Sanzu Temple & Shangu Liuquan Inscriptions

三祖寺·山谷流泉

The Chan Buddhist training ground of Third Patriarch Sengcan, which together with the Juejì Pagoda and the Shangu Liuquan cliff inscriptions forms the Chan cultural center at the foot of Tianzhu Mountain.

Sanzu Temple is located in Yezhai Town on the south foot of Tianzhu Mountain. It was first built during the Liang dynasty of the Southern Dynasties. During the Sui dynasty, Sengcan, the Third Patriarch of Chan Buddhism, taught here. In the Tang dynasty it was granted the name Shangu Temple, and it later became known as Sanzu Temple. It is an important ancestral site of Chinese Chan Buddhism. The Juejì Pagoda, also called the Third Patriarch Pagoda, is the temple's landmark, and from the top you can look out over the Qian River and the surrounding mountains. Behind the temple are remains such as the Sanzu Cave and the Jiefu Stone. Right next to it, the Shangu Liuquan cliff inscriptions are spread along the valley, with about 300 inscriptions dating from the Tang and Song dynasties. Wang Anshi, Huang Tingjian, and Su Shi all left inscriptions here. The site is a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit, and Huang Tingjian's self-styled name, “Shangu Daoren” (Mountain Valley Daoist), is related to this place. A visit takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. A ticket to the main Tianzhu Mountain scenic area includes free entry to the Shangu Liuquan Cultural Park, while a separate ticket costs about 20 yuan. Sanzu Temple also has its own opening arrangements set by the temple management. Getting there: take a bus or taxi from Qianshan Station, about 30 minutes to Yezhai.

Sanzu Temple & Shangu Liuquan Inscriptions

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