Jinghai Temple

Jinghai Temple

Jinghai Temple is a cultural heritage site protected by Nanjing Municipality.

As a weighty chapter in China’s modern history, Jinghai Temple bears the scars of historical turmoil and the sighs of history. In 1842, when British invaders shelled the surging river waters and flaunted their might on the waters off Xiaguan, Jinghai Temple—which was originally built under imperial decree to commend Zheng He’s voyages for their safe passage—was doomed to become a sacrificial victim of the feeble Qing government. "The green hills cannot stop the river flowing eastward"—Jinghai Temple, once glorious and rebuilt and destroyed several times, bore the pain with heart-wrenching intensity, yet had to helplessly watch Qiying, Yilibu, and Henry Pottinger sign the aboard the HMS Cornwallis, a treaty that ushered in a century of humiliation for the Chinese nation, and had to helplessly witness Hong Kong Island being severed from the embrace of the motherland.

History will not forget, Jinghai Temple will not forget, nor will the broken walls forget—the bleeding pain, the deep humiliation, and the heavy sighs in the annals of the nation. A century of vicissitudes passed, and as the sun rose in the east, with the dawn of a new historical era, Jinghai Temple also gained a new life. From being a witness burdened with both glory and shame in history, to becoming a warning bell embodying the adage "learn from past mistakes to avoid future ones"; from the humiliating treaties one after another to the clearly discernible antique bronze mirrors; from "a century of vicissitudes" to "never forget national humiliation." The reborn Jinghai Temple, having erased the mottled marks left by history, now carries an even deeper sense of national sentiment. To welcome the handover of Hong Kong and cleanse the century-old national humiliation, people from all walks of life decided to donate funds to cast a warning bell. Governments at the provincial, municipal, and district levels, as well as various sectors of society, paid enthusiastic attention and offered ideas and strategies. The casting party and the commissioning party meticulously conceptualized and repeatedly refined the design, making it an artwork that integrates education and aesthetics, blending modern casting techniques with acoustics, aesthetics, history, Buddhism, sculpture, and the culture of ancient bronze ware.

The bell is entirely made of bronze, weighs 3.5 tons, and stands 1.842 meters tall. At the top of the bell is a 7.1-centimeter-high fireball, symbolizing Hong Kong’s return to the motherland on July 1. The shoulder of the bell is cast with 12 doves of peace, symbolizing the 1.2 billion Chinese people’s eternal love for peace. The skirt of the bell features two dragons, between which is Nanjing’s city flower, the plum blossom. The back of the bell is engraved with the timeless admonition: "Learn from past mistakes to avoid future ones." The front prominently displays the three striking characters "Warning Bell," and the inscriptions on its sides recount the painful history from the forced signing of the "Treaty of Nanking" to the return of Hong Kong to the motherland in 1997. These inscriptions are a vital representation of the Warning Bell’s historical significance, adding a deeper cultural essence to the bell.

On the night of June 30, 1997, representatives from all walks of life gathered before the Warning Bell. When midnight struck and the bell tolled, the crowd erupted in excitement. The 155 strikes of the bell symbolized the 155 years it took for Hong Kong to finally return to its mother’s embrace. Remember the national humiliation, let the warning bell resonate forever. On the night of June 30, 1997, Jinghai Temple, long silent, finally came to the end of its humiliating journey and shouted out the voice it had held back for so long but that shook the hearts of 1.2 billion Chinese descendants—"Hong Kong is back!"

The 155 deep tolls of the bell pierced through the tunnel of time and broke through the barriers of history, cleansing the century-long humiliation borne by the Chinese nation. Jinghai Temple has turned over a brand-new page in its life. "Learn from past mistakes to avoid future ones"—as a witness and sentinel of history, Jinghai Temple leaves behind endless memories and profound reflections for the world. From notable figures such as Liao Hansheng, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, to countless ordinary people, many have visited Jinghai Temple to listen to the voice of history and remember its lessons. Over the century, Jinghai Temple has erected not only a monument representing history in the hearts of the Chinese people but also a bond of unbreakable national sentiment.

Address: No. 288, Jianning Road, Xiaguan District, Nanjing

Type: Temple

Recommended visiting time: About 1 hour

Phone: 025-58808703

Opening hours:

Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30–17:00

Ticket information:

Free admission.