Jingci Zen Temple

Jingci Temple is located at the foot of Huiri Peak in Nanping Mountain on the south bank of West Lake. It was first built in the first year of Xiande of the Later Zhou Dynasty (954). Zen Master Yongming is the founder of the sect. In the Northern Song Dynasty, it was renamed Shouning Zen Temple, and in the Southern Song Dynasty, it was also called Jingci Baoen Guangxiao Zen Temple. Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty changed its name to "Jingci Zen Temple". Jingci Temple has experienced several ups and downs in history, and has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. During the Southern Song Dynasty, it was rated by the imperial court as one of the "Five Mountains" of Jiangnan Zen temples. Jingci Temple is the second most famous temple around West Lake, and is known as the best of the two mountains in the north and south together with Lingyin Temple. Because of the loud sound of the temple bell, "Nanping Evening Bell" has become one of the "Ten Scenic Spots of West Lake". Jingci Temple has therefore become an important part of the "Nanping Evening Bell", one of the "Ten Scenic Spots of West Lake", a national key cultural relic protection site, and an important heritage element of the Hangzhou West Lake cultural landscape. On the way to Leifeng Pagoda, I passed by Jingci Temple and was attracted by its golden appearance. I could also see the whole picture of Jingci Temple from the Leifeng Pagoda. The two temples are very close to each other, so we visited them together. The Nanping Evening Bell of Jingci Temple is very famous. Visitors can pay to ring the bell, so the temple will ring the bell from time to time🔔 We climbed all the way to the highest point of the temple and could see the Leifeng Pagoda opposite.