Lingyin Temple in Bayan County

Lingyin Temple in Bayan County

Lingyin Temple in Bayan County is a cultural tourism attraction.

Yima Mountain was originally called Wild Horse Mountain, with a beautiful legend about a golden colt said to live within it. In ancient times, there were no relay stations within a hundred li of this area, so the Qing government specially established one here and renamed the mountain Yima (Relay Horse) Mountain. The Qing Dynasty’s imperial geographer praised the mountain’s exceptional beauty, declaring, “This mountain has the finest feng shui in the north, known as ‘Five Sons Passing the Imperial Examinations.’ If an ancestral grave is located here, it will bring wealth, prosperity, and abundant descendants, ensuring generations of prosperity, rapid advancement, flourishing family fortunes, and both happiness and longevity.”

The core attraction is Lingyin Temple, which covers an area of over 100,000 square meters. It is located on the northeast side of Yima Mountain’s main peak. The entire temple complex faces south, with structures arranged from south to north including the temple gate, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Hall of Three Saints, and the Scripture Depository. Upon entering the gate, there is a bell tower and a drum tower on either side. On the east side of the temple grounds are the Child-Giving Guanyin Hall, the Arhat Hall, and the stupa forest; the west side features the dining hall, the monastic residents’ living area, the Shali Pagoda, and the Bhikkhu Pagoda. At the northern end of Lingyin Temple, among the five peaks resembling seated Buddha figures, a 13-level pagoda has been constructed. In total, there are 23 buildings, all of which have now been completed.

Lingyin Temple holds major Buddhist ceremonies on the 19th of February, during Qingming Festival, the 4th of April, the 8th of April, the 18th of April, the 28th of April, the 19th of June, the 15th of July, and the 19th of September. Public merit feasts are offered to ensure local peace and to pray for favorable weather, social harmony, and world peace.

The design and construction of Lingyin Temple incorporate the characteristics and essence of Harbin’s Joy Temple, Puzhao Temple, Qiqihar’s Dacheng Temple, Shuangcheng’s Guanyin Temple, and Hangzhou’s Lingyin Temple, making it the foremost in the province in terms of overall area, individual structures, and architectural style.

Address: Lingyin Temple, Yima Mountain Forest Park, Bayan County, Harbin City