Yunzhao Temple

Yunzhao Temple was formerly known as Jianglong An and was founded during the Taihe era of the Tang Dynasty by Master Daozong. Historically, the temple enshrined the Imperial Treasury’s Thousand‑Leaf Precious Lotus Buddha. In the thirtieth year of the Wanli reign, it was officially bestowed the name “Yunzhao Temple.” Perched atop a sheer summit, shrouded in clouds and veiled in mist, from below one can scarcely tell whether the temple is the cloud or the cloud is the temple—hence the name Yunzhao Temple. Standing proudly at the pinnacle of Panshan Mountain, the temple has long enjoyed a renowned reputation, regarded as the foremost among all the monasteries on the mountain and hailed as the “Buddhist Palace Amidst the Clouds.” When clouds rise at the mountaintop, its golden halls gleam with radiant splendor; when the clouds disperse, its jagged peaks sparkle in the light. Ascending this sacred site evokes the sense of gazing upward at a lofty pagoda that seems close to the heavens, while looking down upon the world below, where earthly affairs seem to swirl and churn. Emperor Qianlong himself praised this place as “supreme and wondrous.”

Ingot Stone

This massive boulder, weathered by wind and rain over the centuries, has taken on a shape that is wide at the top and narrow at the base—resembling a traditional ingot—hence its name, “Yuanbao Stone.” It truly stands as Pan Mountain’s treasured landmark. Carved upon it are the words: “Here lie lofty mountains, steep peaks, strange rocks, and rare pines,” inscribed by Ning Chun, a scholar‑candidate from ancient Miyun. Drawn to Pan Mountain by its unique scenery, he adapted a line from Wang Xizhi, the celebrated calligrapher of the Jin Dynasty, found in his Preface to the Orchid Pavilion: “Here lie lofty mountains, steep peaks, lush forests, and slender bamboo.” Believing that this phrase fell short of capturing the essence of Pan Mountain, he revised it to read: “Here lie lofty mountains, steep peaks, strange rocks, and rare pines.” In the lower right corner is an inscription left by the esteemed scholar Fu Zengxiang, who visited Pan Mountain on three separate occasions.

Pagoda of Master Puzhao

The Pagoda of Master Puzhao stands to the east of Wanghai Tower and was constructed in the second year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It is a hexagonal brick-and-stone structure, comprising a base, a body, five tiers of densely eaved cornices, and a finial. The base is a Sumeru pedestal built of stone, while the body is constructed of brick in a hexagonal plan; its eaves are adorned with carved bracket sets, and tower‑like finials are sculpted at the corners. In front of the pagoda stand two steles that document the temple’s setting and history: one is the “Stele of the Life and Deeds of Master Puzhao,” inscribed by Zhipu on the Mid-Autumn Festival in the thirty-second year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty; the other is the “Stele Erected to Reaffirm the Sect,” also known as the “Stele Commemorating the Continuation of the Tradition,” erected in the sixteenth year of the Daoguang era (1836). On May 16, 1992, the People’s Government of Jixian County designated it as a county‑level cultural relic protection site.

Wansong Temple

Wansong Temple is the largest temple on Panshan Mountain. Originally known as Li Jing An, it was named after the renowned Tang‑dynasty general Li Jing, who once resided here. In the early Qing period, the poet and imperial censor Song Luo remarked that “it would be improper to address a worthy predecessor by his given name,” and thus renamed it Weigong An. Wansong Temple is celebrated for its “green mountains and clear waters, misty moonlight among the vines, and pine‑scented breezes”; its “stately presence and solemn Buddhist statues make it truly one of the foremost monasteries in the eastern capital region.” The Zen master Puzhao once served as abbot, reciting the four‑character Buddha mantra and guiding others toward goodness. In the spring of the forty‑third year of the Kangxi reign (1704 AD), Emperor Kangxi, during another imperial tour, bestowed an imperial edict renaming the temple Wansong Temple. Today, though Wansong Temple still echoes with the ancient chime of its bells and stands beneath towering pagodas, it no longer bears the poetic imagery of its name—no thousand pines casting their shadows, no myriad valleys filled with the rustling of pines—nor does it possess that same exquisite charm.

New Mountain Gate

Comprising three tiers of platforms, the complex covers an area of 13,200 square meters and can accommodate up to 10,000 people simultaneously for large-scale performances and events. For this reason, it is also known as the Cultural Performance Plaza. Whenever Pan Shan hosts major gatherings, grand celebrations, or other significant occasions, these events are invariably held here—such as the large-scale festivities marking the 30th anniversary of Pan Shan’s opening in 2012, the annual Pan Shan Temple Fair, the opening ceremony of the Pan Shan Mountain Climbing Competition, and the opening of the Yuyang Golden Autumn Tourism Festival. Moreover, the Pan Shan Administration has traditionally staged its grand “Qianlong Ascends Pan Shan” reenactment here as well.

Archway

It serves both as the name of the paifang and as the name of the scenic spot—a quintessential example of naming a site after an object while honoring that object through the landscape. On the front face, the golden plaque bears the four characters “Genggu Mingshan,” written with vigorous strength yet graceful elegance and rounded finesse, creating an artistic harmony between calligraphy and architecture. These characters were adapted from the cliff‑side inscription “Genggu Mingshan” personally composed by the Qing emperor Kangxi during his first imperial tour of Panshan, intended to underscore the paifang’s distinguished status within the mountain complex and, at the same time, to highlight Panshan’s eminent place in the world. Throughout his reign, Emperor Kangxi visited Panshan on four occasions, leaving behind twelve poems and essays, as well as inscribed plaques and couplets for such sites as Wansong Temple, Yunfeng Fajie, Letianzhen, Panshan Xiufeng, Menwai Yifeng, Yunjing Temple, Panggu Temple, Qingfeng Temple, and Genggu Mingshan, among others.