Temples and Locations

A list of the temples and other Buddhism-related locations I've visited in China.

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• Ayuwang Temple (阿育王寺), Ningbo, Zhejiang (浙江, 宁波市): Visited August 22, 2009; #7 on my list; #53 on the official list. This temple has (or had) a relic said to be a piece of the Shakyamuni Buddha's skull. It's named for King Ashoka, who widely distributed such relics in the centuries after the Buddha's death. More here.


• Baoguang Temple (宝光寺), Chengdu, Sichuan (四川, 成都市): Visited May 17, 2010; #22 on my list; #120 on the official list. The temple dates to the Tang Dynasty, though only the slightly-lopsided pagoda is that old. There's a good vegetarian restaurant on the grounds. More at Wikipedia.


• Bukenqu Guanyin Yuan (不肯去观音院), Putuoshan, Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山): Visited August 20, 2009; not on the official list. A new temple, it is named for another with an interesting history: a Japanese monk was trying to take a statue of Guanyin from Wutaishan to Japan, but there were storms, and the monk finally turned back and built a small hall here to house the statue, thus the name, "The Guanyin Who Refused to Go." More at Putuoshan.net.


• Caotang Temple (草堂寺), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市): Visited October 15, 2010; #41 on my list; #141 on the official list. This temple sits squarely on a plain surrounded by mountains. It was once a hut occupied by the great translator Kumarajiva; his tongue is preserved there after failing to burn at his cremation. More here.


• Chenxiangge (沉香阁), Shanghai (上海): Visited August 25, 2009; #9 on my list; #34 on the official list. The name of this "ge" (a kind of pavilion) means "agarwood," one of the aromatic woods from which incense is made. The small rear hall has a statue of Guanyin made of this; it is a replacement for an older one, now lost. (A little) More here.


• Chongde Temple (崇德寺), Jining, Shandong (山东, 济宁市): Visited April 3, 2010; not on the official list. A new temple, where I attended the groundbreaking with a former student (Ven. Yanti of Shaolin Temple) on April 3, 2010.


• Daci'en Temple (大慈恩寺), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市): Visited September 1, 2009; #17 on my list; #134 on the official list. Better known as the location of Xi'an's Great Goose Pagoda, this is one of the premier temples in China.
  More here.


• Daguanpeng (大觀蓬寺), Putuoshan, Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山): Visited August 21, 2009; not on the official list. A small temple, with not much inside


• Daming Temple (大明寺), Yangzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 扬州市): Visited July 26, 2010; #32 on my list; #46 on the official list. A Tang Period temple, and considered one of the seats of the Discipline Sect. Master Jianzhen was once the abbot. More at Wikipedia.


• Daxingshan Temple (大兴善寺), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市): Visited September 1, 2009; #16 on my list; #135 on the official list. An ancient temple in Xi'an known for the translations that were made there.
  More here.


• Dongshan Temple (东山寺), Shenzhen, Guangdong (广东, 深圳市): Visited numerous times; not on the official list. This small temple near the famous Dapeng Fortress was once clearly a Taoist site; on my last visit it was being transformed into a major Buddhist temple, with the first large hall nearly completed. More here.


• Fayu Temple (法雨寺), Putuoshan, Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山): Visited August 20, 2009; #4 on my list; #56 on the official list. One of three major temples on the island, it was founded around 1580. More at Wikipedia and at Putuoshan.net


• Feilai Feng (飞来峰), Hangzhou, Zhejiang (浙江, 杭州市): Visited August 18, 2009; not on the official list. Ranging along a hill in front of Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺), it has about 330 statues carved into natural stone. More at Wikipedia and at Travel China Guide.


• Feng Huang Shan Temple (凤凰山寺), Shenzhen, Guangdong (广东, 深圳市): Visited October 5, 2010; not on the official list. Formerly a Taoist temple, this ancient site near the Shenzhen Airport in Fuyong Town has been slowly turned into a Buddhist temple.


• Fragrant Cloud Path (香云路), Putuoshan, Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山): Visited August 20, 2009; not on the official list. This path runs from Huiji Temple at the top to Fayu temple at the bottom, over one kilometer.


• Gate of the Southern Heaven SEE Nantian Men


• Gaoming Temple (高旻寺), Yangzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 扬州市): Visited July 25, 2010; #31 on my list; #47 on the official list. Widely considered one of the strictest "boot camps" for training the most spiritual of monks. Located south of the city, on the Yangtze River. More at Wikipedia.


• Great Goose Pagoda (大雁塔), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市): Visited September 1, 2009; part of Daci'en Temple. This Tang-Dynasty gem stands on the grounds of Daci'en Temple. It housed the items brought from India by the monk Xuanzang. Also called "Great Wild Goose Pagoda" and other variations.
  More at Wikipedia.


