Syuankong Temple
Located next to Nansi District, Tainan City, the Syuankong Temple was established by founding Abbot Cyuan Jhen in 1989. Occupying an area of about 3 hectares, the "Road of Life" on the temple site is planned with different kinds of special trees and stone art. Mountain white pines are grown extensively along the road to cast a quiet and beautiful shade, showcasing the temple’s natural beauty and harmony. The Syuankong Temple has become one of the major sightseeing spots in the district.
Syuankong Temple address:
No.107-1, Jhongsing Rd., Nansi Dist., Tainan City 715
Phone: 886-6-575-1455
Public Transportation:
(1) Take Tainan City Bus Green Line to Yujing Station and transfer to the Green 20, 22, 23, 24, or 25.
Bus Status Inquiry
(2) Alight at at Nansi Shuttle Bus stop. Turn left and walk down the road. At the intersection, take the lane on the right and walk down this road until some road signs that indicate further directions are in view.
(3) The Yongsing Suspension Bridge is located near the Syuankong Temple .
1. Geographical Environment
Syuankong Temple is located in the Nansi District, Tainan City, near the Zengwun Reservoir. It is surrounded by mountains and is a place endowed with the spirit of the universe and agreeable landscapes, like what Master Cyuan Jhen commented, "Full of Vigor and Vitality for Embracing Life, Sunlight Shines on Earth to Nourish All Things". At dawn, the air is fresh and when mist covers the peaks, it is as if they were shrouded by white lace. As the mist lifts, the scene is as poetic and artistic as fairyland. People’s spirits are lifted and refreshed when clouds roll across the peak. At dusk, the peak adopts a golden sheen as sunlight penetrates the clouds and the sunset glow puts a veil on the earth. Although the mountains around the temple are not tall, they look splendid, and the views at dawn and dusk are quite different.
2. Origins
According to Master Cyuan Jhen, "I am very grateful to the enlightenment of Sangharama Bodhisattva, the spiritual founder. Without his awakening, I would still be struggling in my career". At the beginning of the spiritual discourse, Sangharama Bodhisattva inspired Master Cyuan Jhen, "There are two choices for your life: industry encompassing hard work and anxiety; and karma comprising preaching and liberating all sentiment beings to achieve their sacred mission". With the continuous enlightenment of Sangharama Bodhisattva, Master Cyuan Jhen selected the latter, which led him to establish the Syuankong Temple . Sangharama Bodhisattva is a major dharmapala, defender of the Law. To defend the Buddhist law (dharma) and to liberate sentiment beings (sattva), Sangharama Bodhisattva demonstrated his might and appeared in different deity figures. The Jinjhaoyang Temple (Golden Morning Sun Temple), the origin of the Syuangong Temple, still stands north of the temple. Recognizing the loyalty, filial piety, chastity, justice, mercy, and benevolence and feeling the mercy and mighty Guan Yu, followers and believers must worship him at Jinjhaoyang Temple whenever they visit the Syuankong Temple .
In early March of the lunar calendar in 1988, devout believers visited Sing Tien Gong in Taipei to plead for the deity to send an incarnation to Nansi for worshipping purposes. Then, they built three wooden buildings as a temple for the incarnation of the deity. This is the location of the Jinjhaoyang Temple where a plaque with a golden inscription of the word Avalokiteśvara in Chinese is worshipped. According to the deity’s instruction, the temple is called Jinjhaoyang Temple. The deity also instructed that the aim of the practice to be based on this belief- "To liberate sentiment beings with loyalty, filial piety, chastity and justice refresh our mind and recall human nature to bring us back to the very nature and to liberate those having connections with Buddha (salambana) with great mercy and benevolence. This is done so to preach Buddhism and honor Buddha.”
On April 17 of the lunar calendar in 1990, the Tiangong Incense Burner was enthroned and the administration committee was formed. From then on, the Syuankong Temple became a place for believers and people from all sides to practice and liberate themselves. After the Tiangong Incense Burner was enthroned, the Eight Wheels of the Law (dhammacakka) and countless finger marks appeared on the plaque in golden characters.
On April 3 of the lunar calendar in 1991, deity Guan Yu proclaimed, "Three mountains surround the temple and five peaks are located on both sides where holy spirits gather in the morning for transfiguration to practice for the Pure Land (sukhavati). If people speak their problems here, it is like reporting to heavenly court". This is the deity’s clear revelation of the temple’s geography, location, mission, and position.
On February 2 of the lunar calendar in 1992, the enthronement of the new temple (previous location of the Jinjhaoyang Temple north of Syuankong Temple ) was held, with Master Cyuan Jhen presiding over the ceremony personally. This one-hour solemn and majestic ceremony attracted many believers. From then on the temple entered a new era of practice.
