Dongyue Temple of Anxi

Originally named Dongyue Palace, the temple sits at the foot of Fengshan Mountain in the northern suburbs of Anxi County seat. It is a national 3A-level scenic area and a county-level cultural relic protection unit.

The original construction date remains unknown. It was reconstructed by Li Zhu, the county magistrate, in the 32nd year of the Shaoxing reign of the Southern Song Dynasty (1162). Built along the mountain slope, the temple consists of a front hall and a rear hall arranged tier upon tier at different elevations. The existing buildings date back to the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns of the Qing Dynasty (1662–1795). Other structures include Chitou Palace, Jixian Hall, Lotus Pond, Donors’ Shrine, Monk Quarters and Wanshan Hall. Behind the temple stands Huiweng Pavilion, while two memorial archways stand on the left and right in the front.

Boasting serene scenery, Dongyue Temple is backed by Fengshan Mountain to the north and faces clear streams to the south, embraced by the graceful three peaks of Bijia Mountain. Looking down, you see the county town veiled in cooking smoke; looking upward, you behold gorgeous morning and evening glow over the mountain ridges.

As a scenic spot on Fengshan Mountain, this temple has long attracted numerous celebrities throughout history, leaving behind countless inscriptions and cultural relics. Two horizontal boards inscribed personally by Zhang Ruitu, a great calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty, still hang in the temple, reading “An Ancient Temple at the Foot of Phoenix Mountain” and “Wisdom Light Shines Everywhere”.

Zhu Xi, the Neo-Confucian scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty, visited here and wrote the poem Spring Shade on Phoenix Foothill. This sight ranked first among the Eight Ancient Views of Anxi.