Yutai Temple

　　       Yutai Temple is situated on the southern foothills of Mount Guifeng in the northern suburbs of Xinhui City, Guangdong Province. The county chronicles state: “The summit of Mount Guifeng stands tall and graceful, with a square-shaped top, hence it is called Yutai (Jade Terrace).” The Wanli-era (1573–1620) Xinhui County Annals record: “Yutai Temple, located on Mount Guifeng, was built during the Tang Dynasty’s Jianhe era by Song Zong, but was abandoned at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. It was rebuilt in the 14th year of the Ming Dynasty’s Zhengtong era (1449).” The temple was destroyed by bandits in the late Ming Dynasty. In the 12th year of the Qing Dynasty’s Shunzhi era (1655), an elderly monk ?? returned to the site and revived it. In the 16th year of the Kangxi era (1669), the Vinaya monk Hongfeng came from Dinghu Mountain and reconstructed the Chan (Zen) monastery. In the 10th year of the Guangxu era (1884), Magistrate Peng Jun’gu renovated the temple, which then included structures such as the Mahavira Hall, a white marble pagoda, a seven-tiered stupa tower, the Guifeng Pavilion housing Buddhist scriptures, the Thousand-Hand Hall, Yuxu Pavilion, the Wenchang Palace, the Zhenren Nunnery, Yuxu Palace, the Heavenly Emperor Temple, the Various Heavens Temple, the Moonlit Water Palace, the Stone Bamboo Temple, the Huahua Cave, the Shuyu Pool, and the Mountain-Viewing Pavilion. It became one of the renowned Buddhist monasteries in Guangdong. On August 24th every year, monks and nuns from neighboring counties would come here to receive precepts. In April 1939, when Xinhui City fell to Japanese forces during the war, the invaders demolished the temple. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, some enthusiastic individuals built simple shelters on the ruins of Yutai Temple, which were later abandoned.  

　　    The currently restored Yutai Temple is surrounded by ancient trees, offering serene and picturesque scenery, with resplendent golden Buddha statues and majestic, solemn architecture. The white marble seven-tiered stupa tower from the Qing Dynasty stands in front of the Guanyin Hall (a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit). The bell tower houses a giant bronze bell, custom-made by a famous manufacturer in Suzhou, standing 3.2 meters high, weighing 3.5 tons, and with a diameter of 2 meters. The temple corridors feature inscriptions of poems by literati through the ages praising Yutai Temple, as well as the names of donors who contributed to its restoration. In front of the temple is a liberation pond, along with the temple gate archway and the Tang Dynasty’s Mountain-Protecting Treasure Pagoda (a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit). The surrounding area also includes the Lecture Pavilion, Gongbi Pavilion, and others, making it a great place for Zen meditation and sightseeing. A poem reads: “Amidst a forest dense with trees lies Yutai, the ancient temple reopens after a thousand years. Where the hat and footprints of poet Su Shi once lingered, poets and seekers are drawn most.”  Transportation        1. Take bus route 3 in Xinhui District. 2. Take the tourist shuttle bus from Jiangmen to Xinhui.  

　　 Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province