Chan Temples Worth Visiting

History

Founded in 495 CE by the Indian monk Batuo (跋陀), Shaolin became the birthplace of Chinese Chan when Bodhidharma (菩提达摩) arrived around 527 CE and spent nine years meditating facing a wall in a nearby cave. The temple is also famous for its martial arts tradition — the monks developed kung fu as a form of moving meditation and self-defense.

The temple was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, most recently after being burned by warlord Shi Yousan in 1928. The current structures date primarily from the Ming and Qing dynasties, with extensive 20th-century restoration.

What to See

• Bodhidharma's Cave (达摩洞) — a 30-minute hike uphill from the temple, where the First Patriarch sat for nine years
• The Pagoda Forest (塔林) — over 240 stone pagodas marking the ashes of abbots, spanning 1,000 years
• The Hall of a Thousand Buddhas (千佛殿) — with wall paintings of monks practicing kung fu, dating to the Ming dynasty
• Daily kung fu demonstrations — performed by the temple's martial arts school

History

Founded in 502 CE, Nanhua is the temple most closely associated with Huineng (慧能), the Sixth Patriarch of Chan. Huineng lived and taught here for 37 years until his death in 713 CE. His mummified body, preserved in the Sixth Patriarch Hall, is one of the most venerated relics in Chinese Buddhism — and one of the few surviving human mummies in China.

The temple is also significant as the site where Huineng delivered his famous teaching on the "formless precepts" (无相戒) and where the Platform Sutra was first compiled.

What to See

• Sixth Patriarch Hall (六祖殿) — housing Huineng's mummified body, draped in robes and seated in meditation posture
• The Acala Hall (藏经阁) — containing Tang dynasty scriptures and relics
• The Nine Dragon Fountain (九龙泉) — a spring said to have appeared when Huineng struck the ground with his staff
• Ancient camphor and banyan trees — some over 500 years old, lining the temple paths

History

This is where Baizhang Huaihai (百丈怀海, 720–814) established the monastic rules that still govern Chan temples today. His "Baizhang Clear Rules" (百丈清规) introduced the principle that monks must labor for their food — "a day without work, a day without eating" (一日不作，一日不食). This radical insistence on physical labor as practice distinguished Chan from other Buddhist schools and shaped the tradition's character forever.

The original temple has been rebuilt many times; the current structures date mostly to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The mountain itself remains largely undeveloped, preserving the remote, austere atmosphere that Baizhang chose deliberately.

What to See

• Baizhang's Meditation Seat — a rock formation where the master is said to have sat
• The "Wild Fox" Cliff (野狐崖) — associated with the famous "wild fox" koan from the Blue Cliff Record (Case 2)
• The main hall — housing a Tang dynasty bronze bell and Ming dynasty wood carvings
• Mountain trails — through bamboo forests and past waterfalls to the summit

History

Home to one of China's oldest and most continuously active Chan monasteries, Yunju Mountain has been a center of practice since the Tang dynasty. The monk Dongyang (道膺) established the temple here in the 9th century under the patronage of the Caodong school. In the 20th century, the Venerable Xuyun (虚云, 1840–1959) — one of the most revered Chan masters of modern times — revived the temple after decades of neglect and spent his final years here.

The temple maintains a rigorous practice schedule: monks rise at 3:30 AM for sitting meditation and follow a daily routine of chanting, work, and practice that has changed little in centuries.

What to See

• Zhenru Temple (真如寺) — the main monastery, rebuilt by Xuyun in the 1950s using original stone foundations
• Xuyun's Stupa — a memorial pagoda marking the master's relics
• The "Thousand-Monk" Hall — named for the large monastic community that once practiced here
• Mountain plateau — the temple sits on a high plateau (800m) surrounded by cloud-covered peaks

History

Founded in 300 CE — making it one of the oldest Buddhist sites in China — Tiantong became the headquarters of the Caodong (曹洞) school of Chan. Its greatest historical significance may be its connection to the Japanese monk Dōgen Zenji (道元禅师, 1200–1253), who studied here in the 1220s before returning to Japan to found the Sōtō Zen school. The Caodong meditation method Dōgen learned at Tiantong — shikantaza, "just sitting" — became the cornerstone of Japanese Zen practice.

The temple complex is vast, set in a forested valley with ancient trees and a stream running through the grounds. It remains an active monastery with a resident community of monks.

