Langya Mountain Scenic Area · Langya Ancient Temple

“Where the peaks are deep and secluded, the Buddhist halls since Tang times”
—— Situated deep in the ancient path of Langya Mountain in the eastern part of Anhui, this thousand-year-old Zen forest, the cultural heart of “Surrounded by mountains, all around Chuzhou,” as described by Ouyang Xiu.

📜 Historical Background: Originating in Tang Dynasty, flourishing in Song Dynasty, spanning over a thousand years

• Established in the 6th year of the Dali period of the Tang Dynasty (AD 771), jointly built by Li Youqing, the Prefect of Chuzhou, and the monk Fachen, initially named “Baoying Temple”, symbolizing the meaning of “restoring the country and protecting the people”
• In the 6th year of the Qingli period of the Northern Song Dynasty (1046), during the time when Ouyang Xiu served as the Prefect of Chuzhou, he often visited the mountain and worshipped the Buddha with friends, personally inscribed the plaque “Langya Temple”, and wrote the poem “Six Topics of Langya Mountain”. Since then, the temple has gained a reputation far and wide, and it was renamed “Langya Temple” (now commonly known as “Langya Ancient Temple”)
• Reconstructed during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang bestowed the “Great Sutra” on the temple, raising its status to a “Ten Directions Monastery”
• Extensively renovated during the Kangxi and Guangxu periods of the Qing Dynasty, the current main layout was basically finalized during the reconstruction project led by the abbot Ruanlang in the 30th year of the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (1904)
• In 1983, it was listed as a key Buddhist temple in the country by the State Council, in 2006, it was included in the national scenic area along with the Langya Mountain Scenic Area as a whole; in 2021, a three-year-long cultural relic protection and renovation project was completed

🏯 Architectural Layout: Following the mountain's terrain, three courtyards, a model of Zen Buddhism in eastern Anhui

Langya Ancient Temple strictly follows the Han Buddhist temple layout of seven halls, built on the gentle slope of the southern slope of Langya Mountain, covering an area of about 12,000 square meters. The existing buildings are mostly structures from the Qing Dynasty, combining the craft of the Huizhou school and the characteristics of Jianghuai Zen Buddhism:

• The Gate Hall: Single-eaved, steep-sloped roof, with green bricks and black tiles, the plaque above the gate reads “Langya Ancient Temple” in regular script (recreated from the original of the Guangxu period), with a pair of Qing Dynasty stone lions standing on both sides, weathered but with a strong aura
• The Great Hall of the Buddha: The core of the temple, with a width of five bays and a depth of three bays, a double-eaved, gable and hip roof, inside the hall there is a sitting Buddha statue of Sakyamuni cast in bronze during the Ming Dynasty (height 3.2 meters, weighing over 2 tons), with standing statues of Ananda and Kasyapa on both sides; in front of the hall there is an ancient ginkgo tree, over 420 years old, with twisted branches and golden leaves in autumn
• The Sutra Library: Located at the highest point of the central axis, a two-story brick and wood structure, the ground floor is the Guanyin Hall (housing a water moon Guanyin wooden sculpture from the Ming Dynasty), and the upper floor houses 17 volumes of the Ming Dynasty’s “Yongle Northern Sutra”, the complete set of the Qing Dynasty’s “Longzang”, as well as the printed version of the “Pingjia Jingshe Collected Great Sutra” from the Republic of China
• Other important buildings:
  • 🌿 The Moonlight Pavilion: Where Ouyang Xiu once appreciated the moon and composed poetry, one of the origins of the “Moonlight shining through the pines” scene
  • 🌿 The Wuliang Hall (Yuhuang Pavilion): A Ming Dynasty relic of a brick-arch structure without beams, the dome ceiling is painted with the 28 constellations, a rare example of the integration of Taoist elements in eastern Anhui
  • 🌿 The Washing Mind Pavilion, the Washing Jing Spring: Both mentioned in the “Record of the Drunken Old Man’s Pavilion”, the spring water is still clear and drinkable to this day

🏺 Cultural Relics: A trinity of classics, inscriptions, and sculptures

| Category | Representative Relic | Value Description | |----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------| | Inscriptions | 🪨 Tang Dynasty “Li Youqing Inscription on Cliff”, Northern Song Dynasty “Ouyang Xiu’s Inscription on Langya Mountain”, Qing Dynasty “Record of the Reconstruction of Langya Temple” and other 12 inscriptions from various dynasties | Covering from Tang to the Republic of China, they prove the historical context and the tradition of literati gatherings, among which Ouyang Xiu’s inscription is one of the earliest surviving Song Dynasty literary inscriptions in Anhui | | Sculptures | 🪵 Ming Dynasty water moon Guanyin wood sculpture (height 1.8 meters, gilded and painted), Qing Dynasty 18 Arhats cypress wood relief niche | The most complete and highest artistic standard of Ming and Qing Buddhist sculptures in the eastern Anhui region, especially the Guanyin statue is famous for its flowing robes and serene expression | | Classics | 📜 Ming Dynasty “Yongle Northern Sutra” fragments (housing 57 volumes of “Mahayana Prajnaparamita Sutra” and others), Qing Dynasty “Longzang” complete set, Republic of China “Pingjia Collection” | A rare complete set of “Three Treasures” in the national key temples, with high value in terms of bibliology and versionology | | Others | 🪙 Qing Dynasty “Land Contract of Langya Temple”, Guangxu Emperor’s bronze bell (weight 1280 jin, with the inscription “Wind and rain in harmony, the country and people at peace”) | They prove the ancient temple's economic form and the royal favor system |

