Lingfeng Temple, nestled among the encircling mountains, is graced with towering ancient trees at its front, gurgling streams by its side, and lush bamboo groves, creating an atmosphere of tranquil seclusion. This renowned monastery in the Jiangnan region is known as the ancestral site of the Pure Land Buddhism sect. Throughout its millennia-long history, it has been home to a succession of eminent monks.
During the Qing Xianfeng period, the temple was devastated by war, leaving not a single tile standing. The original abbot of Tiantai Mountain’s Guoqing Temple, Master Diyin, made a great vow to revive the temple. Despite hardships and through tireless efforts in soliciting donations from all directions, he managed to reconstruct the main hall, mountain gate, meditation hall, and other structures.
The existing or newly restored Buddhist buildings at Lingfeng Temple include the mountain gate, Hall of Heavenly Kings, Hall of the Three Saints, Scripture Repository, monks’ quarters, and guest rooms. There are also four steles: ‘The Stele of Rebuilding Lingfeng Temple’, ‘The Stele of Ming Dao Ren Zhi Xu’, ‘The Stele of Fan Gong Yun’, and ‘The Inscription of Lingfeng Bai Fu Temple’, along with the stupa of Master Ouyi.
With ancient trees reaching for the sky at the temple’s front and a murmuring stream, the back mountain is lush with bamboo and timber, providing a serene environment. This makes Lingfeng Temple an ideal place for devotees to practice and for pilgrims to worship.The temple is open year-round, operating from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily.
