Baofeng Temple is located under Baozhu Peak, Baofeng Town, Jing'an County, Jiangxi Province. The temple was originally named "Laitan Temple", also known as "Falin Temple". Because it is located in Shimen Mountain, it is also known as the "Shimen Ancient Temple". It is an important Taoist temple of Mazu Daoyi. Since the first year of Zhenyuan of Tang Dynasty (785), Mazu led his disciples to preach Buddhism here many times. With the establishment of Mazu's "Hongzhou Zen", the Taoist culture of Baofeng Temple has had a profound impact on Chinese philosophy, national culture, and moral concepts.
During the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty (742-756), a monk named Shui Lian from Kaiyuan Temple in Zhongling (today’s Youmin Temple in Nanchang) and his junior brother, Zen Master Daotong, built a house and lived there. This was Baofeng Zen. The beginning of the temple. In the fourth year of Zhenyuan of the Tang Dynasty (788), Zen Master Mazu Daoyi passed away in Kaiyuan Temple (today's Youmin Temple), and his spiritual bones were hidden in the backyard of the temple. In the fourth year of Dazhong in the Tang Dynasty (850), Emperor Xuanzong bestowed a plaque with the name "Baofeng" on it, so it was renamed "Baofeng Temple", which is still in use today.
The overall architectural layout of the temple strictly follows the formula of a Buddhist temple. The temple gate faces south and has an antique archway that is 13 meters high. In the middle of the square, there are four large Chinese characters of "Mazu Daochang" inscribed by the layman Zhao Puchu, and "Jiangyou Zen" is engraved next to it. On the pillars are couplets written by Elder Yicheng, the honorary president of the Chinese Buddhist Association and the former abbot of Baofeng Temple: "The pure domain of Baofeng, the source of Dharma rain, has opened up the world's jungles; the Matsu Taoist temple, the sect's style is widespread, and the careless people from the west can seek their help." There is a half-moon-shaped life-release pool in front of the archway, and a nine-dragon wall is built on the south side of the life-release pool. It is carved from bluestone and has a simple shape.
The north-south longitudinal central axis has four main halls: the first entrance is the Shanmen Hall, with a single-story tilted corner; the second entrance is the Tianwang Hall, with Xuhuai Tower and Yunhai Tower on both sides; the third entrance is the Main Hall, which is connected to the main hall. The brick and wood structure is also the main building of Baofeng Temple. It was built on the former site of the Ancient Emperor Pavilion Hall, facing north and south, and covers an area of ??about 1,100 square meters. The hall is very spacious and can accommodate hundreds of monks chanting sutras and worshiping Buddha at the same time. In the middle of the hall, there are three large Buddha statues of Sakyamuni, Amitabha and Medicine Buddha. There is a Guanyin Island behind the niche, and 500 Arhats are sculpted on the four walls of the main hall, sitting and lying up and down, expressing joy, anger, sorrow, and joy. Their shapes are lifelike, their costumes are bright, and they are full of artistic beauty. The fourth entrance is the Dharma Hall and the Sutra Collection Building.
There are wing rooms and auxiliary halls on both sides of the main hall, both of which are two-story and made of brick and wood. On the east side from north to south, there are the bell tower, guest rooms, merit hall, etc. On the outside, there are the inner guest hall, ancestral hall, Weituo hall, etc. All halls and wing rooms are equipped with verandas, so you can walk around the hall without getting your shoes wet on rainy days.
The precious cultural relics in Baofeng Temple are the Matsu Pagoda, which was first built in the middle of the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in the Song Dynasty. It is the relic site of Mazu. The pavilion, which protects the tower body, was listed as a key cultural relic protection unit in the province in 1957. During the turmoil, the tower was destroyed, but the pavilion still exists. In 1993, Mazu Tower was rebuilt. All are constructed of white marble shipped from Shandong. The tower is 4.5 meters high. The bottom floor is in the shape of a square Xumizuo. The body of the tower is square. On the front stele is engraved the words written by the famous calligrapher Mr. Qi Gong: "The tower of the relics of the great Zen Master Ji in Mazu Dao." On the east and west side of the stele, there are engraved: The inscription on the pagoda was written by Quan Deyu of the Tang Dynasty and contemporary Zen Master Yicheng. The pavilion is made of granite and has a six-column and hexagonal cap-like shape, covered with stone slabs. The six corners of the eaves are decorated with raised dragon heads.
In the temple, there are towering cypresses, shady trees and dotted flower gardens, forming a garden-style temple. Jiangxi Buddhist College is located here, which has trained many Buddhist disciples and has become one of the centers of Jiangxi Buddhist culture. In addition, monks, laypeople, and tourists from temples across the country and from Hong Kong, Taiwan and other places come to pay homage to the Buddha and visit it. It has become a place for promoting Buddhism and a tourist attraction.