This ancient temple in Putian has been bestowed names by two emperors.

The Nanshan Guanghua Temple in Putian is a famous ancient temple with a history of over a thousand years. It is one of the four great Buddhist monasteries in Fujian, along with Gushan Temple in Fuzhou, Nanputuo Temple in Xiamen, and Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou.

Nanshan Guanghua Temple was founded in the second year of Yongding in the Southern Chen Dynasty, nearly 1,500 years ago, making it the oldest Buddhist temple in Putian's history.

Throughout history, Guanghua Temple has been given names by two emperors:

In the second year of Jingyun in the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Ruizong of Tang bestowed the name "Lingyan Temple" and commissioned the calligrapher Liu Gongquan to write a plaque, which was hung above the temple gate. From then on, Lingyan Temple became famous throughout the land and was known as a major Buddhist monastery in Fujian.

In the first year of Taiping Xingguo in the Song Dynasty, Emperor Taizong bestowed the name "Guanghua Temple." At its peak, the temple consisted of two temples, ten courtyards, and one hundred and twenty hermitages, housing over a thousand monks and nuns.

However, over its thousand-year history, Guanghua Temple inevitably suffered from natural and man-made disasters such as fires and earthquakes. It wasn't until the 1980s that the main buildings of Nanshan Guanghua Temple were finally restored.

Today, Nanshan Guanghua Temple is located at the foot of Phoenix Mountain, three kilometers south of Putian City. The entire temple complex ascends gradually along the mountain slope, with the temple buildings and mountain vegetation interspersed harmoniously, giving a more concrete meaning to the term "Buddhist monastery."

Guanghua Temple has "three treasures": the Sakyamuni Pagoda, the giant forged bell in the bell tower, and the Hall of Five Hundred Arhats.

Post by SoothingHolidays | Feb 28, 2025