Jungle Temple

Jungle Temple

Jungle Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

Jungle Temple, located about 1 kilometer southeast of Xiaoxi Village in She County, was first built in 831 AD and has been renovated in various dynasties. It is shaded by pine and cypress trees and surrounded by clusters of purple bamboo. Established in 831 AD and renovated through the ages, during the early Ming Dynasty, She County had ten major monastic complexes (each managing ten temples), and Jungle Temple was the site of the tenth such complex. In its heyday, the temple housed the Manjusri Hall, the Mahavira Hall, the Samantabhadra Palace, and the Morning Bell Tower, but now only the Mahavira Hall and the monks' quarters remain. The main hall is square, with each side measuring 9 meters, surrounded by an open corridor and topped with a hip-and-gable roof. Inside the hall, four central pillars support a horizontal beam, which in turn holds up a caisson ceiling supported by twelve bracket sets. The ceiling is painted with colorful cloud-and-dragon motifs. The temple walls feature 24 ink paintings of Guanyin and arhats, said to be the work of Ding Yunpeng. It is now a key cultural relic protection unit of She County.

In 2012, Jungle Temple was designated as a seventh-batch provincial-level cultural relic protection unit by the People's Government of Anhui Province.

Protected area: an extension of 5 meters beyond the temple (including the original monks' quarters).

Construction control zone: a buffer of 50 meters beyond the protected area.