LingYin Temple is in a long, narrow valley between Fei Lai Feng (Peak flown from Afar) and North Peak to the northwest of the West Lake at Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province. The temple is without doubt a premier showpiece in the West Lake environs and is notable also as one of the ten most famous Buddhist temples of China. In 1961 the temple was listed for protection as a key provincial historical and cultural site and is considered a leading centre for research relative to Chinese Buddhist culture.
The presence of a temple on this site can be traced back to the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317 - 420AD) when, according to local legend, Huili an Indian monk came to the area where he was inspired by the spiritual nature of the scenery to be found here. To his mind this had to be a dwelling of the Immortals and so he gave the temple a name "Ling Yin (Temple of the Souls Retreat). The Chinese name is translated into English as either "Temple of the Souls Retreat or Temple of Inspired Seclusion for the setting has a quiet and beautiful grandeur that encourages a feeling of peace and for contemplation.
The temple was to gain in importance during the Five Dynasties (907-960 AD) when the King of the Wu Yue State initiated a large-scale development of the temple as a sign of his devotion to Buddha. In its heyday, the temple comprised nine buildings, eighteen pavilions, seventy-seven palaces and halls with over thirteen hundred rooms providing accommodation for around three thousand monks. A monastery on this scale is difficult to imagine and needless to say over the centuries it has been subjected to many changes of fortune due to wars, religious repression and other calamities. The main temple that can be seen today is a result of the restoration that was carried out in 1974 following the ten-year Chinese Cultural Revolution.
The overall arrangement of Lingyin Temple is similar to that of temples in the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. On its medial axis stand Heavenly Hall, Main Hall, and Medicine Master Buddha Hall. There stands the statue of Maitreya Buddha at the center of the Heavenly King Hall, and four Heavenly Kings stand on both sides of Maitreya Buddha. A sitting Statue of Sakyamuni at the center of the Main Hall is one of the largest and tallest sitting statues of Buddha in China. A large number of Buddhist cultural relics are treasured up in Lingyin Temple. Such buildings and sculptures as halls, pavilions, sutra pillars, and statues of Buddha in Lingyin Temple are valuable for research on Chinas history of Buddhism, architectural art, and sculpture art.
The Temple contains an important collection of Buddhist literature together with many other treasures. As a consequence it is a great centre of information for those who wish to study aspects of Chinese Buddhism in detail. The palaces, pavilions and halls together with their many figures of Buddhist deities represent in total a splendid and unique collection of architectural and artistic cultural relics. The various buildings and pagodas date from the Southern Song, Ming and Tang Dynasties. Among the ancient writings are scriptures written on pattra leaves, the Diamond Sutra copied by Dong Qichang in the Ming Dynasty and a wood cut edition published during the Qing Dynasty.
To add a final memorable touch to your visit, it is very pleasant to dine at the Ling Yin Vegetarian Restaurant located near to the Temple. The vegetarian dishes on offer are typical of the Chinese culinary style and it is little wonder that in such a setting the excellent repast is frequently regarded as food for the gods
Recommended Tour: China Discovery Tour (12 Days)