Qiu Chuji fought the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan here, an ancient temple as old as Lingyin Temple!

In Jin Yong's "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan fought Qiu Chuji at the invitation of Jiao Mu at Dongyue Fahua Temple. In front of the temple is the pagoda of Zhao Puchu, president of Xiling Seal Art Society and president of the Buddhist Association of China. Fahua Temple is located near Old Dongyue, on the north slope of Beigao Peak, with a history of more than 1,700 years. Thanks to Lingshun Temple, the "No. 1 God of Wealth Temple in the World," Fahua Temple has many pilgrims praying for wealth and education. If you are afraid of the crowds at Lingyin Temple and Santianzhu on the south slope of Beigao Peak, you can visit Fahua Temple for a quiet experience. The founder of Fahua Temple was the eminent monk Tanyi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He became a monk at the age of seven and recited the "Lotus Sutra" for 12 years. Samantabhadra once transformed into a beautiful woman to seduce Tanyi. Unlike Bajie, who was not firm in his Zen mind, Master Tanyi passed the test. This story was written into the Song and Yuan dynasty storybooks, namely "The Monk Yue Ming Saves Cui Liu." Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Gou, once stayed at Fahua Temple and renamed it "Longgui Temple." Because he visited Dongyue Village, this valley was named "Longjuwu." Later, Zhao Gou often went along the Xixi Imperial Road to Dongxiao Palace. Fahuawu is full of early plum blossoms and tea trees. Fahua tea is recorded in the "Qiantang County Annals," comparable to Longjing tea and Jingshan tea. Here is also the most beautiful Huawu among the 18 valleys of Xixi. The prototype of "Qinfang Creek" in "Dream of the Red Chamber" is Liufang Creek under the temple. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the "Four Great Families" of Hong, Gu, Huang, and Qian had their estates here, which were also the prototypes of Jia, Shi, Wang, and Xue in "Dream of the Red Chamber." Su Shi and Wang Anshi climbed Beigao Peak many times, when the Beigao Peak Pagoda was still there. There are many cultural relics in the Old Dongyue area, such as the tomb of the Italian missionary Matteo Ricci, a provincial cultural relic protection unit; the "Fangjing Taoyuan Ridge" inscribed by Mi Fu and Hong Zhong. Fahua Temple has always been a popular pilgrimage route. When Emperor Kangxi first visited Hangzhou, he went to Dongyue Temple to offer incense before going to Xixi to enjoy the plum blossoms. After crossing Taiping Bridge, he went to Gao Shiqi's Xixi Villa (Gaozhuang) to enjoy the plum blossoms and inscribed the "Bamboo Window" plaque. Emperor Qianlong also visited Dongyue to enjoy the plum blossoms and wrote poems.