Zijin’an Temple, also known as Jin’an Temple, is located to the west of Dongshan Town in the southwestern suburbs of Suzhou. It was founded during the Liang and Chen dynasties and rebuilt during the Zhenyuan period of the Tang Dynasty. It has a history of more than 1,400 years. The sixteen clay sculptures and painted arhats on the left and right walls of the main hall are said to be the works of Lei Chao and his wife, famous folk sculptors in the Southern Song Dynasty. The eight sculptures on the back wall were added by Qiu Mituo in the late Ming Dynasty. The painted decoration process of the arhat group and other works is exquisite and is a representative work of Suzhou’s painted sculptures in the Qing Dynasty. The painted clay arhats in Zijin’an Temple are known as one of the ‘two and a half halls in the world’. The Jingyin Hall behind the Arhat Hall is entirely built of nanmu wood and has now been opened as a cultural relics exhibition room in Wuxian County. The osmanthus and magnolia in front of the hall are said to have been planted for more than 800 years. The original trees have died, and then new shoots have sprouted from the dead bark. Now they are the second generation. Tingsong Hall is a place for tea tasting and rest in the temple. Sitting by the window, you can hear the sound of the pine waves.
Opening hours: Open all year round from 08:00 to 17:00; open from 08:00 to 17:00 during the National Day. Preferential policies: Children: Children under 6 years old (including 6 years old) or under 1.4 meters (including 1.4 meters) in height are free of charge. Minors: Minors aged 6 years old (excluding 6 years old) to 18 years old (including 18 years old) enjoy half-price tickets. The elderly: People over 70 years old (including 70 years old) are free of charge; elderly people aged 60 years old (including 60 years old) to 70 years old (excluding 70 years old) enjoy half-price tickets with valid certificates. Students: Full-time undergraduates and below with valid certificates enjoy half-price tickets. Disabled people: Disabled people and one accompanying person of severely disabled people can enter the park for free with valid identity documents. Military personnel: Active servicemen of the People’s Republic of China and retired military cadres can enter the park for free with valid identity documents. Blood donation volunteers: Holders of the honorary certificate of the ‘Three Free’ treatment in the ‘Jiangsu Province Blood Donation Regulations’ (National Volunteer Blood Donation Contribution Award, Volunteer Donation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells Award and Lifelong Honorary Award for Volunteer Blood Donation Service) are free of charge. Model workers: Model workers in Wuzhong District, Suzhou City, and holders of the honorary certificate of Suzhou environmental sanitation are free of charge. (Those with municipal-level and above model worker certificates can visit the scenic spots under the Suzhou Gardens Bureau for free). People with special care: People with special care who enjoy national pension and subsidy, and enterprise retirees who participated in two major military operations hold certificates and are free of charge. Religious people: Religious clergy and their staff belonging to religious activity places in the scenic area, who belong to the same religion as the religious activity places in the scenic area, can enter the scenic area and go to religious activity places for free with valid identity documents. Supplementary note: The above information is for reference only. The specific information is subject to the notice of the scenic area. Must-see tips: Pets are not allowed to enter the scenic area.Zijin’an Temple
Zijin’an Temple, also known as Jin’an Temple, is located to the west of Dongshan Town in the southwestern suburbs of […]
