The Second Ancestor's Temple

South Mountain Tours visits some fascinating sites related to China's traditional religious culture. Perhaps none are as inspirational and interesting as Yuanfu Temple, the place where the "Second Ancestor" of Zen, Dazu Huike, was buried in the Sixth Century. East Asian culture is heavily influenced by Zen and Taoist religious influence. Many people don't realize that the beautiful Zen gardens, art, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and other "Zen" arts had their origin in China. Tradition says that the Indian monk Bodhidharma established the Zen tradition at Shaolin Temple in the early six century. His Chinese disciple, Huike, is regarded as the first Chinese patriarch of Zen. The place where this key historical figure was buried, Yuanfu Temple, offers a fascinating look at how poor Chinese villagers endeavor to recover and rebuild their vital heritage as China rapidly modernizes. Yuanfu Temple, destroyed in the Cultural Revolution, is trying to reclaim its important, even central, role in the development of East Asian culture. Here are some photos from Yuanfu Temple.

Below see some photos of our visits to Yuanfu Temple. Groups visiting that site have contributed much toward the effort of villagers and their monk, Guole, to rebuild this historic place.

Greeting Foreign Visitors
Yuanfu Temple Site