Southeast's First Forest - Tianning Temple

Tianning Temple is located at No. 636 Yanling Middle Road, Tianning District, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Tianning Temple was first built during the Zhenguan and Yonghui periods of the Tang Dynasty, initially named Guangfu Temple. In the first year of the Zhenghe period of the Northern Song Dynasty (1111 AD), it was renamed to its current name. The temple complex is grand, with numerous buildings, covering an area of 103 acres and a construction area of 41,856 square meters. Emperor Qianlong visited Tianning Temple three times during his southern tours and inscribed the plaque 'Dragon City Elephant Teaching' with his imperial brush. Currently, the temple preserves and collects cultural relics such as a sundial made by Zhang Zuonan, the magistrate of Yanghu County, in the 25th year of the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty (1820 AD), with two pieces standing and lying; stone carvings of 500 Arhats, first carved in the third year of the Jiaqing period (1798 AD); a stone scripture pillar inscribed with the full text of the Diamond Sutra by the famous Ming Dynasty calligrapher and painter Zou Zhilin; a bronze seated statue of Shakyamuni Buddha from the Tang Dynasty; a ten-faced Guanyin statue made of camphor wood from the Song Dynasty; and collections of a natural crystal Buddha statue and a stone Buddha statue from the Tang Dynasty, all of which are rare treasures. Tianning Temple, along with Jinshan Temple in Zhenjiang, Gaomin Temple in Yangzhou, and Tiantong Temple in Ningbo, is known as one of the four major Zen temples in China. Tianning Zen Temple is also praised as the 'First Forest in the Southeast' for its 'majestic and magnificent halls, tall and solemn Buddha statues, generations of famous monks, and renowned Dharma assemblies'. In 1982, Tianning Temple was listed as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit by the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government. In 1983, Tianning Temple was designated as a key Buddhist temple in the Han Chinese region by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. In 2002, Tianning Temple was rated as a national AAAA-level tourist attraction. Ticket Information: Free Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 06:30-17:00 Transportation Guide: You can reach Tianning Temple by taking bus routes 11, 19, 33, B12, D3, or Metro Line 1 in Changzhou City.