Zhengjue Ancient Temple: Seeking the Heritage of the Rhino

🌸 Setting off from Guangdong, I drove to Wuyuan to see the rapeseed flowers. On the third day, I arrived in Fuzhou and went to Wenchangli, the hometown of the famous dramatist Tang Xianzu. Wenchangli is home to the Zhengjue Ancient Temple, which was established during the Tang Dynasty and is a millennium-old temple. Behind the temple stands a pagoda, and as you stroll through Wenchangli, you can see it everywhere. ✔️ The temple gate is not centered but rather to the right. Inside the gate is a life-release pond, followed by the Hall of Heavenly Kings. Passing through the Hall of Heavenly Kings, you face the Mahavira Hall. Besides the 'Mahavira Hall' plaque, there are two other plaques on each side, reading 'Rhino's Trace' and 'Mazu's Jungle'. What's the story behind this? ✔️ After the Sixth Patriarch, the Chan (Zen) school of Buddhism branched into five families and seven sects, among which the Linji school was further divided into the Huanglong and Yangqi factions. Nanyue Huairang was a prominent disciple of the Sixth Patriarch, and Mazu Daoyi, whose lay surname was Ma, was a disciple of Nanyue Huairang. Active in Jiangxi, he was also known as Jiangxi Daoyi. Zhengjue Ancient Temple was founded by Master Daoyi, originally named Kaiyuan Temple, and renamed Miaojue Temple during the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first Daochang founded by Master Mazu Daoyi in Jiangxi. Due to its profound Chan teachings, by the Song Dynasty, it had become a large-scale jungle, hence the name 'Mazu's Jungle'. ✔️ The Wenchangli area, where Zhengjue Ancient Temple is located, is said to resemble a rhino in its topography. The pond behind the Jianchang Guild Hall and the pond to the east of the temple are like the two eyes of the rhino, and the West Lake in front of the temple is its breathing hole. For this reason, the locals called it the Rhino Mountain Zhengjue Temple, which later earned the elegant name 'Rhino's Trace'. ✔️ Walking behind the Mahavira Hall, a sudden downpour started, and I ran into the last majestic pagoda in the rain. Climbing the stairs to the second floor, I found Buddha statues in the hall. Unfortunately, the floors above were not open. Otherwise, climbing to the top of the pagoda to overlook Wenchangli would surely offer an unlimited view. 📍 Address: Wenchangli, Linchuan District, Fuzhou 👍🏻 Recommended: Mazu's Jungle, Rhino's Trace 💰 Cost: Free admission