The Origin and History of Yangzhou Temples - Wofo Temple

by lhltckfrtg on 2012-03-01 15:49:04

Wofo Temple, also known as Shufo Temple, is located to the south of Jiangdu Road and east of Yuejin Bridge. It was initially built during the Tang Dynasty, destroyed by war in the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty, and later rebuilt. The temple gate faces east, and there are two large halls facing south within the temple, one of which is a multi-storied hall. A wooden carved reclining Buddha statue of Tathagata is enshrined upstairs, covered with brocade. There is an operable mechanism installed at the waist of the statue, with its switch hidden in the stair steps. If someone steps on the switch while climbing the stairs, the reclining Buddha will sit up, greatly startling those who are unaware. There are wells and several large ginkgo trees in the temple yard. By the time of liberation (referring to the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949), Wofo Temple still had 12 rooms and 12 monks in residence, with Yuanlin as the abbot. In 1951, the PLA 120 Hospital was established based on the temple buildings. Afterwards, the old houses were gradually demolished and new ones were built. Today, none of the original temple buildings remain, but the well and ginkgo trees are still there, and have been listed as protected cultural relics. The current Jiangsu Provincial Armed Police Hospital is located at the former site of Wofo Temple.