Baolun Temple

Baolun Temple in Ciqikou is located opposite the Ciqikou Overpass, backed by Baiyan Mountain and facing the Jialing River. Because Emperor Jianwen once sought refuge here, it is also known as “Longyin Temple” (Hidden Dragon Temple). The temple has a long history and is one of the few remaining temples in the ancient town. In its heyday, the ancient temple was surrounded by layers of halls, dense forests, and birdsong, with evergreen pines and cypresses covering the temple grounds. It contained 16 halls and 372 Buddha statues. Unfortunately, the halls were destroyed in the wars at the end of the Ming Dynasty, leaving only the main hall. During the War of Resistance against Japan, some surviving meditation rooms in the rear hall were also destroyed by Japanese bombing raids on Chongqing. Baolun Temple in Ciqikou consists of the main hall, the Chuanzhu Hall, the Guanyin Pavilion, the Medicine King Hall, meditation rooms, and the Sutra Repository. The pillars of the main hall are made of horse chestnut wood, requiring two people to encircle them, and are about one foot in diameter. The entire structure of the main hall was built without a single nail. Inside the hall, dragons coil around the pillars, and phoenixes dance among the dragons. What’s remarkable is the two foundation pillars; one protrudes about a foot above the ground, while the other is recessed a few inches. The two pillars are perfectly balanced, without any sign of tilting, truly a masterpiece of craftsmanship. In front of the Buddha statue is a well called the “Release Well,” whose bottom leads directly to the “Nine Stone Jars” on the riverbank.