What to See

• The Meditation Hall (禅堂) — where monks practice zazen daily; visitors may observe by arrangement
• Dōgen's Study Room — a memorial to the Japanese founder of Sōtō Zen
• The 1,700-year-old ginkgo tree — said to mark the site of the original temple
• The "Thousand-Buddha" Pagoda — a seven-story stone tower from the Tang dynasty

History

One of the largest and wealthiest Buddhist temples in China, Lingyin ("Soul's Retreat") was founded in 328 CE by the Indian monk Huili (慧理), who believed the site was inhabited by spiritual beings. The temple flourished under the Southern Song dynasty when Hangzhou was the capital, and at its peak housed 3,000 monks and 72 halls.

The temple sits at the foot of a limestone cliff and faces a forested valley — a setting of extraordinary natural beauty. Despite heavy tourist traffic, the temple remains a functioning Chan monastery with an active practice community.

What to See

• Feilai Feng (飞来峰, "Peak That Flew Here") — a limestone cliff with over 470 stone Buddhist carvings dating from the 10th to 14th centuries
• The Great Hall (大雄宝殿) — housing a 24-meter-high gilded statue of Śākyamuni, one of China's largest
• The Hall of Five Hundred Arhats (五百罗汉堂) — each with a unique bronze figure and individual expression
• Huili Spring — the spring the founding monk is said to have discovered

History

Founded in 598 CE, Guoqing is the birthplace of the Tiantai (天台) school of Buddhism — one of the most intellectually sophisticated Chinese Buddhist traditions, which influenced Chan profoundly. The Tiantai master Zhiyi (智顗, 538–597) developed the doctrine of "three truths in one mind" here, which became foundational for later Chan philosophy.

The temple is set in a valley on Tiantai Mountain, surrounded by ancient camphor trees and bamboo groves. It has been continuously active for over 1,400 years — a remarkable record of institutional survival.

What to See

• Zhiyi's Stupa — a memorial to the founder of the Tiantai school
• The Sutra Library — housing Song dynasty woodblock prints and rare manuscripts
• Ancient camphor trees — some over 1,000 years old, lining the temple approach
• The "Three Tiantai" trail — connecting three peaks sacred to the Tiantai tradition

History

Built during the Tang dynasty and rebuilt in the Qing, Nanputuo ("South Putuo") sits at the foot of Wulao Peak on Xiamen Island, facing the sea. It is one of the most active Chan practice centers in southern China, with a large monastic community and a Buddhist academy (闽南佛学院) that has trained generations of monks and scholars.

Unlike many mountain temples, Nanputuo is easily accessible — it sits within the city of Xiamen, next to Xiamen University. This proximity has made it a bridge between monastic practice and lay life, with a thriving community of lay practitioners.

What to See

• The vegetarian restaurant — famous throughout China for its simple, exquisite temple cuisine
• The Hall of Great Mercy (大悲殿) — housing a thousand-armed Guanyin statue
• Wulao Peak trail — a 30-minute hike to the summit with panoramic views of Xiamen and the sea
• The Buddhist Academy — one of China's most important Buddhist seminaries

History

A hidden gem in the forested hills of northern Guangdong, Dafo Temple is far less visited than the famous temples on this list — which is part of its appeal. The temple dates to the Southern Dynasty (420–589) and has been a center of Chan meditation practice for centuries. Its remote location has preserved an atmosphere of genuine quiet that larger temples have lost.

The temple offers periodic meditation retreats (禅七) led by resident monks, and has become known among serious practitioners as a place where the traditional Chan intensive retreat format is still practiced authentically.

What to See

• The ancient Buddha Hall — with a Ming dynasty stone Buddha carved into the cliff face
• Forest meditation paths — marked walking trails through bamboo and pine forest
• The monks' quarters — simple, austere buildings reflecting the temple's focus on practice over display
• Nearby hot springs — natural thermal springs in the surrounding hills

History

Built on an island in the Yangtze River (the island has since been connected to the mainland by siltation), Jinshan Temple has been a center of Chan practice since the Eastern Jin dynasty (317–420 CE). It is closely associated with the great Chan master Fahai (法海), the son of a Tang dynasty prime minister who became a monk and is said to have practiced here. (The historical Fahai should not be confused with the villain of the Legend of the White Snake — the real Fahai was a respected teacher.)

The temple's dramatic setting — rising from the water on a rocky hill — has made it one of the most painted and photographed temples in China.

What to See

• Fahai Cave (法海洞) — a meditation cave in the cliff face where the Chan master is said to have practiced
• The Cishou Pagfo (慈寿塔) — a seven-story tower with panoramic views of the Yangtze
• The White Snake legend sites — including the "Flood the Jinshan" scene from the famous folktale
• The calligraphy collection — stone inscriptions by Su Shi, Mi Fu, and other Song masters