Cold Mountain Temple or Hanshan Temple (Chinese: 寒山寺, Pinyin: hánshānsì), is a Buddhist temple and monastery in Suzhou. It is located at the town of Fengqiao (lit. Maple Bridge), about 5 kilometres west of the old city of Suzhou.
It was first built in the Liang Dynasty (502-557) as Miaoli Tayuan (Garden of Pagodas). During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), a famous monk named Hanshan stayed in the temple, which was later renamed by his name. The temple was once one of the 10 most famous temples in China. Zhang Ji, a famous Tang-dynasty poet, wrote the poem "A Night Mooring by Maple Bridge," which made the temple even more popular nationwide. The main architectural structures in the temple include the Main Hall, Circular Gallery, Sutra Library, Bell Tower, and a pavilion known as Maple River Tower. Listening to the bell tolls of the Hanshan Temple on the New Year Eve is a grand occasion for tourists to Suzhou and people in the surrounding areas. It is believed that the 108 bell tolls can bring peace and happiness for people in the new year.
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