Longqing Nunnery

Longqing Nunnery lies within the Lotus Mountain Scenic Area, around one kilometre west of Tianhuangping Town, Anji County. Surrounded by green mountains and endless emerald bamboo groves, it boasts pure fresh air and pleasant scenery all year round.

The first landmark visitors encounter is a stone memorial archway, the symbolic structure of the scenic zone. Modelled after Qing-dynasty architecture, it adopts a three-bay, four-pillar and five-roof layout, standing 12.5 metres tall with a width of 10 metres. The entire archway is built with premium marble from Jingning County. Its stone carvings feature auspicious motifs including two dragons chasing a pearl, kylins and magpies. The sculptures of lions rolling silk balls on both side beams display extraordinary craftsmanship, blending primitive simplicity with solemn grandeur. The three Chinese characters “Longqing Garden” inscribed on the central horizontal plaque were written by Zhu Guantian, Chairman of the Zhejiang Calligraphers Association, while the couplets carved on the stone pillars on either side were composed by Qin Tiansun, former president of the Qiantang Calligraphy and Painting Society.

Passing through the archway, you will reach the Releasing Life Pool, ringed by dense bamboo woods and winding clear mountain streams. A statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva stands atop a giant turtle at the centre of the pool, compassionately delivering all living beings from suffering. Weeping willows cast soft shade along the bank, and green bamboo casts rippling reflections on the water’s surface. Small dykes and arched stone bridges connect the two shores of the pond. Nestled beside the pool is Green Embrace Lodge, a compact, delicate courtyard building. Standing on the long corridor of the arch bridge, visitors can feast their eyes on the vast sea of bamboo up close and gaze far at the rolling Tianmu peaks. Wandering here feels like stepping into a hidden Peach Blossom Spring, stirring an urge to escape mortal earthly worries. Green Embrace Lodge transports guests through a corridor of history and culture. Its garden-style design and exquisitely latticed windows create a layered visual effect where new scenery unfolds with every step, with natural landscapes and humanistic sights complementing each other perfectly.

A century-old Chinese giant salamander (locally called baby fish) lives in the Releasing Life Pool. Endemic to China, this rare wild protected species emits wailing cries resembling an infant’s weeping. This specimen reaches 1.2 metres in length and weighs 25 kilograms, earning it the title “King of Giant Salamanders”.

Longqing Nunnery was first founded in 912 AD during the Later Liang Dynasty of the Five Dynasties. Personally commissioned and constructed by Qian Liu, King of Wuyue, it has long been a renowned sacred Buddhist site in the hometown of bamboo. Blessed with an auspicious geomantic location, the nunnery was believed to radiate Buddha’s divine light and grant answers to all sincere prayers. At its prime, it housed over a hundred halls, chambers, towers and rooms interconnected by covered corridors, featuring uniquely distinctive architectural designs. Historical records document the construction of Longqing Meditation Courtyard here in the 24th and 34th years of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty respectively. More than ten eminent Buddhist masters including Juezhao and Xianming came to assist with the construction. The entire complex was demolished during the Cultural Revolution. Reconstruction work resumed in 1997, restoring the Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, and Yuantong Hall. Enshrined inside the Heavenly King Hall are Maitreya Buddha, Skanda and the Four Heavenly Kings, with incense burning perpetually.

Today, Longqing Nunnery serves as a tourist resort integrating sightseeing, leisure, vacation and Buddhist prayer.