Ciyun Temple on the South Bank

　　Situated at the foot of Lion Mountain in Xuantan Temple, Nan’an District, and bordering the Yangtze River, the temple features a carved stone blue lion to the left of its gate, facing across the river to White Elephant Street—giving rise to the saying “Blue Lion and White Elephant Lock the Great River.” Originally built during the Tang Dynasty and renovated in the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong era, it was initially a Guanyin temple.

　　In 1927, Monk Yunyan raised funds to expand the temple, renaming it Ciyun Temple. It became the only Buddhist monastery in China at the time that housed both monks and nuns. The architecture of Ciyun Temple blends Chinese and Western styles, making it unique among Chinese Buddhist temples.

　　The main structures within the temple include the Mahavira Hall, Samantabhadra Hall, Three Saints Hall, Skanda Hall, Scripture Depository, and Bell and Drum Towers. The temple is also home to five renowned treasures: a jade Buddha, the Vajra Pillar, the Thousand Buddha Robe, scriptures, and a bodhi tree.

　　The Scripture Depository houses a rare photolithographic edition of the Song Dynasty’s Qisha Canon, comprising 6,362 volumes, as well as Buddhist scriptures, a gold-embroidered Buddha hanging statue, the Thousand Buddha Robe, ancient finger-painted artworks, and a complete set of early Japanese-published Buddha portraits. There is also a rare bodhi tree in China, transplanted from India 60 years ago, which has now grown lush and leafy. Beneath the tree is a pond featuring a carved lotus flower, atop which stands a statue of Prince Siddhartha. Around it are nine dragons sculpted to spout streams of water, known as the “Nine Dragons Bathing the Prince.”

　　At the center of the Mahavira Hall is enshrined a jade statue of Sakyamuni, standing 187 centimeters tall and weighing over 1,500 kilograms. It is one of China’s Four Great Jade Buddhas, brought from Myanmar in 1931. In front of the jade Buddha hang four Vajra Pillars, each inscribed with the full text of the Diamond Sutra, crafted from multicolored gold thread.