Dongyan Ancient Temple is nestled against the mountains and waters, one of the eight ancient scenic spots of Chaoyang!

The temples in Chaoshan are numerous, and there are many famous temples in Chaoyang, among which Dongyan is one of the eight scenic spots of Chaoyang. I arrived in the afternoon, just as the sun was not yet set, and the sunset glow enveloped the entire mountaintop. The scenery before my eyes was covered in gold, and I really wanted to share this beauty with everyone who sees it. Dongyan is located 3 kilometers east of Chaoyang city center, on the cliffs of Dongshan, which include Zhuoxi Temple, Jinding Temple, and Shiyansi Temple. The three temples form a '品' shape and are all structures combining mortise and tenon with lifting beams. Each temple is built around the mountain peaks, complementing the caves and boulders. Inside the caves, there are Buddhist halls, and on the rocks, there are golden summits. The stone steps wind around, creating a harmonious and staggered layout, with lush forests and beautiful scenery. Zhuoxi Ancient Temple, originally called Baining Rock, is the earliest Zen temple founded in Dongyan. It is said to have been built by the eminent monk Daduan during the Tang Dynasty's Zhenyuan years. The four characters 'Zhuoxi Ancient Temple' are inscribed on the temple's plaque; Jinding Temple was built during the Southern Song Dynasty, with a giant boulder several meters high at the mountain peak, inscribed with 'Qingtian Stone'; Shiyansi Temple was built during the Ming Dynasty, named for its location on the rocks. It uses stone walls as shrines and stone caves as Buddhist halls, and the temple contains the Nine Heavens Buddha Ancestor Grotto. There are 51 cliff inscriptions from the Song Dynasty to modern times, which are not only diverse in font style but also rich in content. They mainly include travel notes, poetry, historical news, religious legends, etc., and form a large-scale group of cliff inscriptions. After more than ten years of meticulous construction, the projects such as the Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Hall, Wanfo Pavilion, Dining Hall, Monks' Quarters, and the comprehensive building have been completed along the mountain and cliff. The landscape has been renewed, preserving the Qing Dynasty's appearance. It is a key cultural relic protection unit and tourist attraction in Chaoyang District.