Zhenhai Chan Temple

　　   Zhenhai Chan Temple is situated in Group 3, Zhenhai Village, Xiaohai Town, Dafeng City, neighboring Xiaohai Hot Springs, and is one of Dafeng City’s tourist attractions. Legend has it that during the late Ming Dynasty, on a certain day, seawater surged up to the Xiaohai Wanying Beacon Tower—originally built to guard against Japanese pirates and protect against tides—when a wooden statue of a duke or marquis drifted ashore with the tide. After the waters receded and the locals spotted the wooden figure, they believed it was a divine blessing and raised funds to build a temple atop the beacon tower, naming it the Duke’s Temple. In the 49th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1784), the beleaguered coastal residents renamed the “Duke’s Temple” to “Zhenhai Chan Temple” as a prayer for tranquil seas.

　　   In early 1989, Venerable Lianzhou, the 13th abbot of Zhenhai Temple then residing in Hong Kong, consulted with the Dafeng County People's Political Consultative Conference and decided to rebuild Zhenhai Chan Temple on its original site. Venerable Lianzhou, whose surname was Zhang, was a native of Wanying Township, Dafeng County. He had been ordained at Zhenhai Temple in his childhood, later studied Buddhism for several years at Mount Jiaoshan and Mount Qixia, before returning to Zhenhai. In the late 1930s, after many twists and turns, he moved to Hong Kong, where he continued to dedicate himself to Buddhist undertakings. He assigned his grand-nephew monk, Venerable Falang, to oversee the reconstruction process from Hong Kong. After more than a year of effort, the new Zhenhai Chan Temple was fully completed.

　　   The newly built Zhenhai Chan Temple is a complex of classical architecture enclosed within surrounding walls. Above its two tall mountain gates are two large Chinese characters for “Buddha,” while above the gate hangs a plaque inscribed with “Zhenhai Chan Temple.” Stepping over seven stone steps leads into the courtyard, where the majestic and splendid Mahavira Hall comes into view. Among the “Eight Scenic Spots of Xiaohai,” there is a poem dedicated to Zhenhai Chan Temple, which reads: “In the wilds, a lone temple neighbors the trees, / White clouds drift softly, veiling its walls and eaves. / East winds bring the morning chime’s sweet sound, / Awakening fishermen and woodcutters from their dreams.”