Qingzhen Chan Temple Scenic Area

　　Qingzhen Chan Temple is situated at the foot of Mianniu Mountain in Fushan Township, 23 kilometers southwest of Qingtian County, Lishui Region, Zhejiang Province. It was originally called “Qingzhen Hall” and was renamed in 1984. The temple complex covers an area of over 5,900 square meters, with a built-up area of more than 3,200 square meters. The temple was first built during the late Song and early Yuan dynasties. Its architecture consists of three courtyards; the side hall “Madam’s Palace” on the right was constructed during the Yuandade era (1297–1307), the front hall was added in the eighth year of the Ming Jiajing era (1529), and the main hall was renovated during the Qing Qianlong era. The women’s guest quarters were expanded during the Qing Jiaqing era (1796–1820). In the 11th year of the Xianfeng era (1861), when the Taiping Army captured Qingtian, the front hall was burned down and was rebuilt in the first year of the Tongzhi era. The east and west ceremonial gates were built in the 31st year of the Guangxu era, and the bell and drum towers were constructed in the 16th year of the Republic of China (1927). In 1985, a perimeter wall was erected, the east and west ceremonial gates were removed, a mountain gate was built, a liberation pond was dug, a garden was created, and the overall scale was further expanded. The bell and drum towers were also integrated into the temple complex, forming a unified architectural ensemble.

　　The main structures of Qingzhen Chan Temple are arranged along a central axis, consisting of the mountain gate, bell and drum towers, liberation pond, first courtyard gate platform, second courtyard White-Robed Chancellor Hall, third courtyard Guanyin Hall, side rooms, and the Madam’s Hall as a side structure on the west side. The total area is approximately 10,000 square meters. The mountain gate is a brick-and-concrete building designed in an ancient style, featuring a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof. It was first built in 1985. The plaque above the gate, inscribed with “Blessing the Overseas Chinese Homeland,” was calligraphed by Sha Menghai in 1991. On either side of the mountain gate are the bell and drum towers, each square in shape, measuring 8.2 meters per side, with triple eaves and a pyramidal roof. Each tower houses a large bell and drum. In the center courtyard is the liberation pond, with a “Auspicious Bridge” built across it. The pond covers an area of about 200 square meters and was constructed in 1987. The first courtyard gate platform is seven bays wide (20.9 meters) and three bays deep (4 meters), with a five-rafter system and a central column dividing the double-step beam. The second courtyard, the White-Robed Chancellor Hall, is 22 meters wide and 11.25 meters deep, with eleven rafters, double-step beams both front and back, and an octagonal six-tier caisson ceiling in the central bay. It has a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, with ridge and vertical roof ornaments featuring mythical creatures, and upturned eaves. Inside the hall is enshrined a statue of the White-Robed Chancellor. The side rooms are 7.6 meters wide and 5 meters deep, with a veranda equipped with benches. The third courtyard, the Guanyin Hall, is three bays wide (18 meters) and 14.9 meters deep, featuring a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof. The hall houses statues of Guanyin and the Eighteen Arhats. Between the courtyards of the second and third sections is a liberation pond built in the 11th year of the Tongzhi era (1872), covering an area of about 60 square meters. Adjacent to the west side of the White-Robed Chancellor Hall is the side hall, the Madam’s Hall, which also has three courtyards. The first courtyard is 14.4 meters wide and 9.3 meters deep, with a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, housing a statue of Maitreya in the central bay, with statues of the Four Heavenly Kings on both sides. The second courtyard is 19.7 meters wide and 7.3 meters deep, with a statue of Sakyamuni in the central bay and arhat murals on the sides. The third courtyard, the Guanyin Hall, is 19.7 meters wide and 12.1 meters deep. The halls of Qingzhen Chan Temple are richly decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, presenting a magnificent and deeply religious cultural ambiance.

　　In addition, Qingzhen Chan Temple keeps dozens of pairs of giant candles burning year-round, weighing 600 jin, 1,000 jin, 1,200 jin, and even 2,000 jin, commonly known as “Thousand-Jin Candles.” These Thousand-Jin Candles are eternal lamps and longevity candles. A pair of these candles burns continuously for 365 days and nights, illuminating a whole year—an extraordinary tradition in China. The making of Thousand-Jin Candles is overseen by a special folk belief organization called the “Twenty-Four Worship Society” (which holds worship ceremonies on the first and fifteenth of each month, twenty-four times a year). During the Qingzhen Chan Temple Fair on the 19th day of the second lunar month each year, devotees purchase Thousand-Jin Candles and present them in ceremonial processions with colorful floats and music bands. A designated time is set for the candle-lighting ceremony.