Longshan Temple (Jinjiang)


Longshan Temple is a Buddhist temple located on the foot of Mount Long in Anhai Town of Jinjiang, Fujian, China. The eldest thing in the temple is the statue of Thousand-armed and eyed Guanyin, which was supposed carved by ancient Indian monk Yilisha. It was transformed and expanded many times throughout Chinese history till now. There are dozens of which are built after the Ming dynasty. Longshan Temple is the ancestral temple of 400 Buddhist temples with the same name in Taiwan.

History

Tang dynasty

Longshan Temple was originally built between 618 and 619, at the dawn of the Tang dynasty. It initially called "Puxian Temple" and "Tianzhu Temple", more commonly known as the "Guanyin Hall".

Ming dynasty

The present version was completed in 1623, during the reign of Tianqi Emperor in the late Ming dynasty.

Qing dynasty

In 1684, in the 23rd year of Kangxi period in the Qing dynasty, Shi Lang appropriated a large sum of money for constructing buildings of the temple. And the temple was largely extended in 1708.

People's Republic of China

Longshan Temple has been designated as a National Key Buddhist Temple in Han Chinese Area by the State Council of China in 1983.
In May 2013, Longshan Temple was listed among the seventh group of "Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Fujian" by the State Council of China.

Architecture

Hall of Four Heavenly Kings

The Hall of Four Heavenly Kings is the frontal hall in the temple, for the worship of Four Heavenly Kings, namely the eastern Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the southern Virūḍhaka, the western Virūpākṣa and the northern Vaiśravaṇa.

Mahavira Hall

The Mahavira Hall is with double-eave gable and hip roof. A gilded copper statue of Sakyamuni are enshrined in the middle of the hall.

Yuantong Hall

The Yuantong Hall is the main hall in the temple. It was first built in the Sui dynasty and rebuilt in the late Qing dynasty. The hall is high, five rooms wide, three rooms deep and covers an area of. The hall has double-eave gable and hip roof. On each end of the main ridge is a giant glazed green Chinese dragon, which known as Chiwen in Chinese architecture. There is a pair of 10-meter stone pillars with dragon patterns carved on it. The two lively dragons face each other and seem to fight against each other.
The Yuantong Hall enshrining a wood carving statue of Thousand-armed and eyed Guanyin. It is high with 1,008 arms on both sides of the body. The middle two hands are in closing palm posture and other hands are holding Vajras, sutra scrolls Dharma seals and other weapons. There are several small statues of Buddha on its head.

Television series

Longshan Temple was used for location filming of 2015 documentary Longshan Temple.