Jiande Pujisi Temple

Jiande Pujisi Temple

Jiande Pujisi Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Pujisi Temple is situated on Zhongtan Ridge at the northern end of Muming Bridge. According to historical records, it was first constructed during the Tiansheng era of the Renhe reign in the Northern Song Dynasty, making it over 800 years old. As a branch of the Pujisi Temple on Putuo Mountain in the South China Sea, it is often referred to as the “Little South Sea.” The temple follows a three-hall layout and enshrines a jade Guanyin statue gifted by India (a national treasure-level cultural relic). It was destroyed during the Xuanhe era of the Song Dynasty; rebuilt during the Jianyan era of the Southern Song Dynasty by a monk from Tonglu who relocated and renamed it; renovated by Monk Rizhao during the Chunyou era of the Song Dynasty; destroyed again in the Xinyou year of the Xianfeng era in the Qing Dynasty; reconstructed in the 15th year of the Guangxu era with funding from Tang Qizhang, and expanded with a guest hall added by Monk Kuan Yi in the 19th year; and further expanded in the 7th year of the Republic of China with ten additional rooms built by Monk Dezeng.

At its peak, the temple complex comprised multiple halls, housed over ten monks, owned more than 20 acres of temple fields, and over 30 acres of mountain land. Over the long course of history, it suffered repeated damage due to wars and was rebuilt and destroyed many times. By the early years of the Republic, the temple still retained its original scale. However, during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, it was once again destroyed, and the jade Guanyin statue was discarded into a deep pool.

In 1992, devotees contributed funds and labor to rebuild a single Guanyin hall on the original temple foundation and created Buddha statues, which were unfortunately destroyed the following year. In 2006, fundraising efforts resumed to recast the Buddha statues. That same year, a temple management committee was established to oversee the temple’s expansion and related affairs. In 2008, with strong support from many devotees, Pujisi Temple was rebuilt once again to restore its former glory. From groundbreaking in early March to completion at the end of August, the project took over 240 days. It included the construction of the Mahavira Hall, the Heavenly King Hall, the Hundred Sons Hall, and a pavilion, as well as the renovation of living quarters. During this period, over 250,000 yuan in donations and 25 cubic meters of timber were raised, with more than 1,500 voluntary workdays contributed. The rebuilt temple now spans three sections, covering an area of approximately 300 square meters, plus a 50-square-meter pavilion, with total costs amounting to over 260,000 yuan.

Today, the temple has grown considerably in size and continues to attract increasing numbers of worshippers. It has become a center for Buddhist activities in the Zhongtan Ridge area.

Scenic Area Address: Zhongtan Ridge, Xiaya Town, Jiande City, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.

Transportation: Take a bus from Jiande City bound for Xiaya Town, then walk to Zhongtan Ridge.