• Guangji Temple (广济寺), Wuhu, Anhui (安徽, 芜湖市): Visited July 21, 2010; #23 on my list; #66 on the official list. It is considered a "small Jiuhua Shan," as the founding monk of that mountain stayed here on his way to the mountain dedicated to Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva. There is, then, a strong presence of Kshitigarbha in the halls. More here.


• Guangjiao Temple (广教寺), Nantong, Jiangsu (江苏, 南通市): Visited July 27, 2010; #34 on my list; #45 on the official list. One of several temples located on Langshan (Wolf Mountain) and reached by cable car. Its location at the conjunction of two rivers is spectacular. More here.


• Guangren Temple (广仁寺), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市): Visited August 31, 2009; #14 on my list; #137 on the official list. This temple is near the west gate of Xi'an (formerly Chang'an) once considered the east end of the Silk Road. It is associated with a Tibetan princess, and great lamas used to stay here when they visited this former capital city. More here.


• Guanyin's Leap (观音跳), Putuoshan, Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山): Visited August 20, 2009; not on the official list. The stone rests on the beach inside the gates of Xifang Jingyuan (西方净苑). From there you can see Luojiashan (洛迦山), to which Guanyin allegedly leaped (a little over 5km!).


• Guanyinshan Temple (观音山寺), Shenzhen, Guangdong (广东, 深圳市): Visited numerous times; not on the official list. Also called Longyan Temple (龙岩寺). This has been a Taoist site, very near the center of the town of Dapeng; but plans are afoot to build a monumental statue of Guanyin on a nearby mountain and transform the sleepy little location into a Major Tourist Site. The key feature to date has been the huge boulder cantilevered out from the hillside, providing a natural roof over the altar. More here. (The picture may look familiar!)


• Hanshan Temple (寒山寺), Suzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 苏州市): Visited July 29, 2010; #38 on my list; #39 on the official list. One of the most crowded temples I've seen, but filled with interesting sights. The name celebrates the (perhaps legendary) residency of the monk/poet Hanshan ("Cold Mountain"). More at Wikipedia.


• Home of Confucius (孔府), Qufu, Shandong (山东, 曲阜市): Visited April 4, 2010; not a temple at all. Though probably nothing like it was when he lived here, this l;arge, ancient-looking mansion has numerous artifacts associated with the life of the great Chinese scholar.
  More at Wikipedia.


• Hongfa Temple (弘法寺), Shenzhen, Guangdong (广东, 深圳市): Visited numerous times, starting in 2004; not on the official list. A new(ish) temple built as a showcase, it was the home of the great Master Ben Huan for his last 20 years; he died there in 2012.
  More here.


• Huayan Temple (华严寺), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市): Visited October 14, 2010; not on the official list. Little remains of Huayan Temple, once the seat of the Huayan (Avatamsaka) Sect. The former temple grounds down on the plain have been replaced by a state school, and of the five pagodas originally on the bluff above, three have slid down the hillside and been destroyed, leaving only two behind. More here.


• Huiji Temple (慧济寺), Putuoshan, Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山): Visited August 20, 2009; my #3 on my list; #57 on the official list. One of three major temples on the island, it is located near the highest peak on the island, but can be reached by shuttle bus and cable car. More at Putuoshan.net


• Jiaoshan Dinghui Temple (焦山定慧寺), Zhenjiang, Jiangsu (江苏, 镇江市): Visited July 24, 2010; #30 on my list; #42 on the official list. Located on a small island in the Yangtze River, this mostly-new temple (albeit founded in 194!) is reached by ferry. More here.


• Jing'an Temple (静安寺), Shanghai (上海): Visited August 26, 2009; #13 on my list; #32 on the official list. Lending its name to a busy district in Shanghai (belying its "peaceful" name), Jing'an is small but majestic, and least in its newest incarnation. Buildings were going up as I visited, and were beginning to be furnished when I visited again over two year later. More at Wikipedia.


• Jingci Temple (净慈寺), Hangzhou, Zhejiang (浙江, 杭州市): Visited August 18, 2009; my #2 on my list; #50 on the official list. Built in 954 on the shores of West Lake, it is slowly making a comeback from its once-decimated state. A little More at Wikipedia.


• Jingye Temple (净业寺), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市): Visited October 15, 2010; #40 on my list; #140 on the official list. Jingye Temple, high on a mountain in the Nanshan range south of Xi'an, is famous as the gateway to the remote pagoda housing the remains of the great monk biographer Daoxuan. Because of storm damage, I was unable to climb to his pagoda on my visit.


