No. 38: Hanshan Temple, Suzhou, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on October 8, 2012.)

Hanshan (寒山) and Shide (拾得) were great friends, and their joyous friendship is
commemorated on an altar at busy Hanshan Temple (寒山寺) in Suzhou, Jiangsu  (江苏, 苏州市)

July 29, 2010 - Because it was late in the day (after 2:30) when I left Lingyanshan Temple, I flagged a taxi and went directly to Hanshan Temple. The crowds were greater than any I've seen in any temple. True, it was a beautiful summer day; but it was a weekday!

No. 37: Lingyanshan Temple, Suzhou, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on September 24, 2012.)

The delicate pagoda (塔) peeks past the Main Hall (大雄宝殿) in this view
of Lingyanshan Temple (灵岩山寺) in western Suzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 苏州市)

July 29, 2010 - Both of the temples I visited next were in the town of Suzhou, and each challenging in its own way.

First I headed across town to Lingyanshan, an awfully long bus ride, where I discovered that I'd need to climb a mountain. The effort paid off, though, as there were sights along the way, a cheap bowl of noodles to be had, and kind-hearted monks.

No. 36: Yushan Xingfu Temple, Changshu, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on September 17, 2012.)

I enjoyed seeing these two old men seated in the Mountain Gate (山门)
at Yushan Xingfu Temple (虞山兴福寺) in Changshu, Jiangsu (江苏, 常熟市)

July 28, 2010 - After visiting Xiyuan, I took a bus to Changshu city (actually part of Suzhou) and Yushan Xingfu Temple.

No. 35: Xiyuan Temple, Suzhou, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on September 10, 2012.)

Pond (池) said to be the home of two 400-year-old turtles (龟) in the West Garden
(西园) of Xiyuan Jiechuang Temple (西园戒幢寺) in Suzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 苏州市)

July 28, 2010 - The aptly-named Xiyuan (Western Compound, or perhaps "Garden") is located on the western side of Suzhou (get it?), and has a garden on its western side to boot. In addition to this simple nickname, it is also known as Jiechuang Si, confusingly translated as "Buddhist Vinaya Discipline Banner Temple" but perhaps better "The Temple of Monastic Discipline."

No. 34: Guangjiao Temple, Nantong, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on September 3, 2012.)

A small courtyard (院) on the hill near Guangjiao Temple (广教寺) in Nantong, Jiangsu (江苏, 南通市)

July 27, 2010 - I have developed a practice of doing the most difficult or far-flung temples first when I reach a city. So the morning of my first day in Suzhou, I boarded a bus to Nantong and its beautiful Langshan, where I took a cable car up to Guangjiao Temple.

No. 33: Tianning Temple, Changzhou, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on August 27, 2012.)

Statue of Maitreya (弥勒) in front of the huge pagoda (塔) at
Tianning Temple (天宁寺) in Changzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 常州市)

July 26, 2010 - Traveling down the Yangtze from Yangzhou and Zhenjiang by bus, I reached Changzhou, home to Tianning Temple.

No. 32: Daming Temple, Yangzhou, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on August 20, 2012.)

Statue of Master Jianzhen (鉴真大师) given by Japanese devotees
(日本的居士) to Daming Temple (大明寺) in Yangzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 扬州市)

July 26, 2010 - Visiting Daming Temple in Yangzhou, Jiangsu, was a little bit like going home.

No. 31: Gaomin Temple, Yangzhou, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on August 13, 2012.)

The main compound (大院) seen from the top of the pagoda
(塔) at Gaomin Temple (高旻寺), Yangzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 扬州市)

July 25, 2010 - Leaving Zhenjiang, I took a highway bus to Yangzhou. I had lived there before, so going there was a little like returning to my hometown.

After checking in, I took a bus out to Gaomin Temple. This was just "tagging up," as in 2007 I had had a thorough tour of the temple (with a busload of monks and nuns from Fo Guang Shan in Gaoxiong, Taiwan Province).

No. 30: Jiaoshan Dinghui Temple, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on August 6, 2012.)

