Suzhou Baoguo Temple

Suzhou Baoguo Temple

Suzhou Baoguo Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou City.

Located at No. 3 Chuanxin Street, Renmin Road (formerly Malong Street) in the ancient city of Suzhou. It neighbors the famous Yi Garden to the north, has the Twin Pagodas to the east, and is close to the Canglang Pavilion to the south. Situated in a quiet spot within the bustling city, it embodies the ambiance of finding tranquility amid noise and Zen within stillness. The temple currently hosts various Buddhist cultural and charitable institutions, including the Suzhou Buddhist Museum, Suzhou Honghua Society, Suzhou Buddhist Museum & Honghua Art Academy, and the Suzhou Honghua Society Free Clinic.

Baoguo Temple was first built during the Xianchun era of the Song Dynasty. Originally located west of the Confucius Temple, it was called “Baoguo Chan Monastery.” In the 22nd year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty, it was rebuilt with donations from the Hu-Dao Surveillance Commissioner, and Puzhao served as the abbot, ushering in a period of flourishing Chan practice.

In the early Ming Dynasty, the monastery was incorporated into Kaiyuan Temple. During the Jingtai and Tianshun eras, Monk Zhixue petitioned the imperial court to change the status from monastery to temple, thus forming a proper monastic community. In the Chenghua era, Abbot Chengzhao greatly expanded the scale, constructing hundreds of structures including halls, guest lodgings, dining halls, and storehouses, covering an area of 47 mu, making it a major temple.

During the Jiajing and Wanli eras, due to unrest in the southeast, Buddhism gradually declined, and Baoguo Temple also fell into disrepair. In the late Wanli era, Monk Huiru revived the temple through ascetic effort, followed by Monk Maolin, who embraced compassion in dealing with people and wisdom in teaching and spreading the Dharma. They specialized in the chanting of Amitabha Buddha’s name, ordained over 3,000 people, administered precepts to more than 10,000, and provided meals for hundreds of thousands of monks. This marked the most prosperous period of Baoguo Temple. After the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, Buddhism declined again. By the end of the Guangxu era, Monk Chiquan, seeing the temple's gradual decay, resolved to revive it and traveled specially to Beijing to request an imperial Buddhist scripture donation. After Chiquan left the temple, Jiangsu Governor Cheng Dequan, misled by false reports from his aides claiming that Baoguo Temple had no monks, confiscated the entire site and converted it into Zhuyuan Garden. When Chiquan returned with the scriptures, the temple had changed ownership, so he could only temporarily store the scriptures elsewhere, waiting for a better opportunity.

In the second year of the Republic of China, Cheng Dequan retired and began studying Buddhism, developing faith. Deeply regretting the earlier destruction of the temple, he used his own funds in the 10th year of the Republic to purchase the former site of the Central Army Office on Chuanxin Street and rebuild Baoguo Temple. However, the scale was smaller, covering just over 4 mu, and Chiquan was invited to serve as abbot. After Chiquan’s passing, his disciple Mingdao succeeded him. In February of the 19th year of the Republic of China (1930), the eminent monk Yin Guang was invited to the temple to enter seclusion. After Yin Guang took up residence, his reputation for benefiting sentient beings spread far and wide, attracting over a million followers. As a result, Chuanxin Street became bustling with visitors, marking a glorious period for the temple. When the Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1937, Yin Guang left seclusion to preach in Shanghai, earnestly exhorting the protection of the nation and the cessation of disaster. Later, at the invitation of Monk Miaozhen, he moved to Lingyan Mountain Temple. After Mingdao passed away, Baoguo Temple became a branch of Lingyan Mountain Temple.

After 1950, the temple was used by a hospital and a factory. In 1958, it became residential housing. In the autumn of 1992, the Suzhou Buddhist Association requested its return to establish Buddhist cultural initiatives, gaining government support, and the property was returned. The association raised over three million yuan for renovations. The restored Baoguo Temple covers an area of 1,300 square meters, featuring key structures such as the mountain gate, main hall, scripture depository, east and west wing rooms, and the Abbot Yin Guang’s quarters, all embodying the classic style of southern temples. The Abbot’s quarters were restored to their original appearance, and the scripture depository is spacious and bright. The main hall has five bays, with a construction area of 144 square meters, and boasts a majestic presence.