Ciyun Monastery, situated on the Lion Mountain, Nanan District of Chongqing, was built during the Tang Dynasty. Originally, it was used as a Buddhist Temple. In 1927, it was renamed Haichan Monastery and serves as a co-ed monastery. Monks and nuns from different parts of the country would stay here when they went to pay religious homage to famous mountains and ancient temple.
Facing the Yangtze River, Ciyun Monastery commands a magnificent view of the area. The temple is considered one of the most beautiful religious edifices with bell-drum tower on either side. A jade statue of Sakyamuni is consecrated in the center of the hall. The statue is believed to have been brought from Burma by a lay Buddhist called Xiang Qianfa. The sculpture is 1.87 meters high, weighs over 1500 kilos, and considered one of the largest jade Buddhas in China. There are also two small well-preserved ones of 50 centimeters in height.
In the depository of Buddhist texts, a Song Dynasty Tripitaka (in 6000 volumes) is collected. There are also some other Buddhist scriptures, ancient finger calligraphy and paintings and whole sets of Buddhist pictures printed in Japan in its early years.
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