Huazang Temple

Kunshan's famous temple - Huazang Temple evolved from the original Huiju Temple in Ma'anshan, Kunshan. It is located in the west of Cuiwei Pavilion at the southern foot of Ma'anshan. In front of the monastery is the Bosheng Bridge that spans the creek. The buildings of the monastery have the architectural style of the Song Dynasty. They are majestic and magnificent. The roof is made of golden glazed tiles. Huiju Temple was built in the tenth year of Tianjian in the Liang Dynasty (511 AD). Wuxing Shaman Huixiang was the founder of the temple. Huixiang was the teacher of Xiao Yan, Emperor Wu of Liang. Emperor Wu of Liang gave iron incense burners and silk embroidered Buddha statues. When Huixiang came to Kunshan for the first time, he was unable to sit in the Shishi chamber of Ma'anshan because of Fangxi Zen, with two tigers serving as attendants, and he wanted to set up a shrine but couldn't. According to legend, that night, when the storm raged, the trees roared furiously, and the voice of Pu Zhuo was heard far and near, and everyone was surprised. The next day, at dawn, the foundation of the temple was completed, and the cornerstones of the steps were built. It was the help of the mountain god. When it was first built, there were a main hall and a small hall. In Xuanhejian of the Northern Song Dynasty (1119-1125 AD), Master Xin rebuilt the Huiju Temple at the northeastern foot of Ma'anshan into the Temple of Sages of the Ten Directions, and renamed it "Huazang Temple". In the autumn of Chunyou Wushen in the Southern Song Dynasty (AD 1248), the Great Buddha Pavilion was rebuilt by Seng Lianggong, and it was named "Shen Yun Daxiong's Hall". In the thirteenth year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1380 AD), Seng Daya moved the "Hua Zang Lecture Temple" from the northern foot of Ma'an Mountain to the top of Xishan Mountain. In the 22nd year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1594 AD), the monk silently rebuilt the mountain gate and the Temple of Heavenly Kings. In 1937, when Japan invaded China, the mountain temple was bombed, and the mountain was occupied by the Japanese army. After the victory, monks built three bungalows, which were maintained until liberation in 1949. In June 1992, the Kunshan Municipal People's Government approved the reconstruction of Huazang Temple, covering an area of five acres. In August 1997, Huazang Temple was relocated to the south of Ma'anshan, the north of Ma'anshan Road, and the east of the west gate of Tinglin Park, with a construction area of 3,000 square meters. In October 2001, the Huazang Temple was completed.