Jiming Temple

Jiming Temple, Nanjing Attraction

Brief Introduction

Jiming Temple is one of the oldest temples in Nanjing, and it's probably one of the most interesting temples in Nanjing too. Jiming Temple is located next to the Nanjing City Wall and Xuanwu Lake makes for a handy tourist circuit, and it's tiered layout creates a more-dynamic-than-usual experience. The unique colors, buildings, tower and the legend of Jiming Templs are the components that make Jiming Temple the must see temple of Nanjing.

If you walk up and over the temple to exit, there is a small bridge that leads to an entrance for the Nanjing City Wall. This saves you having to exit the temple the way you came in.

History

Jiming Temple was first built in the 500s during the Liang Dynasry, but Nanjing has been quite a bit of turmoil in its history, so the temple structures have been destroyed and reconstructed many times. The Jiming Temple we visit today was built in the Ming Dynasty. The main hall had been emptied completely apart from the large Buddha statue. Only one hall, near the city wall was still being used for worship. The temple remained popular primarily because of its tea house which was also situated in that hall. It takes an important part of Nanjing's lengthy history and through this lengthy history has been the center of some fairy interesting legends. 

Legend of Jiming Temple

Jiming means Roaster rowing. In the temple, there is a well, named Rouge Well, which named after a famous legend. As the story goes: During one such episode in the Chen dynasty, the Emperor hid with his favorite concubines inside one of the temple wells.As Sui soldiers smashed through the gates of Nanking, the Emperor and his concubines languished in the well until the walls of the well ran with red from the concubine's powdered faces. From that time, the well was given the name "Rouge Well".

What to do in Jiming Temple

Get Three Incense Sticks for Free
Everyone will get three free incense sticks when you visit Jiming Temple, so don't forget to collect yours. There is a large cauldron on the top level of the Jiming Temple that most people stick theirs in.

Amazing view on the top of Temple
The Jiming Temple is located on a small hill south of Xuanwu Park, the top of the temple offers a lovely view of the city wall, XuanWu Lake and the Nanjing downtown area, it is quite impressive and is one of the temple's many qualities that are worthy of appreciation. In front of the temple, there are two fierce looking lion statues and a stairway that leads to the main gate. The atmosphere of the entrance is absolutely perfect and ushers you into a piece of history.

Cherry Blossoms Activity  
From mid-march to early April, it is the time for Nanjing cherry blossom in the Jiming Temple. The road connecting Jiming temple and the Peace Arch is accompanied by thousands of Sakura trees at its sides. In the season of Cherry blossom, looking up, you will see that the cherry blossom is white like snow, pink like rosy clouds. With the elegant Jiming Temple as a set-off, the cherry blossom road seems to be more charming.
Best Time:  Mid-March to early April

Construction
The Jiming Temple includes the Guanyin Hall, Huomeng Building, the Medicine Buddha Pagoda and the Rouge Well. There are large structures of revered figure like Buddha or various Bodhisattvas, with flat conters built in front for offerings of food or beverages, wooden boxes for monastery donations, and cushions for kneeing and bowing. The ceilings are covered in designs that remind me of Moroccan tapestries. No two prayer rooms were the same, so this is a somewhat generalized description.

The real pride of the temple comes with the pagoda. The enormous Medicine Buddha Pagoda stands tall on the Jiming Hill and can be seen from miles away.

Travel Guide 

Admission Fee: CNY 10
Opening Hours: 7:00-17:00
Recommended Time for Visit: 2-3 hours
Address: No. 1 Gujiming Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing
Tel: +86 025 8336 1123

How to get to Jiming Temple

Bus route: take bus No. 3, 15, 20, 31, 48, 52, 70, 201 and get off Beiji Huitang and reach to Jiming Temple
                  take bus No. 11, 24, 304 and get off Jiming Temple
Metro route: take Metro line 3 or 4 and get off Jiming Temple