• Jinshan Jiangtian Temple (金山江天寺), Zhenjiang, Jiangsu (江苏, 镇江市): Visited July 23, 2010; #28 on my list; #41 on the official list. Monk Fahai is said to have found gold in a cave on this island, which he used to renovate Jiangtian ("River Heaven") Temple; hence the addition of "Jinshan" ("Gold Mountain") to the name. More here.


• Langya Temple (琅琊寺), Chuzhou, Anhui (安徽, 滁州市): Visited July 22, 2010; #25 on my list; #65 on the official list. Langya Temple is located inside a national park, but retains a remote feeling. Its "Beamless Hall" and winding paths breathe a spirit of age. More here.


• Linggu Temple (灵谷寺), Nanjing, Jiangsu (江苏, 南京市): Visited July 23, 2010; #27 on my list; #36 on the official list. In a large park, near the tomb of Sun Yat-sen. The temple compound itself is quite small, but several structures in the area, such as the "Beamless Hall" and a pagoda, are counted among its treasures. More at Wikipedia.


• Lingyanshan Temple (灵岩山寺), Suzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 苏州市): Visited July 29, 2010; #37 on my list; #40 on the official list. Located near the shores of Lake Tai, the temple is the only one on my Suzhou list that requires some mountain climbing. More here.


• Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺), Hangzhou, Zhejiang (浙江, 杭州市): Visited August 18, 2009; #1 on my list; #49 on the official list. Tradition says it was founded by an "Indian" monk called Huili in 328 CE; it reached its peak in the 10th century. More at Wikipedia.


• Longhua Temple (龙华寺), Shanghai (上海): Visited August 25, 2009; #10 on my list; #33 on the official list. A beautiful temple with lots of wonderful halls, it's situated next to a major cemetery to the southeast of downtown. The temple was founded in 242 AD; the pagoda was built in 977. More at Wikipedia.


• Longchang Temple (隆昌寺), Jurong, Jiangsu (江苏, 句容市): Visited July 24, 2010; #29 on my list; #48 on the official list. Located on a remote mountain in a national park, the temple maintains an ancient ordination platform. More here.


• Luojiashan (洛迦山) SEE Guanyin's Leap.


• Mingjiao Temple (明教寺), Hefei, Anhui (安徽, 合肥市): Visited July 21, 2010; #24 on my list; #62 on the official list. The temple is located in the center of a pedestrian mall downtown. It sits up on a platform which was once (it is said) used by General Cao Cao for reviewing his troops. More here.


• Nanhai Guanyin (南海观音), Putuoshan, Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山): Visited August 20, 2009; not on the official list. This colossal statue of the Bodhisattva of Compassion is appropriately located on the shores of the South Sea. More at Putuoshan.net


• Nantian Men (南天门), Putuoshan, Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山): Visited August 21, 2009; not on the official list. A stone portal at the south end of the island, it leads into the forecourt of Daguanpeng Temple.


• Peak that Flew from Afar SEE Feilai Feng


• Puji Temple (普济寺), Putuoshan, Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山): Visited August 21, 2009; #5 on my list; #55 on the official list. One of three major temples on the island, it was built in 916 as the original Bukenqu Guanyin Temple. It is the transportation hub from which shuttle buses leave for other parts of trhe island. More at Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puji_Temple and at Putuoshan.net


• Putuoshan (普陀山): an island in Zhejiang (浙江) dedicated to Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.


• Qita Temple (七塔寺), Ningbo, Zhejiang (浙江, 宁波市): Visited August 23, 2009; #8 on my list; # on my list; #51 on the official list. The only urban temple on my Ningbo itinerary, it is mostly new, with fine gray-brick buildings, light-toned woodwork, and exquisite statues. Seven (new) pagodas stand out on the street, reflecting the temple's name. More here.


• Qixia Temple (栖霞寺), Nanjing, Jiangsu (江苏, 南京市): Visited July 22, 2010; #26 on my list; #37 on the official list. In a park over 20km outside the city, its most notable feature is the Tang-period pagoda and the grottoes behind it. More at Wikipedia.


• Terracotta Warriors (兵马俑), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市): Visited August 30, 2009; not a temple at all. The famous army of clay warriors meant to guard the tomb of Emperor Qin (from whose name we get the word "China") is located less than an hour's bus-ride from the city of Xi'an. More at Wikipedia.


• Tianning Temple (天宁寺), Changzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 常州市): Visited July 26, 2010; #33 on my list; #43 on the official list. In the center of the city, the temple's new pagoda at 153.79 meters (505 ft) is said to be the tallest wooden structure in the world. It can be seen from a great distance. More at Wikipedia.