3. Process of Temple Construction
In his preaching, Master Cyuan Jhen emphasized that the timing for disseminating "the wisdom of emptiness" has come. Under the conscientious planning of the administration committee, after overcoming problems in land use procedures, the temple bought nearly 2 hectares of land near the old temple as the construction site for a new temple for preaching the "emptiness dharma". The first phase of the project was completed in March, 2002, including the Minsheng Alcove, Sinjing Alcove, Jingang Alcove, stone art landscapes, and the Four Heavenly Kings (Caturmahārājakayikas) Hall. On March 31 in the same year, the groundbreaking ceremony of the Syuankong Temple was held; it was also the birthday of Avalokiteśvara. The construction of the Syuankong Temple marked a new milestone of the temple. On the birthday of Sangharama Bodhisattva in 2002, the unveiling ceremony of the "Buddha’s Heart Stone" was held to bring a unique appearance to the Syuankong Temple . The stone is about 15 metric tons and it took three days and three nights to ship the stone to the temple from Hualien, making the task an extremely tough one. On the stone a huge Buddha character in Chinese and the full text of the Heart Sutra were inscribed to encourage people- "Let the Buddha live in our mind and let our mind embrace the Buddha to fulfill the perfect mission". The "Buddha Heart Stone" is the treasure of the temple with infinite and boundless wisdom.
4. Aim and Belief
"To liberate sentiment beings with loyalty, filial piety, chastity and justice refresh our mind and recall human nature to bring us back to the very nature and to liberate those having connections with Buddha (salambana) with great mercy and benevolence. This is done so to preach Buddhism and honor Buddha" is the aim of Shankong Temple . To liberate all kinds from sufferings and turn bad karmas into good karmas are the biggest wishes of Master Cyuan Jhen. Therefore, the Jhaoyang Temple was established in 1990 to "liberate those having connections with Buddha (salambana) with great mercy and benevolence". In doing so, the master hopes to gather good karma to achieve deeds.
5. Spirit of the Temple and the Meaning and Vision of the Jinjhaoyang Charity Association
Master Cyuan Jhen always told his disciples: mercy is the greatest power and mercy has no enemy. The Jhaoyang Charity Association was established on July 5, 1992 upon the spirit: compassion for all and all for compassion to liberate all from sufferings, hoping to nourish all with mercy and sacrifice, inspiring the good in our friends and relatives, disseminating the seed of love to the existing world. By gathering the compassion of all, we aim to help and save people in emergencies and poverty, guide people toward good, and promote social security, harmony, joy, and benefits.
Syuankong Temple is a group that realizes mutual actualization through a combinational practice of religious clergy and common people. Where "practice" is emphasized, we hope to inspire mercy in people through "practice". By upholding the teaching of Master Cyuan Jhen, disciples practice benevolence and wisdom through the motto: sacrifice, tolerance, realization, and action. With Master Cyuan Jhen’s doctrine encompassing benevolence, virtue, and wisdom, everybody practices Buddhism together. The Jhaoyang Charity Association provides opportunities for everyone to accomplish deeds and virtue. The mercy and tolerance doctrine of Master Cyuan Jhen eliminates frustration and anxiety, his preaching nourishes and cools our sentiment, depression, and sense of inequality which disappears to make way for wisdom. By developing benevolence and wisdom through practice and with the nourishment of the preaching of the master, volunteer worker of the Jhaoyang Charity Association have changed a lot of bad habits and misconceptions. As a result, many people have become more forgiving and tolerant in their career, getting along with others, and interpersonal interactions, and their family life is happier and fuller.
It has been over 20 years since the temple was established. To show and practice compassion is the ultimate goal of practice according to Master Cyuan Jhen. This is the way to liberate oneself and others and awaken oneself and others, so as to liberate all from sufferings, and instead, to enjoy happiness. Master Cyuan Jhen said, "We have helped many to achieve self-actualization. The deeds of many volunteer workers of Jhaoyang have won recognition and praise from society". Master Cyuan Jhen also told us, "We must show compassion for the public before self-actualization and we need to save others from sufferings whoever and whatever they are". The sacrificing spirit of Master Cyuan Jhen has motivated many volunteer workers to practice compassion. They also vow to follow the steps of Master Cyuan Jhen throughout their life to reach every corner that is in need of help, so as to sow the seeds of compassion and establish infinite good karma. In doing so, we attempt to help all in all of the existing worlds to cleanse their souls, live in true freedom, develop wisdom, and achieve benevolence. While showing compassion for the public, we hope that those who are inspired can find wisdom through deep reflections and self-realization and thereby liberating themselves from anxiety to achieve purity and compassion.
Master Cyuan Jhen founded the temple for disciples to practice together with the public, and by following the master’s steps, establish good karma with many different people. From nothing to everything, from being calculating, anxious, and painful before practice to letting all go after practice shows that when we let go, we redeem ourselves. May our tolerance grow and expand day after day because true liberation and happiness begin only after we let everything go.