Yufeng Temple
Because Buddhism has spread in our country for a long time and has had a great impact, and under the influence of this tradition, coupled with the flourishing of temple landscapes today, many people prefer to choose temples such as main tourist destinations. Yufeng Temple is one of those places that many friends enjoy visiting. Its specific location is in the south of Yulong Snow Mountain, Yulong County, Lijiang City.
Yufeng Temple was built during the Qing Dynasty, around the year 1700. According to records, in its heyday, the temple had approximately nine courtyards, of which the Great Hall and the upper and lower courtyards are well preserved. The Great Hall follows a siheyuan (quadrangular courtyard) design and is composed of the main hall, two tigers and an entrance pavilion. The layout is harmonious and symmetrical. The main hall is oriented from west to east, with a total width of about 16.3 meters and a total depth of about 12.6 meters, presenting a typical architectural style of the Qing Dynasty.
Around the temple, you can see flowing spring water and dense vegetation of pine and cypress trees. Furthermore, this is a must-see tourist spot in Lijiang. Upon entering the temple, you will find numerous plants of magnolia, camellia, cherry blossoms and other valuable tree species. Among them, the "Camellia of Ten Thousand Flowers" in the upper patio, famous throughout the world, stands out especially. The planting of these camellias dates back to the Kangxi period, about 300 years ago, and they are very characteristic, earning them titles such as "King of Camellias of the World". In the lower courtyard, there are plantations of the Yunnan magnolia, also known as "ten thousand aromas", with a long flowering season that extends from winter to spring, filling the ancient temple with fragrance. Between February and April, when Yulong Mountain is still covered in snow, the temple's camellias are already blooming, showing a stunning bright red. Even when peaches and plum trees have lost their blossoms and begin to bear fruit, camellias continue to bloom vigorously. From early spring to early summer, for about 100 days, camellias bloom in about 20 successive waves, with each wave containing about 1,000 flowers, making a total of more than 20,000 flowers. Each flower has a diameter of about 5 to 7 inches, which is why locals call them "Ten Thousand Flower Camellias." In particular, in March, even more flowers bloom, which can almost reflect the entire temple in resplendent red, earning the name "Bright Red Temple". Every year at this time, local residents invite their friends to come and enjoy the flowers.
The temple is close to Lijiang Ancient Town, so it can be reached by car. The layout of the temple is harmonious, oriented from west to east, with side wings, main hall and entrance pavilion. In the Great Hall hangs an inscription with the characters "Cang Zhi Yin Yu", which is said to have been written by a descendant of Confucius.
Yufeng Temple has a deep and long cultural history, and inside the temple there are many landscapes worth admiring. However, what stands out the most is the "Ten Thousand Flower Camellia", which is a unique feature of the place.
