Nanchang >> East Woods Temple

Attraction Typ: Historical Houses, Gardens and Parks

Location: about 140 km from city

Recommend: 3 Star

East Woods Temple

The East Woods Temple is regarded as cradle place for Lotus Sect, one of eight sects of Buddhism, which was introduces to Japan in Tang dynasty and enjoyed popularity there.

East Woods Temple (Chinese: 东林寺; pinyin: Dōnglín Sì) is a Buddhist monastery built in A.D. 384 in East Jin dynasty by Hui Yuan, founder of the Pure Land Sect of Buddhism. The East Woods Temple is regarded as cradle place for Lotus Sect, one of eight sects of Buddhism, which was introduces to Japan in Tang dynasty and enjoyed popularity there.

The East Woods Temple, also known as Donglin Temple, is located at the western foot of the Lushan Mountain, about 20 kilometers from Jiujiang of Jiangxi Province. The monastery reached its peak of influence during the Tang Dynasty, but was severely damaged during the Taiping Rebellion and all but destroyed during the Republican period. It currently houses a small community of monks supported by a small farming village in its immediate vicinity.

Visiting the East Woods Temple, one should not miss the Clever Spring in the front of the temple. The Clever Spring, originally named as Gulong Spring, and later changed as Clever Spring because that Huiyuan admired the eloquence of Ying Zhongkan so much. Ying Zhongkan, a feudal provincial of Jiangzhou, had visited there. Nowadays, the Clever Spring attracts tourists from far and near. Every one go there would like to drop a coin to the spring and make a vow.

Another interesting thing is to taste the Mixed Vegetables Stew with the monks in the temple.