Huguo Temple is one of the larger temple complexes on Fanjingshan's mid-slopes, and one of the oldest — historical records trace a temple at this location to the Tang dynasty, with substantial reconstruction in the Ming period when the mountain's Buddhist significance was formally recognised by the imperial court. The current buildings are Qing-era reconstruction, having survived both the fires and the Cultural Revolution demolitions that claimed the summit temples, largely because their mid-slope position made them less visible targets.
The temple complex includes several halls arranged on a hillside terrace, with views down into the forested valley below. The temple is a functioning religious site; monks and pilgrims use it throughout the year, and it serves as a rest stop for hikers on the ascent to the summit. Incense smoke from the main hall diffuses into the surrounding forest air on calm mornings, mixing with the mist that settles in the valley below.
Huguo Temple is accessible on foot from the base without using the cable car, on the traditional pilgrimage ascent route. The route passes through the forest and is the original way up the mountain before modern infrastructure was built.