Anji Stone Buddha Temple

　　The Stone Buddha Temple is situated on Maowutang Mountain in Shanchuan Township, Anji County. Also called Furong Valley, the site nestles in a canyon amid overlapping mountain ranges. Its main peak, Luojia Mountain, stands at an elevation of 1,169.6 meters. The scenic area features cascading waterfalls, emerald rain showers, jade-green pools, and lush bamboo forests untouched by worldly dust — resembling a heavenly paradise. Explore Furong Valley and witness a thousand-year-old meteorological wonder.

　　The Stone Buddha Temple has a history of over

　　1,000 years, with incense burning year-round. On the 19th day of the sixth lunar month, the birthday of Guanyin Bodhisattva, no matter if there’s a prolonged drought or clear skies, a fine drizzle will invariably fall in Furong Valley around noon. Is it the Bodhisattva manifesting divine power? A meteorological wonder? As the saying goes, “A mountain needs no great height to be famous if it hosts an immortal; water needs no great depth to be sacred if it shelters a dragon.” Perched at an altitude of 1,085.9 meters, the temple is surrounded by undulating peaks and evergreen foliage, offering breathtaking scenery. The original gate of the Stone Buddha Temple remains well-preserved, standing 2.1 meters high and 1.33 meters wide, flanked by 15 bluestone slabs. The stones are carved with two exquisitely lifelike and delicately crafted stone lion reliefs, along with eight immortals motifs, totaling 17 sculpted images. The three characters “Stone Buddha Temple” are inscribed in Yan-style regular script, each character about 20 square centimeters in size. The remaining stone walls of the temple have turned gray or black, with shrubs and weeds sprouting obliquely through the cracks, evoking a sense of ancient times. Above the Guanyin Cave inside the temple, the four characters “Purple Bamboo Sacred Mountain” are engraved in intaglio on the rock face, their faded inscriptions suggesting great antiquity.

　　According to the Anji County Annals from the Qing Dynasty’s Tongzhi era, “Maowutang Mountain, formerly known as Stone Guanyin, is located 3 kilometers west of Majialong and borders Shanshan Township to the west, at an elevation of 1,085.9 meters. There was once a Stone Guanyin Temple halfway up the mountain, hence the name.” Furthermore, the Jing Mountain map in the Lin’an County Annals shows that the Stone Buddha Temple fell within the jurisdiction of Jing Mountain Temple, leading to the inference that it was once a branch temple of Jing Mountain Temple. Another reference from the Lin’an County records regarding Guanyin Cave states:

　　“The scenic Guanyin Cave was naturally formed in the rocky crevices of Maowutang, large enough to accommodate dozens of people. In the 17th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1742), the county magistrate Dong Jun prayed for rain here with success and donated his salary to gild the cave.” At that time, a local official named Dong Jun prayed for rain at the Guanyin Cave, which proved highly effective, prompting him to fund renovations. If calculated from the 1742 renovation, the

　　Stone Buddha Temple has a history of over 260 years. Moreover, research from the Lin’an County Place Names Annals reveals that as early as the late Tang Dynasty, during the Xinghua Xinyou year (901 AD), the literati Huang Yan visited the Stone Buddha Temple and left behind a poem:

　　“Mist shrouds the pines winding along the stream, where mountain peaks pierce the clouds and cold cliffs rise. Birds chirp among blooming flowers in the valley, as winding paths lead to secluded streams. Amid lotus roots lies the Stone Buddha Temple, where sweet dew continuously drips from the Guanyin Cave.” Based on the era indicated in this poem, the Stone Buddha Temple dates back over a thousand years. Due to its long history, the temple has endured many upheavals, suffering severe damage to its relics. After the passing of three monks in the early years following liberation, the temple was left unattended. During the Cultural Revolution, it suffered further devastation, with the main hall destroyed and many relics blown up or lost to the public. Fortunately, the temple’s gate, remaining walls, and 17 stone carvings survived. In 1994, local residents spontaneously raised funds to restore the main hall and renovate the 1.15-meter-tall white marble statue of Guanyin. In 1996, the Mahavira Hall and Heavenly King Hall were rebuilt, and the site was officially approved by Anji County’s religious authorities as a place for religious activities. In 2006, it was designated as a county-level cultural relic protection unit.

　　The Stone Buddha Temple holds considerable influence among the people of Shanghai, Yuhang, Lin’an, and Xiaofeng. Tens of thousands of worshippers visit the mountain for pilgrimage each year. The temple has now become both a site for religious activities and a popular local tourist destination.

　　Anji Stone Buddha Temple