Jiquan Temple 🏯

📍 Address: Tanghe Road, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province

🌿 Historical Evolution

Jiquan Temple was originally established during the Liang Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties in 502 AD, making it over 1,500 years old and one of the oldest surviving Buddhist temples in the Hangzhou region. Initially named "Lingquan Academy," it derived its current name "Jiquan" from a spring within the temple grounds that never runs dry and offers exceptionally pure, sweet water. During the Tang Dynasty, it was renamed Jiquan Temple and underwent multiple reconstructions through the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The most extensive renovation occurred during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, which laid the foundation for the temple’s present architectural layout.

🏛️ Architecture and Layout

Built into the mountainside and facing south with a north-south axis, the temple follows a symmetrical design covering approximately 3,000 square meters. Key structures include the mountain gate, Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings, Great Buddha Hall, Scripture Pavilion, and bell and drum towers. The Great Buddha Hall features a single-eaved hip roof with a timber frame using raised beam construction; bracket sets are displayed beneath the eaves, preserving original Ming Dynasty craftsmanship. On either side of the front stone steps stand two intricately carved Qing Dynasty stone lions, exuding solemn grandeur. Behind the temple lies the ancient spring site, with a stone-walled spring mouth and an inscribed stele titled Jiquan Ji (Record of Jiquan), personally composed by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty.

📜 Cultural Relics and Collections

The temple houses a rich collection of cultural relics, among which three are considered treasures:

• Tang Dynasty Bronze Buddha Statue (68 cm tall), entirely gilded with a serene countenance, representing early Vajrayana Buddhist sculpture from Zhejiang province;
• Eight Volumes of the Song Dynasty 'Great Canon' Manuscript Fragments, preserved in the Scripture Pavilion, these are rare physical examples of woodblock printing in China;
• Handwritten Ming Dynasty Manuscript of the 'Jiquan Temple Chronicle', detailing the lineage of eminent monks, ritual procedures, and geographical changes throughout the temple’s history.

🌸 Cultural Significance

Jiquan Temple is a significant transmission center of the Linji school of Chan Buddhism in southern China. It has nurtured numerous renowned monks, including Master Hui Kong from the Southern Song Dynasty and Master Jingyuan from the late Ming Dynasty, both leaving lasting marks on Buddhist thought. The temple hosts traditional events annually, such as the Spring Prayer Ceremony and the Ullambana Festival chanting rituals, sustaining a thousand-year-old tradition of religious practice. In 2004, it was designated a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Unit, and in 2019, it was included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List under the representative project “Southern Jiangnan Buddhist Rituals.”

🚶 Visitor Information

• Opening Hours: Daily 7:00–17:30 (closed on Mondays for maintenance)
• Admission: Free (requires real-name registration in advance)
• Transportation: Take Metro Line 2 to “Tanghe Station,” then walk 15 minutes; Bus lines 7 and 102 directly serve “Jiquan Temple Stop”
• Recommended Visit Duration: 1.5 hours
• Important Notes: Smoking and loud noise are prohibited inside the temple. Visitors are kindly requested to wear modest-colored clothing and observe religious etiquette.

🌿 Jiquan Temple, a living thread of culture and timeless chants, quietly rests by the banks of Tang River, guarding the rhythm of everyday life.