May Day, Let's Go! Fuzhou · Xichan Ancient Temple

The last stop in Fuzhou is Xichan Temple on Yishan Mountain, filled with the strong scent of incense. This place is also known for its "Song Dynasty lychee" culture. Ancient people said: "Fujian lychees are the best in the world, and Xichan lychees are the best in Fujian." Temple Introduction Also known as Changqing Temple, it is located on Yishan Mountain in the western suburbs of Fuzhou and is one of the five major Chan Buddhist monasteries in Fujian. In 1983, it was designated as a key Han Buddhist monastery in China. The current abbot is Venerable Zhao Xiongda. In 865 CE (the sixth year of Xiantong in the Tang Dynasty), Master Da'an came to reside here and revitalized the temple. The monastery has a long history and has produced many eminent monks, starting from Master Da'an in the Tang Dynasty, followed by Chan Master Huiling during the Five Dynasties period, Masters Huixian and Dingxu in the Song Dynasty, Chan Masters Kongyin and Weimiao in the Qing Dynasty, Chan Master Zhishui during the Republic of China era, and Chan Master Mingyang in modern times—all were distinguished monks of their generations. The temple complex is spacious with corridors, pavilions, and elegant ancient structures throughout. It contains over 40 buildings including the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Grand Hall of the Great Hero, the Dharma Hall, the Sutra Library, the Guanyin Pavilion, the Hall of Three Saints of Avatamsaka, the Gratitude Pagoda, and others, covering more than 200 mu (about 33 acres) of land. Important cultural relics include the "Tang Dynasty Record of the True Body in the Pagoda of Great Master Yansheng of Fuzhou Yanshou Chan Monastery" unearthed in 1952, the Seven Star Well, the Five Dynasties period reliquary pagoda of Chan Master Huiling, the Yuan Dynasty stone drum, and the Qing Emperor Kangxi's imperial calligraphy of the "Medicine Buddha Sutra." Since the Song Dynasty, lychee trees have been planted throughout the temple grounds. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, scholars and literati have gathered here during lychee season, and poetry gatherings for lychee tasting are held almost every year. The temple enjoys a high reputation both domestically and internationally, with branch temples including Shuanglin Temple in Singapore, Shuangqing Temple in Penang, Malaysia, and Puto Temple in Vietnam.