Piling Temple Well

Piling Temple Well

The Piling Temple Well is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhangjiagang City.

The Piling Temple Well is located in Changshan Village, Gang Town, at the northern foot of Xiangshan Mountain in Zhangjiagang City. Historical records state that during the Western Han Dynasty, General Peng Yue led his troops on an eastern campaign and passed through what is now Changshan Village in Gang Town. Thirsty and desperate, the soldiers dug into the mud to form a well—this became the prototype of the Piling Temple Well. By the Eastern Han Dynasty, temples were being built throughout the Jiangnan region, and the Piling Temple (now Xiangshan Temple) was erected at the well site. Later, as the temple gained increasing popularity, the abbot Hongzu led the monks in expanding the well into nine. Among them, the Piling Temple Well was the largest. Of the nine wells, two were dry wells used for storing fruits and vegetables. Over time, only the largest of the nine wells remained. The Piling Temple Well is also known as Qujia Well or Hongquan and is one of the scenic highlights of ancient Nansha. In 1984, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit by the Zhangjiagang Municipal Government.