No. 56: Jile Temple, Haerbin, Heilongjiang

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on May 20, 2013.)

The Mountain Gate (山门) at Jile Temple (极乐寺) in Haerbin, Heilongjiang
(黑龙江, 哈尔滨市) faces a busy walking street near an amusement park.

August 25, 2011 - The northeastern Chinese city of Haerbin was developed from a small village in 1898, making it young by the standards of China's cities. It was an administrative center for a Russian railway running from Moscow to Vladivostok, with a southern branch originating at Haerbin and leading to Dalian. The city still has a decidedly Russian flavor.

It wasn't until 1922 that Master Tanxu--who is also commemorated at Dabei Temple in Tianjin--arrived to found what is considered the first Buddhist temple in Haerbin.

Trip 10: Dongbei, Hebei, and Qingdao (August 24-31, 2011)

This is a record of my tenth trip to visit the 142 Key Temples of China. Links lead to articles on the temple (or other site) named.