Foyu Temple in Fuling

　　Foyu Temple is situated at the peak of Juyun Mountain to the west of Fuling City, facing the serene Yangtze River and backed by undulating mountain ranges, standing at an altitude of 366.5 meters. The mountain is covered with lush greenery and shrouded in clouds and mist all year round. It features historical sites such as the Immortal Cave and Guimen Pass. Legend has it that the Immortal Cave is the cenotaph of Xiao Baojuan, the sixth emperor of the Southern Qi Dynasty. The cliffs here are steep and the valley picturesque, offering a cool and tranquil atmosphere. Ancient inscriptions on the stone walls include characters such as "Buddha," "Immortal Cave," and "Fairyland on Earth." Guimen Pass, located in a strategically important position, was one of the five passes of ancient Fuzhou. The first temple on Juyun Mountain was built in 639 AD. According to surviving fragments of inscriptions in the temple: "In the 12th year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, the Hall of Yama was first constructed at the mountain’s summit." Foyu Temple has experienced several cycles of prosperity and decline, and has been known by various names over time, including Baiyun Guan (White Cloud Temple), Guilong Si (Tortoise Dragon Temple), Dongyue Miao (Temple of the Eastern Peak), Saifengdu, and Tianzi Dian (Heavenly Emperor Hall).

　　During the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang traveled along the Yangtze River and passed through Guimen Pass. Seeing auspicious clouds rising from Juyun Mountain, incense smoke lingering in the air, and the continuous sound of Buddhist chants, he led his ministers into the temple. There, they burned incense, lit lamps, offered water and flowers, and worshipped the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, praying for peace and prosperity for the Tang Empire. He also donated a thousand taels of silver. At that time, Emperor Xuanzong praised Fuling’s lychees as the finest among fruits. Since Yang Guifei, his favorite consort, had a particular fondness for them, Fuling’s Tianbao lychees became famous throughout the land. In the 17th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1678 AD), Emperor Kangxi visited Fuling and praised Foyu Temple: “The incense is flourishing, the temple is magnificent, outwardly expansive and inwardly profound — what a refined sacred Buddhist site!” Delighted, he bestowed three thousand taels of gold as an offering. In the 19th year of the Kangxi reign (1680 AD), the monks built a hall to commemorate the emperor’s merit, naming it “Tianzi Dian” (Heavenly Emperor Hall). Hence, the temple is commonly referred to as Tianzi Dian by the locals. In the 29th year of the Qianlong reign (1764 AD), Zhu Guodong, the magistrate of Fuling, renamed the temple “Juyun Si” (Juyun Temple) and composed a poem titled “Returning Late from Juyun Mountain and Presenting It to Monk Yuanchuo”: “A thousand peaks encircle the ancient temple, / Stone steps reach into the clouds. / I am but a visitor stealing a moment of leisure, / Delighted to meet monks in the bamboo courtyard. / People follow the bright moon here, / Hearts become clear as the great river. / Why worry about returning late? / Behind me are the lights of the Buddha.” After this, the temple’s incense offerings flourished even more. During the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, the monks made pickles and preserved vegetables using Fuling’s specialty — mustard tubers — which became famous across central Sichuan for their exceptional flavor. The temple’s steamed buns and tofu pudding, made with the “sacred water” from the mountain, were delicious, refreshing, and said to bring blessings, ward off disasters, and even grant immortality. After 1958, the forests of Juyun Mountain were gradually cut down, and the temple buildings fell into disrepair and collapsed. In August 1995, the Fuling Municipal Government re-approved the reopening of Foyu Temple. Venerable Weixian, president of the Chongqing Buddhist Association, renamed Tianzi Dian to Foyu Temple. Shi Benyi was appointed as the abbot.

　　In November 2000, Shi Zhengzhi succeeded as the abbot.

　　In November 2001, the second management committee of Foyu Temple was established, with Shi Zhengzhi as director and members including Shi Zhenglun, Shi Zhengxue, Wu Benyu, and Yang Jianzhen.

　　In 2002, Foyu Temple commissioned the Chongqing Coal Design Institute to create a master plan, which was subsequently reviewed and approved.

　　In July 2002, the groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of Foyu Temple was held, attended by Venerable Weixian, president of the Chongqing Buddhist Association. Subsequently, construction began on the first phase, which was completed and put into use in 2003, and six jade Buddha statues from Myanmar were enshrined.

　　The Mahavira Hall covers a construction area of 273.36 square meters, faces south with its back to the north, and is built in the style of ancient Ming and Qing architecture. It is a brick-concrete structure, 17 meters high, 20 meters long, and 10 meters wide. The roof is covered with orange-red glazed tiles, and inside are enshrined six jade Buddha statues from Myanmar: Sakyamuni Buddha, Ananda, Kasyapa, Amitabha Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva.

　　The Guanxin Building is a brick-concrete structure with a construction area of 2043.36 square meters, housing offices, reception halls, accommodation, and meeting rooms.

　　The Wenshu Hall, due to occupying the vehicle access route, has an unfinished ground floor, with a construction area of 102 square meters.

　　On National Day in 2003, the completion ceremony of the first phase of Foyu Temple, the consecration of the Buddha statues, and the transmission ceremony of the lay Bodhisattva Precepts were held. Attending city and district leaders included: Deputy Director Hong Daoyuan of the Municipal Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission, Section Chief Ha Peiyan, Su Jianhua, member of the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee and Minister of the United Front Work Department, and Zheng Yongmo, Director of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Office.

　　In October 2005, Abbot Shi Zhengzhi joined the Chinese delegation of the “China-Japan-Korea Buddhist Friendly Exchange Group,” organized by the Buddhist Association of China, on a visit to South Korea.

　　By the end of 2005, Foyu Temple covered a land area of 15,866.95 square meters, with a construction area of 2,659.36 square meters and temporary structures covering approximately 800 square meters.