When it comes to tourist attractions, I believe many people will think of top tourist attractions such as Huangshan, Zhangjiajie, Jiuzhaigou, and the Great Wall that are rated as national AAAAA. They are either famous for their natural scenery or their long history. They are all well-known at home and abroad. Scenic spots, but there are exceptions. Although the 1600-year-old ancient temple introduced to you today is also a national AAAAA tourist attraction, not many people know about it, and even many locals don't know it.

This ancient temple is the Yufeng Temple located on the Qinhuai River scenery belt of Confucius Temple in Nanjing. The temple is located in the flower garden area of Bailuzhou Park in Qinhuai District, Nanjing. It has a history of more than 1600 years. The existing building was built in the Ming Dynasty. In the fifth year of Tianshun (1461), it was named in memory of the famous monk of the Tang Dynasty. It is a cultural relic protection unit in Nanjing City and an important part of the Qinhuai River scenery belt of Confucius Temple in the national AAA-level scenic spot.

The sun shines into the temple, making the yellow and red colors particularly gorgeous. The temple is a three-way courtyard with two stone lions standing at the door. Entering the main hall, there are four major Vajra standing on both sides. Bailuzhou, where Yufeng Temple is located, has a long history. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it was the location of Dongfu City, and during the Liang and Chen Dynasties, it was the residence of Minister and poet Wang Zong. During the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty (713-741), the governor Yan Zhenqing set up a free-release pond nearby. By the time of Song Chunxi (1174-1189), a pavilion was built on the free-release pond. During the Yongle Period of the Ming Dynasty, it was the villa of Xu Da, the founding father of the country, and it was called Xu Taifu Garden or Xu Zhongshan Garden. During the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty, Xu Tianci, a descendant of Xu Da, expanded the garden into the "largest and magnificent" garden in Nanjing at that time, and named it the East Garden. The park became a place for the garden owner to have a poetry and wine party with many famous literati such as Wang Shizhen and Wu Chengen. During his southern tour of Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, he went to the garden to enjoy the scenery and fish.

In the fifth year of tomorrow Shun (1461), Jin Gongbao opened up the old site and rebuilt the temple on a large scale. "The monk has a banquet, and the cook has a blessing. The monk lives in a lonely place, but he retires in a house. The pond surrounds it, and Jincheng embraces it to the left. On the fifth day of the year, the company completed its success and was specially awarded the "Fufeng Zen Temple", which was a famous temple in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Zen Master Xuelang Hongen, a master of the Huayan Sect, was the disciple of Zen Master Zhenquanwei and his disciple Mingyin Shangsheng. They successively studied the "Huayan Sutra" here. Dahong Huayan taught and taught it, and it was once a famous dojo of the Huayan Sect in Jiangnan.

At that time, Yufeng Zen Temple belonged to Zhongsha, with Huiguang Temple, Qianfo Temple, Dazhong Zhengjue Temple, etc. There are famous steles such as "Notes on the Stele of Yufeng Temple" written by Zou Gan, Minister of Rites, and "Restoration of the Monument to the Life of Yan Lu Gong's Life" written and engraved by Ge Yinliang. Unfortunately, these steles no longer exist.

Although the stone carvings do not exist, the architectural layout at that time can be roughly seen from the "Notes on the Steles of the Fengfeng Temple" written by Zou Yu, the Minister of Rites, as recorded in the "Jinling Fansha Chronicles":"The Buddha Hall has three rooms, with solemn wings and eaves. The teeth are built in the sky, and you can see it far and far. The Four Heavenly Kings Hall in front of the hall, and the Pilu Pavilion behind the hall. Half of the left wing is built with more than 20 galleries. Half of the right wing is built with more than 20 Buddhist scriptures Hall, and more than 20 galleries are also built with more than 20 galleries, all of which are painted with their walls. In front of the east corridor is a bell tower, and in front of the west corridor is a drum tower. Inscriptions are planted. In addition, a few acres of land east of the main hall, a Buddhist hall is built. The abbot uses it as a place for preaching scriptures. There is a hall for rice monks and prayers, and there is a hut for living monks. There is a hut for monks. There is a pond around it, and Jincheng holds it to its left."

In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Fengfeng Temple was still a major sight in Jinling. The famous classical novel "Scholars Outside History" contains the story of "going to the Fengfeng Temple to eat tea". Calligrapher Wang Duo and litterateur Jiao Hong also left poems and inks here. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Yufeng Temple has experienced many ups and downs. Unlike other famous temples, its fame is not that it has been favored by the emperor, nor that it has had earth-shaking big figures, but that it has other unique features. First, it is adjacent to beautiful mountains and rivers. According to the "Dongcheng Chronicles","Behind Yufeng Temple is a pond for the release of Yan Lu Gong, with clouds of reeds and snow. The autumn scenery is excellent, and the words" Breaking Nest "are engraved on the stone... The Paradise of Fish in the Water". Second, it has declined several times and has to be repaired several times, thanks to the cherishing of ordinary monks and ordinary people.

Yufeng Zen Temple has gone through 1600 years of vicissitudes and has been repeatedly built and destroyed. After the Cultural Revolution, only dilapidated houses and citron trees were left here, and there were no Buddha statues. The Yufeng Zen Temple we see now was gradually restored after 2000. The main buildings include the Daxiong Hall, Pilu Hall, Guanyin Hall, Ksitigarbha Hall, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Sanmen, Guest Hall, Xiaozhai Hall, Reception Room and Staff Room There are more than 20 rooms, as well as Tianwang Hall, Circulation Office, and Sutra Tower.

Although most of the Qifeng Temple is a newly built building, and although it is not the main attraction of the national AAAAA scenic spot, it is an important part of the Confucius Temple Qinhuai River scenery belt. However, not to mention the famous temples such as Shaolin Temple, Daxiangguo Temple, and Baima Temple, it cannot be compared to the Confucius Temple, Dabaaoen Temple, and Zhonghua Gate, which are also in the Qinhuai River scenery belt of Confucius Temple. I believe many people have never heard of this thousand-year-old temple, and even many locals don't know it.

Some people even go to the front of the temple at this Yufeng Temple located in Bailuzhou Park on the Qinhuai River, and even read Yufeng Temple as Lufeng Temple. After searching on the Internet, many tourists will take photos and write travel notes. Write Yufeng Temple as Lufeng Temple. How low-key is this? Don't say that people don't know it, even if they go there, they can't even remember its name. However, such a low-key national AAA-level tourist attraction can be visited for free without having to purchase tickets. I believe it is considered an exception among the major 5A-level scenic spots in the country. Therefore, if you come to Nanjing and Confucius Temple, you must come and have a look at this ancient temple.

Finally, we prayed at the Yufeng Zen Temple, hoping that the COVID-19 epidemic will pass as soon as possible, and that our friends will go to nature together to welcome the warm spring flowers.