James Baquet

    jamesbaquet@gmail.com

    I ONCE again rolled out of Xiamen by train, this time heading west to Zhangzhou, the southernmost city in Fujian, and home to Nanshan (South Mountain) Temple. I took a local bus from the train station and got off not too far from the large gateway leading into the temple.

    Walking through the gate and along the shady roadway, I passed a pond on my right and a fairly small City God Temple on the left. The front gate of the temple compound itself faces north. Although temples usually face south, this one was likely oriented to the Jiulong (Nine Dragon) River, which lies about 300 meters to the north.

    Nanshan Temple was founded in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Today’s buildings date back to the Qing (1644-1911). It is considered the founding temple of the Heyun School of the Linji Chan Sect. The grounds of the temple are spacious and laid out in the traditional pattern of halls with courtyards between. The palm trees in the courtyards give it a tropical feel (even on a cold January day).

    Highlights on the grounds include a huge set of sandstone “Three Sages of the West” statues; a quirky little ancestor’s hall; and separate halls for important figures such as Dizang (Kshitigarbha) and, of course, Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara). But the most eye-catching things on the grounds are the wooden bas-reliefs that run along both sides of the courtyard, depicting the Buddha’s life and other historic and legendary scenes.

    Leaving the temple and walking back out toward the bus, I passed people getting ready for the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year celebration — as I’m sure they are today.