Cuiwei Temple

　　   Tour

　　   Located at the foot of Cuiwei Peak. In

　　   tro

　　   The Tang Dynasty’s third year of Zhonghe (883 AD) marks its founding. At that time, a monk from India (ancient India), the Monk in Hemp Robe, traveled eastward from Sichuan to Huangshan,

　　   where he settled and built a thatched hut. He made his own clothes from hemp, dug up fern roots, gathered wild fruits for food, and sat cross-legged chanting scriptures. Local mountain residents built a temple for him called “Monk in Hemp Robe’s Dojo.” In the fifth year of the Baoda era of the Southern Tang Dynasty (947 AD), Emperor Li Jing granted the temple the plaque inscribed with “Cuiwei Temple,” and the name was changed accordingly. Nearby the temple are sites related to the Monk in Hemp Robe, such as “Monk in Hemp Robe Cave,” “Monk in Hemp Robe Platform,” “Monk’s Staff Spring,” and “Monk in Hemp Robe Pagoda.” The Monk in Hemp Robe Cave is the stone cave where he initially lived; the Monk in Hemp Robe Platform is the stone terrace where he stood to chant Buddhist sutras; the Monk’s Staff Spring is said to have sprung forth where he tapped the ground with his staff; and the Monk in Hemp Robe Pagoda is his stupa containing relics. Other historically notable monks at Cuiwei Temple include Patriarch Liangfeng, Monk Fan Kong, and Abbot Chaogang.

　　   Since its establishment, Cuiwei Temple has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. It was reconstructed during the Qing Dynasty under the supervision of Master Xinkong. In 1985, the temple underwent a major renovation. The current Buddhist structures at Cuiwei Temple consist of a small courtyard, with a mountain gate in front, main halls in the middle, and monks’ quarters at the back. The main hall was built during the Qing Dynasty in the style of the Tang Dynasty, while the other buildings were rebuilt after the reform and opening-up period. The temple is situated in a serene and unique environment, surrounded by scenic spots such as Cuiwei Cave, Qingniu Stream, Water-Exploring Rock, and Kasaya Land. Additionally, there are 20 monks’ pagodas, among which the oldest is the P tong Pagoda, dedicated to Patriarch Yufeng. There are also 20 stone tablets from the Tang, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, as well as dozens of precious Buddhist scriptures. The temple has also obtained a thousand jade Buddha statues through donations from Myanmar, the largest of which is a reclining Buddha weighing 15 tons. The temple houses two complete sets of the Buddhist Canon (大藏经), and relics of sarira have been discovered on the site.

　　   Cuiwei Temple is also the only temple on Huangshan that still has resident monks.