Nanquan Temple

Nanquan Temple lies about five li southeast of Xiangyin County seat. First built in the Tang Dynasty, it has long been a highly influential sacred Buddhist temple in northern Hunan.

In the Tang Dynasty, it was known as Shuanglin Temple. During the Song Dynasty, under the abbotship of Master Pu'an, the temple rose to nationwide fame. Master Pu'an attained profound Chan Buddhist enlightenment. He was also well-versed in literature, music and Sanskrit. The Pu'an Mantra he composed in Sanskrit has remained an irreplaceable sacred incantation in Buddhism for releasing living creatures, saving lives and warding off evil spirits since the Ming and Qing dynasties.

After arriving in Xiangyin, Master Pu'an expanded Shuanglin Temple on a large scale. He dug a well south of the temple and found a clear, cool spring. Locals believed drinking the spring water could cure all illnesses. The master renamed the temple himself. Since the spring was situated to the south, the temple was called Nanquan Chan Temple, meaning "Southern Spring Chan Temple".

Nanquan Chan Temple enjoyed renown across the country in the Song Dynasty. Nevertheless, it experienced repeated rises and falls over the centuries amid drastic historical changes, and its influence gradually faded. By 1930, only one main hall survived. In 1952, the remaining hall was demolished to make way for a middle school, turning this millennial ancient temple into ruins.

In 2003, the CPC Xiangyin County Committee allocated 300 mu of land free of charge to the Buddhist community. In 2006, Master Huaifan, member of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Vice President of the Hunan Buddhist Association and President of the Yueyang Buddhist Association, presided over the reconstruction and became the first abbot of Nanquan Temple after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

With generous support from all sectors of society, the temple has now taken initial shape. Today, Nanquan Temple serves as a showcase for traditional Huxiang culture and Buddhist civilization, as well as one of the key tourist attractions in Xiangyin