From the outside, this is an ordinary temple, built on the mountain. The so-called mountain is only more than 90 meters above sea level and its area is not large. There is nothing but a few common temples.
You can turn around and find that this used to be Li Shutong's seclusion. Li Shutong is a monk whom I admire very much. He is considered to be Master Hongyi. He is proficient in Buddhism, temperament, calligraphy and painting, and is a rare all-rounder
Master Hongyi has a glorious life and countless admirers. Lin Yutang once said that he is one of the most talented geniuses of our time, and he is also the strangest person and the most independent person.
I always remember the story of one of his "poor rocking chairs". Every time he goes to Feng Zikai's house, he always shakes his seat in a wooden rattan chair. Feng Zikai asked him why. Li Shutong replied that there might be bugs in the wooden cane chair. After shaking, the little life will run away, and after sitting down, it will not kill. Only people who are not deeply kind can be so delicate and kind.
When Master Hongyi was traveling all over the world, he once closed his door to the Riguangyan Temple for several months, and then he specifically mentioned this experience. Why did Master Hongyi choose to practice here? I think Gulangyu's isolated atmosphere and the environment facing the sea should be the reasons that attract him.
In 2008, Riguangyan Temple built a "Master Hongyi Memorial Garden" on the west side, with the statue of the master carved in the middle, and the lotus fell with a smile. The level of this statue is very high, and the beard and hair on the master's face are lifelike. Just looking at the statue will bring visitors a quiet and peaceful mind.
Standing in the temple, there is a gentle sea breeze blowing head-on. Looking into the distance, the coastline of Xiamen Island is looming, and the blue sea is like a mirror, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds. If there is an opportunity, I also want to practice here quietly for a period of time.
Riguangyan Temple was founded in 1586, more than 400 years ago. At that time, there were signs of decline in the Ming Dynasty, and Gulangyu was just a desert island. The temple is built on the mountain, with blue tiles and red columns, standing eaves and bright colors. The main hall is just under a boulder, just like living under a tile house, hence the name "Yiwa".
The original name of this mountain was "Huangyan", and later it was changed to Sunlight Rock, meaning the place where the sun first arrived, and the temple was renamed accordingly. There is a boulder in the temple with the word "Rock Shake" written on it as a memorial to it.
The "Tong Yuan Gate" on the mountain gate shows that this is an ancient temple dedicated to Guanyin. On the boulder above Tongyuan Hall, there is a white statue of Guanyin, and the incense burner is placed in the courtyard, which makes people afraid to speak loudly.
China people like "graffiti" when traveling, which can be seen from the lettering everywhere on the rocks. Near the Riguangyan Temple, you can hardly find a stone without lettering.
On the boulder above the main hall, there are "Gulang Cave" and "Tianfeng Haitao", which are the works of Ding, a famous Confucian scholar in Fujian in the Ming Dynasty. The inscription "Lujiang No.1" next to it was written by Lin Cheng, a native of Changle, Fujian, during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty.
There is a path up the mountain in the temple, with huge stones standing on both sides, which look like "at first sight" and are written with red characters such as "Cold in September" and "Longdong in Lujiang" respectively. It is said that there is a dragon living on Gulangyu Island, so it is nicknamed "Dragon Cave".
There are also stone carvings such as Glory for Japan, Glory for Minnan, Hanging the Sun and Moon, and poems by Cai Yuanpei and Cai Tingkai. It seems that every visiting politician wants to leave his name on this poem. There is also the former site of Longtou Caotang in the temple, where the national hero Zheng Chenggong practiced his navy division. It's interesting to walk and watch along the way.
Address: Huangyan Road, Gulangyu Island, Xiamen
Author: Lin, a famous traveler! Take you around the unpopular and interesting scenery of various cities.