Dawn Bell of Shanglin

Dawn Bell of Shanglin

Walking along the Shangshui Stream, you’ll find lush trees lining both banks, with winding paths and meandering waters, all embraced by verdant hills. Nestled in a secluded valley lies the small village of Hengjie. During the Qiande era of the Northern Song Dynasty (963–968), the Shouning Chan Temple was built here. Shi Hao, the chancellor of the Southern Song Dynasty, piled up over a hundred zhang of stones nearby, creating layered peaks that looked entirely natural—dubbed “Artificial Cliff.” In the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1662–1722), the Buddhist hall was rebuilt and renamed Shanglin Temple. In the past, when the morning bell rang during early temple services, its sound resonated through the valley, accentuating the tranquility of the mountains and echoing several miles away. Sadly, the temple no longer exists.

Location

Dongqian Lake, Yinzhou District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province