Nanjing Dizang Temple

Nanjing Dizang Temple

Nanjing Dizang Temple

Dizang Temple was originally named Dizang An and was located on the west side of the Xiaguan section of the Qinhuai River. Built in the late Qing Dynasty, it was an ancient Buddhist temple in the Xiaguan area, which had continuous incense offerings throughout history, providing a place for religious activities for local believers. In 1999, it was renamed Dizang Temple and relocated to its current site.

Dizang Temple is located on the northern slope of Lion Mountain in the Shizi Mountain Scenic Area of Xiaguan, Nanjing. It was constructed in September 1999 and completed by the end of 2000. The plan included building one Mahavira Hall, one Heavenly King Hall, two wing rooms, and several monks' quarters.

Lion Mountain, where Dizang Temple is situated, is located at the northwest corner of Nanjing and is a well-known scenic spot. The mountain stands 78.4 meters above sea level, covers an area of 140,000 square meters, and has a perimeter of 2 kilometers. It boasts numerous historical sites and cultural as well as natural landscapes. The mountain is surrounded by the ancient city wall and moat on three sides and connects to the Xiuhua Park, Yijiangmen Gate Tower, Xiaotaoyuan, and Bazishan to the south. To the northwest, it echoes landmarks such as Tianfei Palace, Jinghai Temple, and Sansuyan. The mountain is covered with dense vegetation and lush trees, blending natural elements such as mountains, water, city walls, and forests into one harmonious landscape. From the mountaintop, you can enjoy the natural beauty of the Yangtze River to the north and overlook the new look of Nanjing to the south, thanks to its unique geographical position. Historical records indicate that Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty once set up his command post on Lion Mountain to direct his troops in defeating Chen Youliang, laying the foundation for the establishment of the Ming Dynasty. For this reason, Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict to build the Yuejiang Tower on the mountaintop and wrote an essay titled “Record of Yuejiang Tower” along with Grand Secretary Song Lian. However, the tower was never built due to unforeseen circumstances, leading to the old saying “there is a record but no tower.” In 2000, the Nanjing Municipal Party Committee, Municipal Government, and Xiaguan District developed the Yuejiang Tower Scenic Area on Lion Mountain, ending the 600-year history of the “tower with a record but no structure,” and bringing to life the beautiful vision described as “of all the famous towers under heaven, today there are four; but none match Yuejiang Tower in its unique elegance beneath the clear wind and bright moon.”

As part of the scenic area, the newly built Dizang Temple main hall features the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties, with gray tiles and upturned eaves on the roof. The brackets under the eaves are richly painted, giving the structure a grand and majestic appearance. On either side of the main hall stand ancient trees, said to be over a hundred years old, with gnarled branches so thick that it takes two people to encircle them. Their foliage forms a lush canopy, full of vitality. The entire temple is nestled among green mountains and trees, echoing the Yuejiang Tower from afar, and has become a highlight of the Lion Mountain Scenic Area.