Exploring a sacred mountain in China – by leesan
Emperors, deities, fire and destiny … a look at the Grand temple of Hengshan in Hunan.
The Shengdi temple at the Grand temple of Hengshan is renowned for its abundant incense offerings. — Photos: Leesan
I slowly made my way into the 1,300-year-old Grand Temple of South Mountain(Hengshan) in Hunan, China, led by Dai Huiling, the head of the Nanyue Culture, Media, Tourism and Sports bureau in the province. Several local travel operators and guides were also there.
Crossing past the Lingxing Gate, we officially entered the “Little Forbidden Palace of Jiangnan”. Although this may seem like just another Buddhist temple, it actually has tremendous historical significance.
The Grand Temple of Hengshan boasts profound cultural deposits, showcasing unmistakable imperial architectural style, and was an important religious site for emperors and civilians throughout the ages, who come to pay their respects to the deities.
The main building structure along the central axis of the Grand Temple comprises four painstakingly laid out courtyards separated by gates, not unlike the Forbidden Palace in Beijing, and hence its nickname, “The Little Forbidden Palace of Jiangnan”.
Touted as the single most important temple in southern China, the Grand Temple houses eight Taoist monasteries on its eastern side, and eight Buddhist temples on the west, while the central axis embodies Confucian culture, signifying the peaceful coexistence of Taoism and Buddhism under one roof. Such a unique cultural phenomenon is extremely rare, not just in China but throughout the world.
Walking several steps forward, my attention was instantly drawn by an opera stage. Could this be the place where ancient Chinese emperors enjoyed the opera shows?
Dai Huiling took me to the front of the stage and read out a pair of couplets hung high above us: “We shouldn’t just look at things right before our eyes, but think about the future. And should bow out when it is time to do so.”
To me, “bowing out when it is time to do so” carries a profound meaning. The spotlight in front of the stage will sooner or later move away from us with the passing of time. Sometimes I feel it is a great virtue to be able to bow out either in the middle or upon completion of our missions, as this is something very few are actually able to do.
To me, religious faith is a very personal spiritual sustenance. So imagine my surprise when I learned that this Tang Dynasty temple sporting grandiose imperial architectural style and occupying a plot area of around 120,000sq m right in the heart of a bustling city, could also be such a hive of activity with a swarm of devout worshippers.
Standing in front of the Fire God Temple at the Holy Emperor Hall, I could see devotees tossing incense papers, candles and wishing boxes into the open-air burning mound to complete the prayer process, before leaving the Grand Temple with a sense of satisfaction.
Dai Huiling said, “Come make a wish, Leesan. The gods will answer your prayers.”
From what I understand, some believe that the many unexpected things happening in our world these past few years have been a consequence of the shifting of the entire world’s energies. And China is transitioning into a new destiny over the next 20 years from 2024 through 2043.
Anyway, a reality that we are feeling increasingly stronger now is that the shifting of old and new energies will have far-fetching effects on the destiny of every individual on this planet, and it is essential for us to understand such transformation. Because of this, more and more pilgrims and travellers are descending upon the Grand Temple of Hengshan to pay tribute to the Fire God during this time.
The Zhurong Peak is the tallest among the 72 peaks in Hengshan.
One of the 1,554-year-old ginkgo trees outside Fu yan temple, located at the edge of Zhurong Peak.
I stepped out of the temple from the southern gate and gazed at the mountains afar. Isn’t that the Zhurong Peak, the tallest among the 72 peaks of Hengshan, one of the five great mountain ranges of China? I asked around to confirm.
There’s this saying that one will never appreciate how tall Zhurong Peak is unless one makes the effort to ascend it. So, I thought, let’s scale the 1,300m-high summit together and visit the Fire God who has been dutifully taking charge of all the fires of this world.
While going up is only a “little bit difficult”, the downhill journey could prove to be more challenging for most people. It is a 5.4km stretch both ways, and is physically demanding.
But with so many local residents and young men and women making the effort to ascend the summit, it was not hard to see that the Fire God indeed still commands a very powerful charm over the people.
That said, I really felt bad for these folks, as we, being foreign tourists, had the luxury of being ferried up and down the hill in our cosy cars!
I came across several 1,554-year-old ginkgo trees outside Fu Yan Temple on the edge of Zhurong Peak. I hugged each of them with a heart full of respect, as these ancient trees have witnessed earth-moving changes that have taken place over the centuries.
Shi Dayue, the Chief Abbot of Fu Yan Temple who has been here for three decades, said: “This temple was constructed by the founder of the Hengshan, Master Nanyue Huisi in 567 CE, and is a sacred religious site for Tiantai and Nanzong Buddhist sects.”
The temple received royal scriptures from Emperor Tang Taizong, and is today one of the 10 most important Buddhist sites in China. It has also been named one of the country’s most beautiful temples.
There are plenty of attractions inside and outside the temple, including ancient ginkgo trees, the meditation site of Master Nanyue Huisi, the “Ji Gao Ming” platform written by Tang Dynasty prime minister Li Bi, Three Lives Pagoda, and Tiger Spring.
You can choose to stay the night here – eat vegetarian meals, chant the mantra and meditate to have your soul and spirit cleansed and rejuvenated. On the way back, Dai Huiling arranged for us to take a short break at the courtyard of Mojingtai, and we took the opportunity to visit the library where four top-level Nanyue military meetings personally presided by Chiang Kai-shek were held during the Sino-Japanese War.
Hengshan is more than just a Buddhist and Taoist religious site, it is also a place frequented by historically significant figures. For example, Chiang Kai-shek and his wife Soong Mei-ling also stayed at the He Mansion here five times between 1937 and 1944.
I told Dai, “I really cannot wait to share with my travel buddies in Malaysia of such a fabulous place that’s steep in history, full of stories, and dwelled by the deities.”
I have the rare pleasure to have a chat with Fu Yan Temple’s Chief Abbot Master Shi Dayue.
Second from right is Dai Huiling.
Published in The Star, 8 Feb 2025
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