Fuhuyan — An Ancient Temple of the Southern Song Dynasty

Fuhuyan Scenic Area lies at the entrance of Liandong Village, Lianhe Township, 33 kilometres away from the county seat. It was first founded in the first year of the Chunxi reign of the Southern Song Dynasty (1174 AD).

The scenic area preserves ancient constructions dating from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. There are eighteen major scenic spots in total: the Stone Gate Ancestral Hall, Wenchang Pavilion, Stone Gate Pagoda, Buddha-Receiving Pavilion, Panorama Pavilion, Guanyin Hall, Tiger Roaring Pavilion, Taishan Palace, Tiger Cave, cliff carvings and a seven-storey pagoda. The total building area reaches 2,370 square metres. The Stone Gate Ancestral Hall was bestowed the inscribed name “Stone Gate Hall” by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. Cliff inscriptions right in front of the hall record every stage of construction across centuries, embodying profound cultural heritage.

Surrounded by mountains and rivers, this place enjoys enchanting scenery. Exotic trees grow on the hills, and stone paths wind and twist endlessly. Halls, pavilions and towers cling steeply to the cliff faces, standing opposite the towering Wuguxian Mountain less than 200 metres away. Together they form a spectacular gorge gateway.

Today Fuhuyan has become a popular destination for sightseeing, leisure and pilgrimage, attracting numerous visitors from afar. The traditional temple fair falls on the 27th day of the second lunar month every year. Nearly ten thousand people from neighbouring regions take part in the three-day Buddhist rituals. Crowds of pilgrims fill the temple amid a bustling atmosphere, praying for favourable weather and bumper harvests in the coming year.

In January 2001, the People’s Government of Youxi County listed Fuhuyan as a county-level protected cultural relic.