Ganlu Temple in Taining, Sanming
Ganlu Temple (甘露寺/甘肃岩寺) is located on the west bank of Jinhu in Taining, Fujian Province, and was built in 1146 AD (the 16th year of the Shaoxing period of the Song Dynasty). It belongs to the category of cliff temples. The unique architectural structure of “one pillar inserted into the ground, without using roof tiles” was adopted, with “T”-shaped arches connecting the structures, demonstrating exquisite craftsmanship and unique design, making it a masterpiece in the history of Chinese architecture, renowned both domestically and internationally. In the 1950s, Ganlu Temple was designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit. In the spring of 1961, it was reduced to ashes in a fire, and what we see today is a replica built later.
See more about: Taining World Geological Park in Sanming
Overview
Ganlu Temple is situated on a small island on the west bank of Jinhu in Taining, Fujian Province, to the west of Changtan Renxing Mountain. It is the most famous cliff temple in Taining. The temple was built in the 16th year of the Shaoxing period of the Song Dynasty (1146 AD) by Ye Zuqia. It is named Ganlu Temple because there is a stalactite above the cave resembling a dragon head, and a perennial spring drips, hence the name Ganlu Temple. The entire building complex relies on a single large pillar for support, forming a suspended temple.
Geographical Location
Ganlu Temple is located on a small island on Jinhu in Taining, Fujian Province, China. Ganlu Temple is hidden in the deep gorges of red stones. On the left, a red rock looks like a huge “bell,” and on the right, another rock looks like a unique “drum.” Ganlu Temple is located between these bell and drum rocks, which is why it is said that “the temple is between the drum and the bell.” The front of the bell and drum rocks has three ancient pine trees called “welcoming guest pines.” A stone tablet in front of the mountain gate bears a poem praising Ganlu Temple written by Zou Shu, a scholar of the Song Dynasty: “Lanruo half in the sky, how many layers of cloud hills; waterfall thousand zhang exercise, cranes stay in five pine trees; morning bell chanting room black, frost forest leaves red; look back at the cliff, reminisce about the past peaks.” This poem praises the architectural features of Ganlu Temple and the autumn scenery around it.
Natural Climate
Ganlu Temple is located in Sanming, Fujian. There are three rainy seasons in a year, namely the spring rainy season from March to May, the plum rainy season in May and June, and the typhoon rainy season from July to September, while October to February of the following year is a relatively dry period. Overall, Sanming has a long summer and short winter with a pleasant climate suitable for travel throughout the year.
Historical and Cultural Background
Ganlu Temple was built in the 16th year of the Shaoxing period of the Song Dynasty (1146 AD), making it over 850 years old. The cave is over 80 meters high, with a depth of about 30 meters and a width of over 30 meters at the top, but only about 10 meters at the bottom, forming an inverted triangle shape. Ancient people turned this geographical disadvantage into an architectural advantage, adopting the unique structural design of “one pillar inserted into the ground, without using roof tiles.” The entire building is made of wood, with no need for roof tiles. It consists of four parts: the upper hall, the mirage pavilion, the Guanyin pavilion, and the Nan’an pavilion. The “T”-shaped arches connecting them were constructed without the use of iron nails, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship and unique aesthetics, making it a masterpiece in the history of Chinese architecture. According to research, in the 12th century, the Japanese monk Chōgen visited Fujian three times to study the architectural techniques of Ganlu Temple. After returning to Japan, he rebuilt the world-famous Nara Great Buddha Hall, which extensively used the “T”-shaped arches modeled after Ganlu Temple, earning it the title of “Great Buddha Sample.” In the 1950s, Ganlu Temple was designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit.
