Gaogai Mountain Park is located in Cangshan District, Fuzhou City. It was constructed in 1996 by the local government as a key project. The park is 202.2 meters above sea level, covering a total area of 240 hectares. The paths in the park are winding with verdant pines and cypresses along the way, forming ease and pleasant environment.
Historical relics of Gaogai Mountain Park
Gaogai Mountain is regarded as the third mountain in Fuzhou in the past. According to the legend, Xu Deng, a shepherd boy of the Han Dynasty, knew the secret of alchemy. He practiced in this mountain and then became an immortal. Later, local people built a temple on the mountain to commemorate Xu Deng.
Miaofeng Temple is the center of the Gaogai Mountain Park. The temple was founded in 866 of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), covering an area of 0.2 hectares. At that time, it was called Gaogai Temple. During the history, there were more than 100 monks in the temple. It was burned down during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it was rebuilt and renamed as Miaofeng Temple.
Today’s Miaofeng Temple was rebuilt in 1980. There are the Tianwang Hall, Daxiongbaodian Hall, Guanyin Pavilion, Haideng Master Memorial Hall and other buildings in the temple. There are three nine-story small pagodas in front of the temple, and there are four five-story small pagodas behind the temple. It covers an area of 2,048 square meters and faces to the northeast. Outside the temple, there are the fragrant magnolia, and fresh orange trees. There is an ancient well from the Song Dynasty outside the orange garden. The temple also preserves a large spherical meteorite, which is said from the outer universe. The temple also has a white stone Guanyin statue in front of the temple’s gate.
Today’s abbot in the temple is Master Shi Jiping, a disciple of Master Haideng, once lived in Hong Kong. Master Shi raised funds to reshape the golden body of the Eighteen Arhats and the Buddha status. He built the memorial hall of Master Haideng and rebuilt the Tianwang Hall, Guanyin Pavilion, and the main gate, making the ancient temple majestic and solemn.