Longchang Temple
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Longchang Temple | |
|---|---|
隆昌寺 | |
 A paifang at Longchang Temple | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Buddhism |
| Location | |
| Location | Baohua Town, Jurong, Jiangsu |
| Country | China |
  Shown within Jiangsu | |
| Geographic coordinates | 32°08′03″N 119°05′48″E / 32.134244°N 119.09665°E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Chinese architecture |
| Founder | Baozhi (宝志) |
| Date established | 502 |
Longchang Temple (Chinese: 隆昌寺; pinyin: Lóngchāng Sì) is a Buddhist temple located on Mount Baohua, in Baohua Town of Jurong, Jiangsu, China. It is the important monastery in the Chinese Buddhist Vinaya tradition.[1] The temple is renowned not only for its Copper Hall and Beamless Halls, but also for the 400-years-old ginkgo trees.[2]
The temple was originally built by monk Baozhi (宝志) in 502 as "Qianhua Temple" (千华寺), under the Liang dynasty (502–557).[3]
In the reign of Wanli Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), the emperor bestowed a set of Chinese Buddhist canon on the temple and renamed it "Huguo Shenghua Longchang Temple" (护国圣化隆昌寺), more commonly known as "Longchang Temple".[3]
During the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi Emperor and Qianlong Emperor came to the temple to worship Buddha and offer incenses, which elevated its position and attracted more people to offer incenses.
Longchang Temple has been inscribed as a National Key Buddhist Temple in Han Chinese Area in 1983.
In March 2013, the Copper Hall and Beanless Halls were designated as "Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Jiangsu" by the State Council of China.
