The Seven Pagodas Chan Temple in Ningbo, Zhejiang exudes an ancient charm

Located next to the Ayuwang Temple, the Seven Pagodas Temple site is a lesser-known attraction in Ningbo. Standing on the steps of the temple site, surrounded by mountains and water, one can see the moss-covered stone foundations, the old trees with twisting vines, and the slightly murky life-release pond, all of which seem to narrate the history of the pagoda complex. Time flies, with spring breezes and summer rains, only the green hills remain unchanged. Traveling back in time to the Qing Dynasty a hundred years ago, if you visited this ancient temple hidden in the secret landscapes of Taibai Mountain for a spring outing, a Tang Dynasty poem could serve as your travelogue, 'Entering the ancient temple in the early morning, the first sunlight shines upon the tall woods, a winding path leads to a secluded spot, the Zen chambers deep with flowers and trees.' The monks' lives of morning bells and evening drums, and studying by the light of blue lamps and yellow scrolls, were simple and regular, day after day, year after year. In the blink of an eye, over a hundred years have passed, and the incense of the past is unknown when it ceased. What will this place look like in another hundred years? It's impossible to predict. Borrowing a poem from the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei to express the sentiment of 'many years later,' 'In the new home of Mengcheng Hollow, ancient trees and withered willows remain. Who will come here again? Empty sorrow for those who were once here!' According to research by relevant departments, the Seven Pagodas Temple site and the monks' cemetery are preliminarily judged to have been built during the Qing Dynasty. The site is about 100 meters long from south to north and about 60 meters wide from east to west. Along an irregular central axis, from north to south, there are distributed the monks' graves, temple fields, underground palace, water well, and the great hall, among other sites. The site is surrounded by a stone wall, which is now just over half a meter tall. The pagoda complex faces south with a terrain that is 'high in the north and low in the south, with the sides higher than the middle.' The Seven Pagodas Temple site was a place for the elder monks of Ningbo Seven Pagodas Zen Temple to practice. The Putong Pagoda was established to enshrine the relics of the monks who passed away in tranquility. The discovery and verification of this site have filled the gap of having records without a foundation for the Yushanling Pagoda complex sought by the Seven Pagodas Temple, providing physical evidence for the study of the history of the Seven Pagodas Temple and the burial customs of its monks. Touring Strategy 🚙 For self-driving, navigate to Tiefo Temple in Yinzhou District, Ningbo. After arriving, drive northeast for less than two kilometers, and upon seeing a mountain pond, you can park and visit the site. 🚄 Take the subway line 1 to Baozhuang Station, head north to Tiefo Temple, take bus 107-1 to Baozhuang Station, then walk 2.6 kilometers to Tiefo Temple, and then walk another 2 kilometers to the site. 💴 No admission fee. Nearby attractions: Ayuwang Temple, Ancient Ayuwang Temple, Lingfeng Zen Temple, Tiefo Temple, Renjiu Village, Xiaojia River Wetland Park, etc.