Fuguo Monastery, Lijiang

Chinese Nmae: 丽江福国寺
English Name: Fuguo Monastery, Lijian
Chinese Pinying: Fu Guo Si
Location: Located in Baisha Township, Yulong County, Lijiang City
Highlights: One of the 5 famous Lamaist Monasteries in Lijiang
Open Hour: 08:30-17:00
Ticket: 0 CNY

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Fuguo Monastery overview

This monastery used to be the largest in the Lijiang Valley but was completely destroyed. It is now overseen by an 80 year old Monk whose favorite English expression is “Nice to Meet You”. It sits high up on a hill which defeated us on bicycles months ago but which a minivan was able to negotiate. The monk warmly welcomes people into the second floor of his house with tea and incense and visitors’ registers. It seems many people found their way to his home while biking up the hill in a rain storm. Li and Silas had their photos taken with this Lama and we all received blessings.

History of Fuguo Monastery

Fuguo Monastery, the name of the Ao Min Nan Zhuo lin, meaning ” the court for Relief.” Located in Baisha Township, Yulong County, Lijiang City, it was built in the thirty-ninth year of Wanli Period(1601) in the Ming Dynasty. It was originally the home of Mu’s Family. Mu’s officer invited the Han Dynasty Mahayana Buddhism monks to practice and become the Han Buddhism Zen Temple. The name of the temple is “Relieved Forest”, and the name of the temple is “Fuguo Temple”, which was named by Emperor Zhu Youxiao in Ming Dynasty, and it is the mother temple of the five major temples in Lijiang, Karmapa, Dasi Turenboqie, and Jiacharenboqie have hosted the Buddhanism Conference here.

What to see in Fuguo Monastery

The Wufeng Pavilion, which was built in 1601, has a history of 400 years. It was originally an important building in the “Relief Forest” of the villa of the Ming Dynasty. The old name of the Fayun Pavilion is named after the five flying eaves that look like five phoenixes from different angles. Some people say that “it is not because Wufenglou is a unique and fascinating building, nor is it a delicate sculpture and gorgeous painting in the building. It is the building of the Bai, Tibetan, Naxi and Han. The features are perfectly integrated, and the whole building looks harmonious and elegant, and the momentum is majestic.”

Fuguo Monastery was destroyed in 1864. In 1882, the temple was rebuilt. Some people think that the existing Fayun Pavilion seems to be reconstructed by imitation of the Ming Dynasty. The temple was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Only the gates of Wufenglou and Relieved Forest were preserved. In 1979, it moved to Heilongtan Park in Lijiang City. Wufenglou has the high value of art, science and history, and the people who visit the Black Dragon Pool will visit the Wufeng Building.

In 2007, the 17th Dongbao Zhongba Living Buddha, was responsible for the restoration of the Fuguo Monastery. After several years, overcoming many difficulties, the Fuguo Temple was born again in 2015. It was completed in 2015 and reconstructed the main building of the temple centered on the Wufeng Pavilion and the Relief Rorest, recreating the majestic and magnificent Monastery.

In the worship of Fuguo Temple, in addition to feeling the extraordinary momentum of the temple, and the brave heart of today’s people rebuilding the Buddha’s veins and renewing the Buddha’s life, the other is very touched which is that in recent years, dozens of children from Sichuan have been accepted. Poor children in Daocheng and surrounding areas of Lijiang are accepted there, and people set up classrooms, offer food and accommodation, teach culture, and teach Buddhist scriptures in the temples, so the sorrowful feelings of Buddhism can be reflected in the real society. At the same time, there are students from various colleges and universities who come to Fuguo Temple. The shortest time that they stayed there is three months and the long one is nearly five years.

Outside the mountain gate of Fuguo Temple, there is a tall and unique ginkgo tree. This rare ginkgo tree adds energies to the ancient temples. At this time, it is showing the most beautiful figure of the year, full of golden trees, while looking up just like that the nature has raised a big brush full of golden oil paint, to draw a picture of the most beautiful for the blue sky, which let people feel the fall, and make the spirit a shock. A gust of wind swayed, shaking a tree of gold, and laying a layer of “golden carpet” on the ground, such as the soldiers to the city, the city full of gold armor, and there is a prestige, magnificent and comfortable.

Recommended Accommodation

Fuguo Temple Travel Tips

1. To Fuguo Temple, the best way to get around is to ride a bicycle. Lijiang to Baisha Ancient Town is 10 km away. Baisha Ancient Town to Fuguo Temple is 4.5 km of Panshan Highway. It is not steep, but the scenery is good. You can see Jade Dragon Snow Mountain along the way. Overlooking the ancient town of Baisha and the ancient city of Lijiang.

2, By car, you can take the No. 6 bus from Lijiang to Baisha Ancient Town, then charter to Fuguo Temple.

3, Self-driving, walk 10 kilometers along Shubai Road to Baisha Ancient Town, turn left into Wenhai Road, and walk up a 4.5-km winding mountain road to Fuguo Temple.

4, Fuguo Temple does not accept tickets, the temple has a lot of poor children, if you like, you can bring some stationery or sporting goods to them.

5. In addition to rebuilding the new Wufeng Pavilion and the Relief Forest, Fuguo Temple is also a perfect place to enjoy the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The tall ginkgo tree in front of the door is also a good place for photography.