🌟 Cultural Value: A Jiangnan cultural landmark of Confucianism and Buddhism blending

• Literary Geographic Coordinate: As the core narrative space of the “Record of the Drunken Old Man’s Pavilion”, it, along with the Drunken Old Man’s Pavilion and Fengle Pavilion, constitutes the cultural matrix of “Three Pavilions and One Temple in Langya”, a material carrier of the thoughts of Song Dynasty scholars on the “joy of mountains and rivers” and “joy with the people”
• Example of Religious Integration: The temple houses Buddhist halls, the Yuhuang Pavilion, and the Lüzu Hall, reflecting the folk belief practice of “Three Teachings in One” in the eastern Anhui region since the Song and Ming dynasties; the “Langya Fragrance Gathering” is held every year on the 19th day of the second lunar month (Guanyin’s Birthday), the 19th day of the sixth lunar month (Enlightenment Day), and the 19th day of the ninth lunar month (Bodhisattva’s Day), a millennium-old folk custom
• Garden Aesthetics Prototype: The temple layout “borrows scenery from Langya”, through the moon gate frame, it captures the distant greenery of the mountains, and in the secluded path, there are inscriptions of “Listen to the Spring” and “Wash the Stones”, deeply following the principles of Ji Cheng’s “Garden Making” that “although created by man, it seems to be from nature”
• Carrier of Red Memory: In 1939, the New Fourth Army’s Northern Command was stationed in the temple, and the existing site of the “New Fourth Army Anti-Japanese Propaganda Wall Painting” (on the west wall of the Sutra Library) is a movable cultural relic of the revolutionary history of Anhui Province

🧭 Tourism Information: Practical Guide and Civilized Visiting Tips

📍 Address and Transportation

• Detailed Address: Middle section of the ancient path in the Langya Mountain Scenic Area of Langya District, Chuzhou City, Anhui Province (about 5 kilometers from the city center of Chuzhou)
• Arrival Methods:
  • ✅ Public Transportation: Take K1 Road/18 Road from Chuzhou North Railway Station/Chuzhou Station to the “Langya Mountain Scenic Area” station, walk along the ancient path for about 15 minutes (the entire path is paved stones, easy to walk)
  • ✅ Driving: Navigate to “Langya Ancient Temple Parking Lot”, the scenic area provides an ecological parking lot (charge 5 yuan per time), it is recommended to arrive before 8:00 am to avoid peak hours

⏰ Opening Hours

• Open Year-Round: 07:30–17:00 (admission stops at 16:30)
• Special Tip: On the 1st and 15th of each lunar month and on major Buddhist birthdays, the morning class (05:30–06:30) is open to the public, reservations are required (up to 30 people per session)

💰 Ticket Information

• Combined Ticket System: Includes Langya Ancient Temple, Drunken Old Man’s Pavilion, South Tianmen, and other core attractions, peak season (March–November) ¥40/person, off-season ¥30/person
• Free Admission Policy: Children under 6 years old (inclusive) or those under 1.2 meters in height (inclusive), elderly over 70 years old (inclusive), active military personnel, and people with disabilities can enter for free with valid identification
• Student Ticket: Full-time university undergraduate and below students can enjoy half-price tickets with student ID cards

📌 Visiting Instructions

• 🙏 Respect the religious place: no noise, no flash photography, no touching Buddha statues and ritual objects; women should not step over the central part of the threshold (according to traditional etiquette, enter from the side)
• 🌿 Eco-protection: smoking is strictly prohibited in the ancient temple area, feeding wild animals is forbidden; ancient trees and famous trees such as ginkgo and ancient cypress are strictly protected under the “Anhui Province Ancient Tree and Famous Tree Protection Regulations”
• 🎒 Service Facilities: The temple has a vegetarian canteen (operational hours 11:00–13:30), a visitor center (providing audio guides for rent, experience of ancient book rubbing), and a wheelchair accessible path (from the gate to the Great Hall of the Buddha)

🌄 Best Experience Suggestion: Climb the ancient path when the morning mist has not yet dissipated, listening to the chanting and the bird calls of Langya Mountain; stop at the Washing Mind Pavilion when the evening sets in, watching the “wild flowers bloom and emit a fragrance, fine trees are lush and dense” scene of the Song Dynasty—this is not just a visit to the temple, but actually sitting face to face with the literary heart of a thousand years.