Shangfeng Temple

CHINA, Hunan, Hengyang

The temple stands at the foot of Zhurong Peak and is one of the Five Major Temples in Nanyue. Originally it was a Daoist temple that was converted to a Buddhist temple during the rule of Emperor Yang (reigned 604–617) of the Sui dynasty. Throughout its history, eminent monks became its abbots, such as Master Qiji from the Five Dynasties (907–960), Master Bencai from the Song dynasty (960–1279), and Master Jichan, also known as the Eight-Fingered Monk, from the late Qing dynasty (1875–1911). The temple has flourished and declined throughout its history. It reached its peak during the middle of the Qing dynasty. A great fire destroyed much of the temple compound in 1950 and it was not until 1987 that repairs were started. It was listed as a key Buddhist temple in the Han region of China in 1983.
The buildings along its central axis include the main temple gate, Heavenly King Hall, Great Hero Hall, and sutra repository. Along either side are the Avalokitesvara Hall, Medicine Buddha Hall, and the meditation hall. Within the Heavenly King Hall there were four iron Heavenly King statues dating to the rule of Emperor Jiajing (reigned 1521–1566) of the Ming dynasty. However, the statues have been removed.