The gateway near the dock (码头) and a pagoda (塔) on the hill on the island
of Jiaoshan Dinghui Temple (焦山定慧寺), Zhenjiang, Jiangsu (江苏, 镇江市)

July 24, 2010 - Surprised at how early I had returned to Zhenjiang from remote Longchang Temple, I decided to head out for a quick visit to Dinghui (maybe "Establishing Wisdom") Temple. It's located on Jiaoshan ("Burnt Mountain"), a very small island in the Yangtze River on the edge of the city. I was at the gate a little after 2 pm, and my only regret is that I didn't allow myself more time for exploration.

No. 29: Longchang Temple, Jurong, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 30, 2012.)

An ordination platform (戒台) at Longchang Temple (隆昌寺) in Jurong, Jiangsu
(江苏, 句容市). Monks (和尚) have shaved (削发) here for generations.

July 24, 2010 - Longchang Temple was going to be a challenge. I had no idea how I would get to this mountaintop temple, located in Baohua Mountain Forest Park. It was an adventure, but in the end, I found out I was simply starting from the wrong place!

No. 28: Jinshan Jiangtian Temple, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 23, 2012.)

The monk Fahai (法海) seated in his own cave. Fahai is said to have discovered gold on
Jinshan in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu (江苏, 镇江市) where Jiangtian Temple (金山江天寺) is located.

July 23, 2010 - After my visit to Linggu Temple in Nanjing, I returned to my hotel, picked up my bags, and took a train to Zhenjiang where, after checking into yet another hotel, I took a taxi to Jinshan Temple (also called Jiangtian Temple).

No. 27: Linggu Temple, Nanjing, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 16, 2012.)

The Three Saints or Sages of the Western Pure Land (西方三圣)
at Linggu Temple (灵谷寺) in Nanjing, Jiangsu (江苏, 南京市).

July 23, 2010 - Linggu Temple is located in Linggu Park, an incredibly interesting area in the east of Nanjing that would take a full day or more to appreciate. Unfortunately, I was intending to push on to Zhenjiang that afternoon, so I had only part of a morning to see it.

No. 26: Qixia Temple, Nanjing, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 9, 2012.)

The Buddha (佛) and Arhats (罗汉) in the grottoes behind Qixia Temple (栖霞寺) in Nanjing, Jiangsu
(江苏, 南京市). You can clearly see that the heads, replaced after vandalism, are a different color.

July 22, 2010 - Having finished with the temples in eastern Anhui, I turned my attention to the temples of Jiangsu. Returning by train from Langya Temple in Chuzhou, I jumped into a taxi at Nanjing Train Station and made a beeline to Qixia Temple east of Nanjing, arriving by 3:30 or so--just enough time to see the temple before closing.

No. 25: Langya Temple, Chuzhou, Anhui

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 2, 2012.)

The Beamless Hall (无梁殿) at Langya Temple (琅琊寺) in Chuzhou, Anhui (安徽, 滁州市) is one of
the many attractive sights on this mountaintop temple. It was built in the Ming Dynasty.

July 22, 2010 - The day after my visit to Hefei, I returned to Anhui, this time to Langya Temple in the Langya Mountain Scenic Area near Chuzhou.

No. 24: Mingjiao Temple, Hefei, Anhui

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on June 25, 2012.)

Mingjiao Temple (明教寺) in Hefei, Anhui (安徽, 合肥市) is built on a platform (台) which, it is said, was once
used by General Cao Cao for reviewing troops. It now stands on a pedestrian street in a busy shopping area.

July 21, 2010 - In Wuhu, Anhui, I boarded the train for Hefei, the provincial capital, where I would visit Mingjiao Temple.

No. 23: Guangji Temple, Wuhu, Anhui

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on June 18, 2012.)

There are 24 Devas (天王) in an upper hall at Guangji Temple (广济寺) in Wuhu, Anhui (安徽, 芜湖市); these
are three of them. The temple focuses on Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva (地藏菩萨), whose hall is nearby.

July 21, 2010 - In July of 2010, a few days after my 55th birthday, I started my fifth temple journey, following the Yangzi River through Jiangsu.

But first I would have to swing west into Anhui to see three temples, the first of which was Guangji Temple in Wuhu (which always makes me want to shout "WOOHOO!")

Trip 5: Eastern Anhui and Jiangsu (July 20-30, 2010)

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