Mei'An Temple
Founded in 996, this thousand-year-old Zen Buddhist sanctuary renowned for rare Song Dynasty wooden architecture, plum blossoms, and deep spiritual heritage.
- City
- Zhaoqing
- Address
- N°15 Meian Road, Chengxi Subdistrict, Duanzhou District, Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province, China
- Cost
- Free
Hidden in the western part of Zhaoqing, Mei’an Temple is one of Lingnan’s oldest surviving Buddhist sites.
Founded in 996 during the Northern Song Dynasty, this ancient temple has stood for more than a millennium, preserving both spiritual heritage and rare Song-era wooden architecture.
Peaceful and understated, Mei’an offers visitors a unique journey into the world of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, far from the bustle of modern city life.
History
Mei’an was built to commemorate Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of Chan Buddhism. According to tradition, when Huineng passed through ancient Duanzhou during the Tang Dynasty, he planted plum trees on this hill and dug a well using his monk’s staff. Later, in 996, a monk named Zhiyuan founded the temple in his honor. Its name, Mei’an, meaning Plum Hermitage, reflects this origin and the enduring symbolic connection between plum blossoms and Zen philosophy : resilience, purity, and quiet strength.
A Rare Example of Song Dynasty Architecture
The temple’s greatest treasure is its Mahavira Hall, a remarkably well-preserved wooden structure retaining key characteristics of Song Dynasty architecture. It is considered one of the rarest surviving examples of millennium-old timber architecture in Lingnan.
Architectural historians regard Mei’an as an invaluable site for studying early Chinese wooden construction techniques.
Nearby Attractions
- Seven Star Crags
- Ancient City Wall of Zhaoqing
- Dinghu Mountain : a UNESCO biosphere reserve
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#### Photo Credit : Rednote ID 1016211492 | Thumbnail : Rednote ID 6769379000
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