• Tiantong Temple (天童寺), Ningbo, Zhejiang (浙江, 宁波市): Visited August 22, 2009; #6 on my list; #52 on the official list. A major Chan (Zen) temple, where Dogen Zenji came to study with the monk Rujing, taking Caodong Chan (Soto Zen) back to Japan. More here.


• Wenshu Yuan (文殊院), Chengdu, Sichuan (四川, 成都市): Visited May 15, 2010; #19 on my list; #119 on the official list. In the heart of the city, it features numerous historic relics and oddities, including a relic of the great monk Xuan Zang, and a sutra written in blood. More here.


• Wuyou Temple (乌尤寺), Leshan, Sichuan (四川, 乐山市): Visited May 16, 2010; #21 on my list; #121 on the official list. Located on a remote hilltop seemingly far from the crowds at Leshan's Big Buddha, this temple has a 500 Arhats' Hall and is dedicated to an esoteric Buddhist figure. More here.


• Wolong Temple (卧龙寺), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市): Visited August 31, 2009; #15 on my list; #136 on the official list. "Sleeping Dragon" Temple is over 1800 years old, though much of it is being rebuilt or restored now. It's located inside and very near Xi'an's South Gate. More (but very little) at Wikipedia.


• Xiangyun Lu SEE Fragrant Cloud Path


• Xiangji Temple (香积寺), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市): Visited October 16, 2010; #42 on my list; #139 on the official list. Xiangji Temple was once an active Pure Land site; it has a pagoda in the grounds dedicated to the Pure Land patriarch Shandao, and another standing lonely outside the walls in the local village, and dedicated to Shandao's disciple Jingye. More here.


• Xifang Jingyuan (西方净苑), Putuoshan, Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山): Visited August 20, 2009; not on the official list. A small temple inside whose gates is found the stone from which Guanyin "leapt."


• Xingguochan Temple (兴国禅寺), Ji'nan, Shandong (山东, 济南市): Visited April 5, 2010; #18 on my list; #94 on the official list. Located on Qianfo Shan (Thousand-Buddha Mountain) in the heart of the city, this temple has been recently restored, and is at the heart of a sort of "Buddhist theme park" with colossal statuary and lots of modern attractions. More at Wikipedia.


• Xingjiao Temple (兴教寺), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市): Visited October 14, 2010; #39 on my list; #138 on the official list. This small, remote temple southeast of Xi'an is the last resting place opf the great Tang-Dynasty Monk Xuanzang and his two companions, Kuiji and Yuance. More here.


• Xingyun's Birthplace (星云大师的出生地), Jiangdu, Jiangsu (江苏 ,江都区): Visited July 25, 2010; not a temple at all. I spent quite some time searching out the Yangzhou birthplace of the Master who built the temple and university where I studied in Los Angeles. Though I can't be sure this is the spot, his relatives in the house said it was. More at Wikipedia.


• Xiyuan Jiechuang Temple (西园戒幢寺), Suzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 苏州市): Visited July 28, 2010; #35 on my list; #38 on the official list. True to its name, Xiyuan has a beautiful West Garden. There is also a fine 500 Arhats' Hall, and excellent English signage throughout the temple. More here.


• Yuanming Jiangtang (圆明讲堂), Shanghai (上海): Visited August 25, 2009; #11 on my list; #35 on the official list. This temple is currently little More than a group of office buildings, though plans to expand (and relocate?) are in the works. I arrived during a lively evening service; there's no shortage of devotees. There is almost no information available in English online.


• Yufo Temple (玉佛寺), Shanghai (上海): Visited August 26, 2009; #13 on my list; #31 on the official list. "Jade Buddha" Temple has numerous jade figures, and a fine modern coffee/tea shop outside the gates. It was founded in the 1880s to house two Burmese statues sent back by a Chinese monk. More at Wikipedia.


• Yushan Xingfu Temple (虞山兴福寺), Changshu, Jiangsu (江苏, 常熟市): Visited July 28, 2010; #36 on my list; #44 on the official list. This temple at the base of Yushan Mountain has a stone in the main hall which has natural markings that resemble the Chinese characters for "Flourishing Luck" ("Xingfu"). More here.


• Zhaojue Temple (昭觉寺), Chengdu, Sichuan (四川, 成都市): Visited May 15, 2010; #20 on my list; #118 on the official list. Located next to Chengdu's zoo, the lushly-treed temple is notable for its practice of esoteric Buddhism. More here.


• Zizhulin (紫竹林), Putuoshan, Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山): Visited August 20, 2009; not on the official list. Near Nanhai Guanyin. More at Putuoshan.net