Huilong Chan Temple

　　Huilong Chan Temple was first built during the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty. Originally named Huilong Guan, it had already taken initial shape by the Ming period. Wang Tianjing, a successful imperial examination candidate of the Ming Dynasty, once wrote a poem as evidence: “An ancient riverside temple on a high mound is famed, / Its towering presence shields oxen from sun’s blaze. / To the east lies Zhongjing’s Huilong Guan in view, / Firmly facing southwest where Phoenix Head’s arrayed.” It suffered severe damage during the Republican era and was almost completely destroyed by the Cultural Revolution. Buddhist activities resumed in September 1995. In the autumn of 1997, through fundraising by monks and laypeople, the Heavenly King Hall was constructed. In the spring of 2004, lay devotee Fan Shanghai, responding urgently to the temple’s needs and acting out of great compassion, invested substantial personal funds to successively build the Mahavira Hall, side halls, east-west corridors, mountain gate, and more. Since then, Huilong Temple has become a major Buddhist site in eastern Henan. The restored temple features an architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The first abbot of the temple was Venerable Master Zhan Yu.

　　Source: Huaiyang Government Website