It was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and details such as its abbots, duration of operation, and historical traces were all lost, leaving no records for investigation.

　　In this time of peace and prosperity, with the nation flourishing, in the spring of 2003, at the enthusiastic invitation of the government, the distinguished eminent monk Master Jingtian (who was born here and chose this as the place to fulfill his final vow of restoring a sacred site during his last return to Ankang) came to take charge of the restoration. The sacred site was rebuilt on its original location and named “Foyin Temple,” which means “the Dharma sound spreads across the three thousand realms, benefiting countless sentient beings.” Master Jingtian entrusted Venerable Jin Dao with the planning and construction. With the strong support of numerous benefactors and people from all walks of life, facilities such as the Mahavira Hall, Ksitigarbha Hall, Haihui Pagoda, Heavenly King Hall, the mountain gate, front and rear wing rooms, and the paved mountain road were successively constructed. This revitalized the temple’s appearance, expanded its scale magnificently, brought back the radiance of the Buddha’s light, and renewed the temple's spiritual splendor.

　　Transportation Guide

　　Scenic Area Address: Southern bank of the Yue River, Liuying Village, Wuli Town, Ankang City, Shaanxi Province

　　By Bus: Take a bus bound for Wuli Town in Ankang City and get off at Liuying.