Lushan Temple

The Lushan Si (Lushan Temple), which stands on the Yuelu Mountain on the western bank of the Xiangjiang River of Changsha, was built in 269, or the fourth year of the Taishi reign of the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316). In its early years, the temple covered a vast field with its gate hall standing right by the river at the foot of the mountain and its main buildings extending from the foot to the top of the mountain. This magnificent complex, however, was demolished during the Tang Emperor Wuzong's crackdown on Buddhism. When it was rebuilt towards the end of the Tang Dynasty, the temple lost much of its former size and many of its old halls were never rebuilt. The temple suffered repeated destruction during the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties but was restored after each major destruction. In 1944, most of the buildings of the temple were razed to the ground during a Japanese air raid. It was not until recent years that the Changsha Municipal Buddhist Association pooled money to restore the temple and turn it into a new scenic attraction on the Yuelu Mountain Tourist Resort.

Quite a few men of past times have filled this temple's 1,700-year history with their deeds and renown. One of these was the monk Dacheng, who successfully disseminated the doctrines of Chan Buddhism from south China into Tibet after he had debated with the famed Indian monk Kamalasila (莲花戒730-800) for three years, an event that has come down in Buddhist history as the "Lhasa Debate on the Dharma." The temple, situated in a scenic area, is thronged with pilgrims and travelers all day long. The vicinity is strewn with scenes and sights associated with Buddhist culture.