The Hermitage of the Poet Monk Hanshan: An Ancient Temple Hidden Deep in the Mountain Rock

On my fifth visit to Tiantai, I chose the relatively remote Mingyan Ancient Temple as my first stop.
"There is a cave in the temple, and inside the cave, there is a hall."
This secretive temple, deeply hidden in the mountain rock, was the hermitage of the Tang dynasty poet monk Hanshanzi.
He once wrote a poem: "I choose to dwell among the layered cliffs, where bird paths end and human traces vanish. What lies by the courtyard? White clouds embrace the secluded rocks."

[History]
Mingyan is located on the northeast foothills of Hanyan in Tiantai Mountain. It was first built in the fourth year of the Later Zhou Xiande period (957 AD), originally named Yunguang Monastery. During the Northern Song dynasty, it was renamed Dafan Temple, and in the Ming dynasty, it was finally named Mingyan Temple.

[Five Horses Hidden]
On the southern cliff, stone pillars rise from the ground. On the southern rock face, there are ink-colored rock patterns and water marks resembling five horses in various postures, known as the "Five Horses Hidden."

There were hardly any people when I visited. Inside the Mingyan cave heaven, it was very cool and free from any worldly smoke and dust. It hadn’t rained, so I didn’t see the skylight leaking rain.

Address: Northeast foothills of Hanyan, Tiantai County, Zhejiang
Admission: 5 RMB

Post by William Caldwell | Oct 21, 2025