Xinxing is the birthplace and final resting place of Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism. Known as a millennium-old Zen capital, it has always attracted visitors from near and far. This emerging small town in western Guangdong is uniquely characterized by its deep, secluded mountains stretching for thousands of miles, surrounded by streams and flowing waters. Here and there, ancient temples dating back a thousand years stand proudly halfway up the mountains, with incense rising gently into the air.
Adjacent to the emerging Sixth Patriarch Avenue lies Chanyu Town, a comprehensive cultural tourism base themed around Zen. It features multiple districts including Chanyin Hall, a commercial street, and Yatu Hotel. The commercial street offers a wide range of shopping, entertainment, accommodation, and experiential services for tourists, regularly hosting Zen-themed exhibitions and performances.
The scenic area blends Zen culture with the rustic and refined traits of Lingnan and the grandeur and classical style of the Tang Dynasty. Every stone-paved street, every row of shops, and the riverside way of life evoke the ancient Lingnan region from centuries ago, allowing visitors to escape the bustle of modern life and immerse themselves in a serene Zen atmosphere.
The first large-scale audio-visual live performance in Lingnan, titled “Zen Holy Land: Sixth Patriarch Huineng”, is an epic work composed of eight chapters: “Zen Land, Zen Pulse, Zen Fate, Zen Sound, Zen Method, Zen Realm, Zen Holy, and Zen Enlightenment”. It vividly recreates the life story of Huineng’s enlightenment and his propagation of Buddhism.
Huineng’s legendary journey of hearing, seeking, attaining, and preaching has been widely discussed worldwide. The design team studied Huineng’s path to enlightenment, along with Zen scriptures and historical records, aiming to create a space that not only entertains and facilitates shopping but also allows visitors to appreciate the profound life of Huineng and the deep cultural heritage of Zen Buddhism.
The designers found that the stories of Huineng and Zen Buddhism are not only rich in spiritual meaning but also accessible and relatable to the general public. Thus, these Zen narratives were abstracted and artistically transformed into Zen-themed cultural landscapes that unfold gradually along the commercial streets.
Zenyu Town represents a key project integrating BIM design with tourism, serving as an important platform to explore, preserve, and inherit Zen culture. Our goal was to contribute not only through design but also in product planning for the entire project—to enhance the emerging tourism market systematically while showcasing and preserving the rich Zen heritage.
— Lead Designer Zhang Da
Ancestor asked: “Who are you and what do you desire?”
Huineng replied: “I am a native of Xinzhou, Lingnan. I only seek to become a Buddha, without desire for anything else.”
Ancestor responded: “You are from Lingnan, yet also a demon. Are you truly worthy of becoming a Buddha?”
Huineng answered: “Although people come from north and south, Buddha nature transcends such distinctions.”
What is the difference in Buddha nature between a monk’s body and a demon’s body?
Huineng was born and preached in Lingnan. His contributions to Zen culture marked the transformation of Indian Zen into Chinese Zen, establishing Lingnan’s significance as the birthplace of Zen culture. Early Qing Dynasty scholar Li Feiyue wrote in his poetry: “Lingnan was originally a place of Zen Buddhism, and the surname Lu has been passed down through generations.”
The commercial street of Chanyu Town integrates architecture, waterways, stone landscapes, and plants, creating a harmonious environment using the technique of “bringing the mountains and forests within reach”. Visitors feel transported back to the time of Huineng’s teachings, surrounded by tranquility and the spirit of Zen amidst the changing landscape.
Streams, water valleys, and spring pools are everywhere in Lingnan, forming diverse ponds with carefully designed plantings along their edges. Bridges, corridors, and pavilions are closely woven into the landscape, creating a simple yet beautiful artistic atmosphere.
A water feature called “Yunshui Street” runs along the central axis of the road like a flowing stream in front of houses. Green trees and pavilions are placed alongside, complementing the carefully designed landscapes in front of the shops and homes. This creates a picturesque scene reminiscent of life in a Lingnan water town by the river.
The Five Ancestors composed verses, including Shenxiu’s poem:
“The body is a Bodhi tree, and the mind a mirror stand.
Wipe it clean, and let no dust alight.”
