In October of 2011, a monk friend took me on a whirlwind tour of temples in his hometown of Fu'an. He told me that this "town" of 600,000 (200,000 in the city center) has over 300 Buddhist temples! Many are no more than a single small hall. Modest-sized Zhongde Temple, he said, was the largest.
Posted to Reddit and Bluesky, July 4, 2025
The Main Hall at Qiyun Temple, Fu'an, Fujian, where my friend Venerable Deru lives. He drove me to Huayan Temple on Zhiti Mountain in Ningde and to a half-dozen temples in Fu'an, including this one. I didn't get to see the interior of the hall as the evening service was in progress.
Posted to Reddit and Bluesky, June 12, 2025
The Jade Buddha in a spectacular setting on the main altar at Tiantang Temple on Tianma Mountain, Fu'an, Fujian. I was told by the monk who brought me there that the characters on the wall behind are "a sutra," but he didn't say which one.
Posted to Reddit et al, May 20, 2025
These two good friends are the abbess Yixiang and my long-time monk friend Deru, at Xiangshan Temple on Tianma Shan, Fu'an, Fujian, a place known locally for its excellent cooking. Deru (whom I had known for years) took me there for dinner and tea after a day of templing in his hometown of Fu'an.
Posted to Reddit et al, April 30, 2025
