The Stone Hall of Jijing Temple

The Stone Hall of Jijing Temple

The Stone Hall of Jijing Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Stone Hall of Jijing Temple is located on Tianchi Mountain north of Zangshu Town (Shanrenqiao), Wuxian County, about 12 kilometers west of Suzhou.

It was built in the 17th year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty (1357). The temple has an oval floor plan, with stone chambers carved into the hillside on both sides of the gate—Jileyuan and Doushugong—imitating wooden architecture. These are double-eaved hipped-roof and single-eaved hipped-roof structures respectively. Known as Xitian Temple, the hall faces south, is three bays wide and two bays deep, with the central bay extending rearward, giving the stone hall a convex floor plan, referred to in the Song Dynasty as a “0 house.”

The stone hall is built right against the mountain cliff, mimicking wooden construction without bracket sets, and features a single-eaved hipped roof. In the 17th year of the Zhiyuan era (1357), the monk Dao founded the Jijing Chan Nunnery, which was later renovated and renamed Jijing Temple. The stone hall, Buddha niches, and statues were constructed between the 17th year (1357) and the 23rd year (1363) of the Zhiyuan era. On the east and west sides of the southern gate of the temple are stone niches, titled “Doushugong” and “Jileyuan” respectively, both built into the mountain rock, one bay wide, with imitation wooden structures and hipped-roofed porticos. Each niche houses a standing Buddha carved from a whole rock slab—the eastern niche contains the Maitreya Buddha, while the western niche holds the Amitabha Buddha. The statues are 3.25 meters tall, with bold lines and broad faces and ears. The western niche contains an inscribed stone tablet marking the construction date and the names of donors.

The stone hall within the temple is named “Xitian Temple,” backed by the mountain cliff, with a convex floor plan, a single-eaved hipped roof, and imitation wooden structure. It is three bays wide and two bays deep. Both east and west walls are carved with lattice doors. The side walls contain four stone tablets inscribed with the names of donors, the head sculptors of the statues, and the construction dates. The ceiling consists of six caisson ceilings; the front caisson of the central bay is carved with twin dragons, while the rear caisson is in the shape of an inverted square, with 11 layers decorated with Taiji symbols, curled lotus petals, and ruyi heads. The central stone altar is exquisitely carved with stylized lotus patterns around its waist.

The Stone Hall of Jijing Temple, along with its niches and statues, holds significant importance for the study of Yuan Dynasty architecture and stone carving art. In 2006, the stone hall was included in the sixth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council as an ancient Yuan Dynasty structure.

Further Reading:

· First and Second Groups of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Sixth Group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units