The Sixth Patriarch replied:
“Bodhi has no tree, nor is there a mirror stand.
Originally there was nothing — where could dust arise?”
The entrance square of the commercial street is designed with mirrored water and rows of trees along one of its main axes. From this vantage point, the mirrored water reflects the Quelou gate, the distant mountain pagoda, and the swaying trees lining the path, creating a clean, minimalistic, and vibrant Zen space.
The clear mirror-like water reflects the surroundings beautifully, decorated with cloud motifs that resemble clouds yet are not clouds, a platform yet not a platform — blending reality and illusion harmoniously. This poetic imagery poses the question: where could dust possibly arise? A white lotus sculpture, artistically designed and placed in the water, symbolizes purity and clarity.
The ancestors ordered to board the ship, with the Five Ancestors rowing themselves.
Huineng said: “Please sit down, monk, and let us row together.”
Zuyun replied: “He is helping me cross.”
Huineng explained: “Lost in the moment, master the passage, and realize your own path; though the names are the same, their functions differ.”
Live scene © Xinxing Dingsheng Cultural Industry Investment Co., Ltd
The covered bridge is a classic water activity space in traditional gardens. In the design, a corridor bridge extends activity space over the water, represented by modern materials and appearance. It combines the functions of a bridge, a bookstore, and a water bar.
The combination of dark gray metal and wooden lattice creates a simple, modern look that harmonizes with the commercial street architecture without overwhelming it. People on the bridge watch those on the shore, and vice versa, enriching the street’s atmosphere with the presence of the bookstore.
Additionally, the “bridge” symbolizes crossing the river, an allegory for spiritual progress. Functionally, it reflects Huineng’s teaching about “being lost in time, guided by the master, and achieving self-realization.” The bookstore’s presence suggests the use of knowledge to guide others, embodying the spiritual concept of “guiding others and oneself.”
During Master Yinzong’s lecture, flags occasionally fluttered in the wind.
One monk said, “The wind is moving.”
Another said, “The banners are moving.”
The debate continued endlessly until Huineng said:
“It is neither the wind nor the banners that move; it is the heart of the compassionate that moves.”
Upon hearing this, Emperor Yin appointed the Sixth Patriarch as his teacher. From that moment, Huineng emerged from the mountains to practice and spread Zen teachings.
© Xinxing Dingsheng Cultural Industry Investment Co., Ltd
Fengfan Square is located at an open plaza within the commercial street, designed as a space for Zen cultural exchange. It recreates the scene of the Six Ancestors discussing the movement of the Fengfan in an antique style.
© Xinxing Dingsheng Cultural Industry Investment Co., Ltd
© Xinxing Dingsheng Cultural Industry Investment Co., Ltd
“The flowers and leaves of the world lack harmony. When placed in the golden pot, their leaves turn to dust. Only the green and red lotus flowers, rolling and opening freely, remain pure and innocent.”
The lotus is a recurring symbol in Zen culture, and Chanyu Town incorporates the lotus as a key element in its landscape design. The lotus represents the pure and uncontaminated wisdom of Zen Buddhism. Growing from the mud yet remaining unstained, the lotus symbolizes how Buddhist wisdom emerges from a polluted world, untouched and pure.
▲ Lotus-themed landscape
▲ Step-by-step growing lotus
▲ Indoor lotus element
Today, Chanyu Town has become a fresh and emerging tourist destination, attracting visitors with its thousand-year-old Zen culture and the charm of Lingnan’s clear waters and mountains. The white walls and black tiles, ancient ambiance, bustling shops, and lingering incense create an atmosphere where Zen culture seems to permeate everyday life, cleansing the heart and expressing Zen in a new form.
Project Information:
Project Name: Yunfu Xinxing Chanyu Town Commercial Block
Client: Xinxing Dingsheng Cultural Industry Investment Co., Ltd
Project Type: Commercial Space and Industrial Park
Project Area: 60,878 square meters
Design Year: 2017
Completion Year: 2018
Landscape Design: GVL Yijing International Design Group
Architectural Design: Tianmeng International Design
Construction: Guangzhou Huahui Landscape Engineering Co., Ltd
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