Site of Gongchen Temple

Site of Gongchen Temple

The Site of Gongchen Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Site of Gongchen Temple is located at the southern foot of Gongchen Mountain in Lin’an City, Zhejiang Province. It is an extensive architectural site dating from the Tang to the Five Dynasties period, featuring a large corridor-style courtyard complex. During excavation, parts of early foundation remains, sections of surrounding wall bases, brick (and stone) drainage ditches, brick-paved pathways, courtyard flooring, along with various bricks, tiles, decorative ridge beasts, and ceramic artifacts—among other historic relics—were unearthed. Through comparison with historical documents, it has been confirmed that this is the site of Gongchen Temple, which was built when Qian Liu, the king of the Wuyue Kingdom, “donated his residence to be converted into a temple.” The layout is notably structured as a corridor-style courtyard, emphasizing symmetry and axial order. It includes structures such as a front hall, courtyard space, bell tower-like buildings, a main hall, another courtyard, corridors, a rear hall, and side chambers on both sides. The discovery of this site plays a crucial role in the study of society, economy, and culture during the Wuyue Kingdom period of the Five Dynasties. In May 2013, the Site of Gongchen Temple was included in the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units and was combined with the fifth batch-listed Gongchen Pagoda under the unified name: Gongchen Pagoda and Site of Gongchen Temple.

In May 2013, it was designated by the State Council as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units