Nanjing Jinsu Nunnery

Nanjing Jinsu Nunnery

Jinsu Nunnery is located west of Zhonghua Gate in Nanjing and is one of the "Four Hundred and Eighty Temples of the Southern Dynasties." It is said to have deep historical connections with Gu Kaizhi and Waguan Temple. In the 1990s, the abbess of Jinsu Nunnery, Master Quancheng, was determined to protect and promote the cultural heritage of the motherland. With the support of many devotees and the care and assistance of relevant government departments, parts of Jinsu Nunnery were partially restored.

Today, Jinsu Nunnery resonates with Buddhist chants, wafts of incense, and solemn Buddha statues, enjoying a growing number of worshippers. The nunnery currently covers an area of over a hundred square meters, consisting of a single courtyard. On the west side of the courtyard stands a bell pavilion, from which hangs a bronze bell weighing approximately one and a half tons. The bell is engraved with an image of Vimalakirti, copied from murals in Dunhuang.

The four golden characters “古金粟庵” (Ancient Jinsu Nunnery) on the nunnery’s entrance plaque were personally inscribed by Zhao Puchu. Above the east gate lintel are engraved the words “虎头余绪” (Legacy of Hu Tou), pointing to the nunnery’s historical ties with Gu Kaizhi and Waguan Temple. “Hu Tou” refers to Gu Kaizhi, the renowned Eastern Jin Dynasty painter. His courtesy name was Changkang, and his nickname was Hu Tou, affectionately called “Gu Hu Tou” by his contemporaries. Gu Hu Tou excelled in poetry, calligraphy, and especially painting. His painting techniques and theories had a profound influence on Chinese art. Legend has it that when Gu Kaizhi painted the “Vimalakirti Sickness Mural” at Waguan Temple, its brilliance attracted crowds and caused a sensation. Since Vimalakirti is also known as the “Golden Millet Tathagata,” the small room where Gu Kaizhi painted came to be called “Jinsu Nunnery.”

A couplet on the east gate reads: “When Kaizhi painted, Manjushri inquired about the illness.” This also refers to the legend of Gu Kaizhi painting the “Vimalakirti Sickness Mural.” Vimalakirti, also called Vimala, means “Pure Land” or “Immaculate.” Buddhist scriptures describe him as a Mahayana lay practitioner from the city of Vaisali in India, skilled in guiding others skillfully. He once used his feigned illness as an opportunity to expound the profound philosophy of Mahayana Buddhism to Manjushri and Shariputra, who were sent by the Buddha Shakyamuni to inquire about his health. The scripture says: Vimalakirti recovered from illness in the fragrant world of Xiangji Kingdom. Shakyamuni sent Manjushri, Shariputra, and others to visit him. They found his dwelling very small, only ten square feet, and Shariputra wondered how so many monks could fit inside. Vimalakirti, possessing the supernatural power of knowing others’ thoughts, extended his hand, and many lion-throne seats appeared in the room. However, the visiting monks, having shallow cultivation, were not worthy to sit on them. Vimalakirti then used his spiritual power, allowing the monks to be seated. As time passed, the monks grew hungry. Vimalakirti brought out a bowl of food for them to share. The monks wondered how such a small amount could feed so many. Yet, after everyone had eaten their fill, the food in the bowl did not diminish. Through this visit, Vimalakirti used the opportunity to teach the profound teachings of Mahayana Buddhism. As an intellectual among Buddhists, Vimalakirti is revered by scholarly followers, and the story of “Vimalakirti Teaching While Ill” has been widely circulated.

The nunnery also houses an image of the Japanese Master Jikaku, offered in 1994 by the Youth Association of Japan's Tendai Sect during their visit to trace the roots of their sect. This reflects another historical connection between Jinsu Nunnery, Waguan Temple, and Japanese Buddhism over 1,200 years ago.

In the ancient capital’s bustling streets, amid morning bells and evening drums, though small, this nunnery exudes the solemn dignity of a pure Buddhist realm.

Jinsu Nunnery is situated on the north side of Jiqing Road in the southwestern part of Nanjing, near the former site of the Phoenix Terrace from the Six Dynasties period and the ruins of the Qing Dynasty’s Yuyuan Garden. The Republican-era “Shoujiao Zhi” records that Jinsu Nunnery derived its name from its proximity to Waguan Temple and is a remnant of the temple’s original site. It is said that Gu Kaizhi, the “father of painting,” sketched his draft of the Vimalakirti (or Vimala) image here. The current abbess is Master Quancheng, who has safeguarded the nunnery for decades. In the late 1980s, the nunnery’s spiritual activities revived, attracting a continuous stream of worshippers. In 1994, a delegation from Japan’s Tendai Buddhist Youth League commemorating the 1,200th anniversary of Master Jikaku’s birth visited Jinsu Nunnery and presented a portrait of the master. Located in Qinhuai District in southern Nanjing, the nunnery is accessible via buses 14, 19, 21, 35, 62, 63, 75, 80, 81, 85, 103, 301, and 305 to Jiqing Gate, offering relatively convenient transportation. It has close ties to other ancient architectural sites in southern Nanjing but fewer connections to other major tourist attractions in the city. The nunnery is well-preserved but remains underdeveloped.