Huguochan Temple (Taishan Temple)

Huguochan Temple (commonly called as Taishan Temple) is in sough of river, Xixi, and it is under Tongshengqiao Bridge. It is adjacent to Haichunxuan Pagoda.

According to the recording of Dongtai County Chronicle of Emperor of Jiaqing in Qing Dynasty, Taishan Temple is built in Jiading Period of Southern Song Dynasty (1208-1224) and it has been nearly 800 years from now. It is one of famous temple in Jiangsu Province released by Chinese Buddhist Association and the key cultural relics protection unit in Dongtai City. 

During the Wanli Period of Ming Dynasty (1573-1620), Xixi inspection, Zhu, rebuilt the Taishan Temple and the gate was changed to the north.

Why to change the gate of the Temple? According to the Dongtai County Chronicle of Emperor of Jiaqing in Qing Dynasty, the old one faces the south, but the leader of Baijuchang Salt Uprising, Zhang Shicheng, went through the temple with his army, and he decided to put the weapons here. However, there was a fire accidence suddenly and the whole temple was burned to smash. Only the statuses of gods were left from the accidence, but all of them faced north and residences were so surprised, so the temple was changed to the north.   

In eighteen years of Qianlong in Qing Dynasty (1753), there was a fire accidence in Taishan Temple again. In the forty-two years of Qianlong in Qing Dynasty, the Taizhou Salt Transport Division, Yang Tingjun, raised fund to have a rebuild, but the gate was still to the north. Guandi Temple, Huatuo Temple, Shennong Temple, Luban Temple and Zushi Temple were placed in the temple, so, it is called as One Temple with Five Temples.

Since ancient times, the temple has been a tourist attraction to attract many literati and ink visitors to leave a lot of praise poems here.

Famous poet and Taizhou Salt Transport Division, Yan Qishou, had written poet, Tour to Bixia Palace, “一笑相逢定有期，偶来萧寺话移时”. Tanchanzantuochen Damingshan Hall, Fan Yuntang, Aiyang Pagoda, Gongde Hall, Living Hall, Fa Tang, Zhai Tang, Jixian Hall and Vegetable Restaurant and so on. All halls and yards are in strict layout. It is symmetrical and harmonious, solemn and beautiful.

The newly built Bixia Palace in 1997 is one of main building of Taishan Temple. The pattern is in Qingchuan Building, Wuhan. From the ground up, the granite railings around the platform. The corridors are lingering on. When looking up in the main hall, you will find that it is magnificent and magnificent with brilliant gold and green, cornices and cornices, painted pillars and carved beams. Bao Shen, Wang Dingguo, Da Chan, Guan Che and other famous calligraphers wrote the horizontal inscribed board personally and the board is hung at the front gate of the palace. Bell Pagoda and Drum Pagoda confront each other with great momentum.    

You walk up to Bixia Palace to have a long vision at the bar and you will feel comfortable. All beautiful scenery could be seen, wells of Han Dynasty, thumbs of Sui Dynasty, pagodas in Tang Dynasty and bridges in Song Dynasty. All of these could be seen by you: thousands area of green lank, sailing ships, waterfront customs and conditions could be seen in a glance.

There are Bixia Goddess in the palace, Jianxiao, Yinxiao and Bixiao. They are in beautiful dress and belt with merciful eyes and elegant behavior. In the middle of the second floor of Bixia Palace, there is a newly shaped thousand hands avalokitesvara. The avalokitesvara is quite and serious with symmetrical body. The shape is elegant with bright eyebrows.     

The reason for the long reputation of Taishan Temple is that there are vast of cultural relics and historic sites. Stone sculptures in the Han Dynasty, sword in the Sui Dynasty, halberd paintings in the Tang Dynasty, ancient stone lions and stone carvings in ancient mountain gates are all treasures of Zhenshan. Empress Dowager Cixi's "Peace of the Year" written on green silk with real gold powder, the poems written by Fan Zhongyan of Song Dynasty, Yan Qishou of Ming Dynasty, Wu Jiaji of Qing Dynasty and other poems when they visited Taishan Temple, jade buddha presented by Zhenzen Abbot, gilded silongxiang given by Master Cizhou, the couplets written by Zhang Renjie，the composition written by Dai Jitao are in high value of cultural relics.     

Presently, there are bells and drums at the morning and the ceaseless sound of reciting sutras in Taishan Temple reshow the Buddhist scene, “西溪塔影寒山月，东海钟声古寺风”. There are so many pilgrims and tourists coming to the Temple.