Special Forces-style tourism | Self-driving to check in at Dangyang Dumen Temple: Master Shenxiu is present + Northern School ancestral temple

Dumen Temple, formerly a branch of Yuquan Temple, was built in the second year of Datong in the Northern and Southern Dynasties (528 AD). It is located in Dumen Temple Village, Wangdian Town, Dangyang City, Hubei Province, seven miles east of Lenga Peak and Yuquan Temple. It was the place where the eminent monk Shenxiu of the Tang Dynasty preached, and is also known as the "First Place of the Northern School" and the "Ancestral Temple of the Northern School". The temple was built by Empress Wu Zetian in recognition of the merits of Master Shenxiu. After the Song and Yuan Dynasties, it went through several ups and downs. During the Republic of China period, a hexagonal nine-story brick and stone tower still existed in the temple. It was destroyed in the 1960s. The remaining parts include the tomb of National Master Shenxiu, two broken steles, and the tomb tower of Zen Master Wuji. After renovation, Dumen Temple has restored its original appearance during its heyday in history. Shenxiu (606-706 AD) became a monk and followed Master Hongren to spread Buddhism. After Hongren passed away, he came to Dumen Temple and taught Buddhism for 20 years, attracting tens of thousands of monks from all over the world, creating an unprecedented grand occasion. Later, he was ordered by Wu Zetian to preach in Chang'an for many years. He was respected as "the Dharma Master of the Two Capitals (Chang'an and Luoyang), and the National Master of Three Emperors (Wu Zetian, Tang Zhongzong, and Tang Ruizong)" 🌈Highlights: ✅ Dumen Temple is a Buddhist holy place and also a scenic tourist spot. Li Bai, Meng Haoran, Zhang Jiuling, Jia Dao, Yuan Zhen and others have left poems here one after another. ✅The mountain gate consists of five rooms and one door. The top is in the shape of a Chinese character "品", with three staggered eaves covered with small green tiles, brick-carved brackets under the eaves, and ink-painted cloud patterns on the walls. Inside the mountain gate is a spacious courtyard with monks' rooms and dining halls on both sides. The laurel in the courtyard was planted by Shenxiu, and there is also an ancient crape myrtle. ✅After Shenxiu's death, he was granted the title of Datong Zen Master, and according to Shenxiu's will, an imperial decree was issued to bury him in Dumen Temple. The left prime minister, Duke of Yan, Zhang Shuo, wrote an inscription for Zen Master Datong and had his deeds inscribed on a stone, but the stele was later destroyed. 🎫Tickets: Free 🚗Transportation: It is recommended to drive by navigation