Fotuo Mountain (Nanyan Temple), also known as Nanyan Buddha Grottoes or Nanyan Buddha Cave, is located in the second scenic area (Nanyan Scenic Area) of Guifeng, a national key scenic spot in Yiyang. Surrounded by red rocks on three sides, the temple is built on the rock. Without tiles for the roof beams and without eaves for the enclosures. The cave under the rock is 70 meters wide, 30 meters high, and 30 meters deep, and can accommodate more than a thousand people. Nanyan Temple dates back to the Jin Dynasty. In the Taihe years of the Tang Dynasty (827-835), the monk Shenyao renovated it and began to carve stone niches on the stone wall. In the Jiading years of the Song Dynasty (1208-1224), Wang Yuanchang, a local person, built the palace gate, halls, bell tower, and built bridges and pavilions. He also continued to carve stones into various Buddha statues. In the Zhizheng years of the Yuan Dynasty (1341-1368), the monk Sizheng renovated it again. In the Chongzhen years of the Ming Dynasty (1628-1644), it was renovated again. Fan Youtao, a local person in the Ming Dynasty, presented a plaque with the words: ‘Natural World’. In the fifth year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1666), the monk Yuánxiū made additional renovations. At that time, the scale was as described by Liu Linsun, the magistrate of Yiyang County, in his ‘Record of Visiting Nanyan’: ‘Cutting stones on the cliff to create a scene like a painting, hanging in the air, making people feel a sense of awe.’ In the eighth year of Daoguang (1828), the monk Kongfan renovated the main hall and wing rooms again. After being renovated again during the Republic of China period, the incense has always been prosperous. It is a thousand-year-old ancient temple famous in Jiangnan. There are currently more than 40 stone niches and more than 10 cliff inscriptions in the cave of Nanyan Temple. Arranged in a semicircle around the rock, the niches are carved with Buddha carvings such as Sakyamuni, Manjusri, Samantabhadra, Guanyin, and eighteen arhats, reflecting the superb stone carving skills of the ancient working people of our country.
Opening hours: Open all year round from 08:00 to 17:00.
Supplementary note on preferential policies: 1. The scenic area has unified ticket sales, and there are currently no other preferential policies. 2. The above information is for reference only. Please refer to the disclosures on the day at the scenic area for specific details.
Related Content：
Follow Xia Ningbao to the Jiangnan water town – Zhujiajiao Ancient Town.
Suzhou, Shanghai, Zhejiang: A 3-Person Self-Drive Adventure
Zhengzhou – Nanjing – Wuxi – Shanghai, Leisure Self-driving All the Way, Feel the Midsummer Time!
Jiangnan Song City: Scenic Beauty, Hakka Cradle, and Fun in Ganzhou!
West of Tibet, Towards the Scorching Mountains and Rivers
Self-guided Tour of Five Places in Eight Days: Shanghai, Guangzhou, Zhaoqing, Macau and Nanjing