Wuhu Trip: Guangji Temple

Guangji Temple is located at 215 Huazhong Road, Jinghu District, Wuhu City, Anhui Province. It is a Buddhist temple with a long history, originally built during the Tang Dynasty's Qianning period (894–898). Initially named Yongqing Temple, it was later changed to Guangji Monastery and finally designated as Guangji Temple during the Northern Song Dynasty's Dazhong Xiangfu period (1008–1016), a name it retains to this day. Guangji Temple has undergone numerous reconstructions and renovations. During the Ming Dynasty's Yongle period, it fell into disrepair due to age and was later restored during the Jingtai period. It underwent several renovations during the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong and Jiaqing periods, was destroyed by fire during the Xianfeng period, and was rebuilt during the Guangxu period. Guangji Temple has a deep connection with Prince Kim Gyo-gak of Silla. Kim Gyo-gak crossed the sea to China during the Tang Dynasty, first practicing at Guangji Temple and later traveling to Mount Jiuhua to establish a Buddhist center. Therefore, in the past, anyone making a pilgrimage to Mount Jiuhua would first visit Guangji Temple to receive the "Earth Store Bodhisattva Golden Seal" before proceeding to Mount Jiuhua. Hence, it is also known as "Little Jiuhua" or "Jiuhua Palace." Built against a hillside, Guangji Temple's halls rise tier upon tier, creating a magnificent spectacle. The main buildings include the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Medicine Master Hall, the Mahavira Hall, and the Ksitigarbha Hall, connected by a total of 88 steps, evoking the feeling of being on Mount Jiuhua. The Ksitigarbha Hall is modeled after the Mount Jiuhua's Flesh Body Hall, housing a 12-meter-tall statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. In front of the hall stands an ancient ginkgo tree planted during the Song Dynasty. Additionally, the Guangji Temple Pagoda (Ochre Pagoda) is a Song Dynasty relic, standing 26.8 meters tall, with each level's exterior wall inlaid with brick carvings of Buddha statues. On the west side of the Ksitigarbha Hall is a two-story building called "Di Cui Xuan" (Dripping Green Pavilion), said to be the place where the Song Dynasty calligrapher Huang Tingjian lived in seclusion and studied. The wall downstairs is embedded with numerous stone inscriptions.