Yongqing Nunnery

　　 Situated on the western foothills of Huangshan Scenic Area in Huangshan City, Anhui Province, within Changlu Village, Wushizhen, by the famous tourist attraction Taiping Lake. It is 30 kilometers in a straight line from Huangshan, 6 kilometers from the Hefei–Tongling–Huangshan Expressway. A mere 20-minute drive from the intersection of Provincial Highway 103 and Taohe Line leads to the foot of Yongqing Nunnery.

　　 [Historical Background]

　　 Yongqing Nunnery was first built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, covering an area of over 1,000 square meters, and includes a mountain gate, Mahavira Hall, stupa, and monastic quarters.

　　 [Buddhist Architecture]

　　 The total floor area reaches 600 square meters. Despite repeated damage from wars and cycles of decline and revival throughout history, it has always attracted a continuous stream of visitors, with incense burning ceaselessly. Its influence extends across Huizhou and Chizhou prefectures, as well as to Wuhu, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Yangzhou. It is the only legally recognized nunnery within Huangshan City. The former residence of the renowned Qing Dynasty Buddhist scholar Yang Renshan is located at Lingxia Yangjia at the foot of the hill where Yongqing Nunnery sits.

　　　　The thousand-year-old wintergreen at Yongqing Nunnery is entwined with withered vines, while the ancient liberation pond is alive with colorful fish. Surrounded by a sea of green bamboo, the environment is extremely tranquil. The nunnery currently has four bhikkhunis and enshrines statues of Kṣitigarbha and many other Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The “Evening Bell of Yongqing” enjoys enduring fame through the ages. On the 19th days of the second, sixth, and ninth lunar months each year, Guanyin Temple Fairs are held, drawing numerous visitors and pilgrims, with influence reaching as far as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Tunxi. The renowned Qing Dynasty Buddhist scholar Yang Renshan once wrote a poem in praise: “Long have I harbored the intent to seek Zen, today I finally visit the home of the Buddha. The jade steps hide within the clouds, the verdant peaks slant beyond the temple. The chime falls, and human hearts grow serene; tea finished, the traveler’s thoughts wander far. Suddenly I suspect I am in the presence of the Pengze Magistrate, here cultivating his chrysanthemums.”

　　 [Current Status of the Temple]

　　 After the reform and opening-up, the policy of religious freedom was implemented, and Buddhism flourished increasingly. The nuns of Yongqing Nunnery, guided by the principles of patriotism and love for the Dharma, promote traditional Buddhist culture and actively seek harmony with society, contributing to the development of the local tourism economy. Since the new century, with the care and support of religious management authorities and the town and village governments, the nuns of Yongqing Nunnery have completed infrastructure projects such as the rear hall, monastic quarters, mountain gate, stupa, perimeter walls, pathways, and PBX telephone systems through self-raised funds and donations from devotees. These efforts have brought the nunnery to a preliminary scale, with increasingly complete functions, greatly enhanced aesthetic appeal, and reception capacity. Especially in 2003, when Huangshan District implemented the accessibility project and constructed the Wuchang Highway, allowing tourist vehicles to reach the foot of Yongqing Nunnery directly, it brought a rare opportunity for the nunnery’s development.