History of Shuangguitang Temple

Shuangguitang Temple is a temple on the Wanzhu Mountain, 13 kilometers away from the southeast of Liangping County of Chongqing. It has already experienced a history of 350 years old.

Mysterious Origin of Shuangguitang Temple

Shuangguitang Temple was built in Shun-Zhi the eighteenth year (1661) of Qing Dynasty. It is said that Poshan (a Buddhist monk) had already trudged for a long time shouldering two sweet tea olive trees before he arrived the Shu. One day, he stopped in the Wanzhu Mountain. In the midnight, there were bright rays shining on the mountain with sound of bells and drums. Seeing the rays and sounds, the villagers nearby came to the mountain, only to find monk Poshan was sitting in meditation and his two sweet tea olive trees had already grown up with fragrant blossoms. With that, the monk Poshan built the temple where the two sweet tea olive trees grew, and named the temple as Shuangguitang Temple(Two sweet tea olive trees temple).

Historical Development of Shuangguitang Temple

After the establishment, Shuanggguitang Temple was supported by the successive emperors of Qing Dynasty and was expanded and constructed continuously for more than 200 years.

From 1653 to 1926, Shuangguitang Temple experienced 7 patriarchs including Poshan and Zhuchan and so on, occupying an area of more than 120 mu (1 mu=666.67 square meters). In the Republican China period, Shuangguitang Temple was listed as "Top of the Shu Temples" for its large scale, grand halls, rich Buddhist scriptures and unique-character statues.

In 1983, Shuangguitang Temple was adopted as the key national temple of Han nationality areas by the State Council. At that time, the whole area of the Shuangguitang Temple was more than 70,000 square meters.

In 1983, the 15th abbot of Shuangguitang Temple led the monks and repaired the temple. Besides, he opened some new tourist spots.

In 1986, there were 27 formal monks in the Shaungguitang Temple and established a management committee.

In 1990, the jade Buddha consecration ceremony was held in Shuangguitang Temple. That jade Buddha weighs 1.3 tons and is 1.6 meters high, exquisite and majestic.

In 1997, the 16th abbot of Shaungguitang Temple self-raise funds and built a new hall in the temple, thus the temple taking on a new look.

Today, under the careful management of the monks, Shuangguitang Temple is in a good and clear condition.