Haiyan Tianning Temple

Haiyan Tianning Temple

Haiyan Tianning Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

Tianning Temple consists of the Thousand Buddha Pavilion and the Zhenhai Pagoda, and is located at No. 143 Haibin West Road, Wuyuan Subdistrict. It was originally part of the Haiyan Tianning Yongzuo Chan Temple complex.

The Thousand Buddha Pavilion was first built in the third year of the Tang Dynasty's Dali era (768 AD), rebuilt in the first year of the Ming Dynasty's Chongzhen era (1628 AD), and underwent two renovations during the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong and Tongzhi periods. The pavilion is five bays wide and four bays deep, standing 23 meters tall with a total area of 974.7 square meters, divided into upper and lower floors. It features a double-eave hip-and-gable roof, dougong bracket sets of the Yupuzuo double downward ang type, slightly inclined columns, and a Taihu stone Sumeru pedestal. Over 300 exquisite wood and stone carvings are found on the pedestal, beams, brackets, dougong, and spandrels. The Thousand Buddha Pavilion is majestic in presence, scientifically structured, and exquisitely crafted in architecture, making it one of the largest single-story wooden ancient buildings in Zhejiang Province.

The Zhenhai Pagoda was first built in the third year of the Yuan Dynasty's Zhiyuan era (1337) under the direction of the renowned monk Fanqi, and historically served as a landmark of Haiyan County. Originally a seven-story octagonal brick-and-wood structure pavilion-style pagoda, it stood 24 zhang tall. It underwent multiple renovations during the Qing and Republican periods. Due to damage from Japanese artillery fire, typhoons, and other factors, by the 1960s only the bottom three stories of the base remained. Artifacts such as gold-lacquered pagodas, ancient coins, scriptures, snuff bottles, Buddha statues, and bronze ware were unearthed from the pagoda body and both the heavenly and earthly chambers. The pagoda was restored between 2004 and 2006, reviving its Republican-era grandeur.

During the third national cultural relics survey in 2010, the Thousand Buddha Pavilion and the base of the Zhenhai Pagoda were merged per provincial requirements and named Tianning Temple; in January 2011, it was designated as part of the sixth batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units.

Address: Tianning Temple Road, Wuyuan Town, Haiyan County, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province

Type: Temple

Recommended visiting time: About 1 hour

Ticket information:

Free admission.