YunGai Temple Ancient Town

　　   YunGai Temple is situated in YunGai Temple Town (abbreviated as Yuntown), approximately 20 kilometers northwest of Zhen’an County, Shangzhou City. The original temple was constructed by the Tang Dynasty monk Miaoda. It earned the name “YunGai” (Cloud Canopy) Temple because, during its construction, a cloud lingered above the site for years before dispersing only after the completion of the temple. The temple was renovated during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty and the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty. Originally, it had nine towers and eighteen halls, accommodated over a thousand monks, and was once a bustling Buddhist site in southern Shaanxi. The temple complex consists of lower and upper sections: the lower section, now the site of the current town government, retains only the main hall of YunGai Temple. On Fengtu Mountain south of the town, there used to be Gaolin Temple (also called Gaomiao Temple), which comprised eleven halls (a rear hall with three rooms, a central hall with three rooms, and a front hall with five rooms), all of which were destroyed in wars and during the Cultural Revolution. Since the 1980s, local residents have contributed funds to rebuild five temples — the Earth God Temple, Ancestral Master Temple, Guanyin Temple, Dragon King Temple, and the God of Wealth Temple — for public worship.

　　   YunGai Temple Town has long been known for its mountainous terrain, rugged roads, and overlapping peaks. The poet Jia Dao of the Tang Dynasty depicted the area’s landscape in his poem “Inscription on Anye County”: “One mountain comes, another greets; / A hundred miles with scarce half a mile of flat. / It must be where the old monk pointed from afar, / Fit for painting but unfit for travel.” To the right of the temple lies the White Official Cave, where it is said that the Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi once visited and composed poetry with Jia Dao.

　　   To the left of the temple is a mountain with a waterfall spring. The cascading waters splash like flying pearls and spraying snow, forming a major scenic highlight of the area. Lingya Temple is a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit and has in recent years been developed into a tourist attraction.

　　   In YunGai Temple Town, Zhen’an County, there is an old street that still preserves some residential houses built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. There are no bustling crowds, noisy traffic, or clamorous vendors here — just a few playful children chasing each other along the ancient lane. Under the eaves, elderly locals sit peacefully with their eyes closed, creating a serene atmosphere that makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into another world. Our arrival seemed to break the quiet of the old street. As we walked into YunGai Temple Ancient Street, we could truly sense its historical transformations.

　　   Since ancient times, YunGai Temple Town has connected southern Bashu to the north, and has long been known as the water-and-land hub between Xi’an and Ankang. It served as a trading center for merchants from Sichuan, Shaanxi, Hubei, and Henan. In the early years of the Republic of China, the town was home to the then-renowned “Four Big Shops” and “Eight Small Businesses.” The thriving market, prosperous business, and flourishing commerce earned YunGai Temple the nickname “Little Shanghai.” Later, due to heavy taxes, inflation, and other factors, many out-of-town merchants faced bankruptcy and returned to their hometowns. The once-booming ancient street gradually quieted down. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Shangluo Trading Company established the first state-owned shop in Zhen’an County here, helping to revive and develop trade in YunGai Temple Town. On the third, sixth, and ninth days of each lunar month, merchants and villagers from nearby tens of miles flocked to the bustling market. However, the formerly grand layout of the ancient street gradually became unsuitable for the rapid economic development of Yuntown. After the 1980s, wealthier residents moved into modern-style buildings, and the commercial center shifted from the ancient street to the areas along the highway. To distinguish the two distinctly different streets, locals began referring to the old street as the “Front Street” and the newer one as the “Back Street.”

　　   A mere 10 meters to the right from the entrance of the YunGai Temple Town government leads to the westernmost end of the ancient street. At the entrance stands a quaint small general store, with antique shelves, wooden counters, and an elderly shopkeeper wearing reading glasses, sitting with his legs crossed at the door — all of which make you feel as if you've traveled back in time. The old houses stand closely together, featuring brown hanging eaves and lattice windows... Their architectural styles and designs are remarkably similar. Looking eastward from the western end, both sides of the street are lined with neatly symmetrical rows of old houses. The dark glossy roof tiles, smooth earthen walls, and weathered wooden doors all exude an ancient, timeless aura. Under the midday sun, the shadows of the old houses cast rare coolness onto the narrow bluestone-paved street.