Xinxing Longtan Temple

　　   Longtan Temple is situated at the foot of the mountain behind Guoen Temple on Longshan in Xinxing County. The original site of Longtan Temple was where the Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, Master Huineng, and his mother, Madam Li, resided between 644 and 665 AD. It was formerly the home of Master Huineng.

　　   Master Huineng (638–713), surname Lu, was a native of Xinzhou in Lingnan during the Tang Dynasty (present-day Xinxing County, Guangdong Province). He is the patriarch of the Zen sect of Buddhism. Having received the robe and bowl from the Fifth Patriarch Hongren of Huangmei, he inherited the Eastern Mountain Dharma Gate and became the Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, commonly referred to as the Sixth Patriarch. Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty posthumously honored him as the Great Mirror Dharma Master. He authored the Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sutra, which has been passed down through generations. He is one of the most influential Buddhist monks in Chinese history and, along with Confucius and Laozi, is known as one of the “Three Sages of the East.”

　　   According to historical records, to commemorate Master Huineng, local residents built a temple at the foot of the mountain behind Guoen Temple—where Huineng and his mother once lived—during the late Ming Dynasty. Because there was originally a pond in front of the temple, known as the Dragon Pond, the temple was named Longtan Temple. The original temple collapsed during the Republic of China period and reconstruction began in 1998. The temple houses a six-ton white marble statue of the Sixth Patriarch, sponsored by Thai Buddhists, as well as the Spring of Life and the Spring of Wisdom.

　　   The Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism enjoys widespread fame. As the patriarch’s former residence and a renowned Buddhist temple, Longtan Temple has long been regarded as a sacred pilgrimage site by devotees. Coupled with its unique natural scenery, it serves as an ideal spiritual retreat for worldly souls.