High on the slopes of Xiushan Mountain, Puguang Monastery emerges from the dense forest canopy. As the oldest Buddhist foundation on the mountain, its origins reach back to the Tang dynasty's Nanzhao Kingdom, with the formal temple established in 1249 during the Dali Kingdom. The site is deeply tied to the legend of Monk Li Panfu, a wealthy local who renounced his fortune for monastic life. Local lore claims he used his monk's staff to pierce a rock cave, draining the waters of Qilu Lake to reveal thousands of acres of fertile farmland. Following his death, his disciple rebuilt the temple, naming it Puguang—"Universal Light"—after a miraculous five-colored aura reportedly seen glowing over the grounds.

The buildings themselves record centuries of architectural evolution. The main hall survives from the Yuan dynasty, featuring a distinct Mongolian-style interlocking wooden bracket system. During the Qing dynasty, under the Qianlong Emperor, the monastery underwent a significant transformation. The traditional north-south axial symmetry gave way to an east-west garden layout. Today, visitors walk through three interconnected courtyards—a central main yard, an eastern inner courtyard, and a western bonsai garden—all shaded by ancient, towering trees.

Physical remnants of the temple's long history are scattered throughout the grounds. Two solemn Yuan dynasty stone pagodas stand in memory of Monk Li Panfu. In the eastern courtyard, spring water drips continuously from a rock crevice into the "Washing Bowl Pool," a basin carved directly into the mountain stone. A weathered stone stele erected in 1377 quietly anchors the site, offering a direct textual link to the monks who walked these same mountain paths over six centuries ago.