Xixin Chan Temple, Buddhist temple in Wangcheng District, Changsha, China
Xixin Chan Temple is a Buddhist temple at the foot of Mount Gaoding in Wangcheng District, about 8 km north of Changsha. Its 14 buildings include the Shanmen, Mahavira Hall, Hall of Four Heavenly Kings, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Founder's Hall and Dharma Hall. The first reconstruction phase, completed in December 2006, covered 360,000 square metres with over 30,000 square metres of floor space.
Master Hanyue Fazang established this complex in 1620 during the Ming Dynasty, originally naming it Xixin An before it was later transformed into a full temple. Major reconstruction in the early 2000s brought the structures back to functional religious use.
The name Xixin means "washing the heart," and the temple was first a hermitage called Xixin An. The former head of the Buddhist Association of China, Shi Yicheng, came from this temple and led its rebuilding. Each year on February 24 the temple marks the arrival of the four-faced Brahma statue donated by a Thai royal charity in 2008.
The temple sits at the base of Mount Gaoding on Changsha's northern edge and is accessible by public transportation and local buses. Visiting in early morning hours provides the best experience to observe daily activities and find quieter moments for reflection.
On February 24, 2008, the temple received a four-faced Brahma statue donated by the Thai First Generation Emperor Charity Fund, a gift tied to King Bhumibol's foundation. The statue stands as a record of the temple's links with Thailand during its early-2000s rebuilding under Master Yi Cheng.
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