Kaijiang Jinshan Temple

Kaijiang Jinshan Temple

Kaijiang Jinshan Temple is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Sichuan.

Kaijiang Jinshan Temple is located on the mountainside of Jinshan in Baotaba Township, Kaijiang County, about 8 kilometers from the county town. The temple sits atop the highest peak in the area. In Sichuan’s Kaijiang, Jinshan Temple boasts an elevated and open terrain, with undulating hills and ancient towering trees to its rear, earthen mounds sprawling in parallel formation on both sides like guardian sentinels, and the vast farmlands of Baotaba stretching out in front of it with villages visible in the distance. The temple was first built during the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty, destroyed in warfare during the late Ming Dynasty, and later rebuilt through fundraising during the Kangxi and Qianlong eras of the Qing Dynasty. Jinshan Temple consists of two main parts: the Main Hall and the Scripture Depository Tower. The Main Hall faces south while the Scripture Depository Tower faces west, with about one hundred feet between them.

Historically, Jinshan Temple was a sacred Buddhist site in Kaijiang. At its peak, it owned more than 500 acres of land, housed over 200 monks, and operated a Buddhist elementary school. Its main hall, side halls, and stupa forest covered an area far larger than that of Zhenfo Mountain in Dazhou. In earlier times, Jinshan Temple was a pure land of Buddhism. Since the Qianlong era, its incense offerings had remained strong year after year. Each year, it hosted a “Ullambana Grand Ceremony” and an “Eight Precepts Ceremony on Laba.” During the “Eight Precepts Ceremony on Laba,” from the second day of the winter month to Laba Festival, new monks from 16 temples across the county and other temples including Zhenfo Mountain in Dazhou would come to Jinshan Temple to receive their precepts. In 1958, Jinshan Temple was designated as a key protected temple by Sichuan Province and is now included in publications such as the "Comprehensive Annals of Chinese County Conditions" and the "Chinese Temples, Pagodas and Grottoes – Sichuan Volume." Although the temple suffered damage during the ten-year turmoil, since its approval for restoration and reopening by the Kaijiang County government in 1992, it has been revitalized through extensive fundraising and repair efforts. The temple buildings and statues have been restored, the cultural relics and ancient trees have been preserved, the gardens have been cultivated, and pilgrims and tourists continue to flock here. According to incomplete statistics, the annual number of visitors reaches around 30,000, generating over 100,000 yuan in revenue. The temple currently has 12 monks, covers an area of over 100 acres, and includes buildings spanning nearly 10,000 square meters.

Historically, Jinshan Temple was a sacred Buddhist site in Kaijiang. At its peak, it owned more than 500 acres of land, housed over 200 monks, and operated a Buddhist elementary school. Its main hall, side halls, and stupa forest covered an area far larger than that of Zhenfo Mountain in Dazhou. In earlier times, Jinshan Temple was a pure land of Buddhism. Since the Qianlong era, its incense offerings had remained strong year after year. Each year, it hosted a “Ullambana Grand Ceremony” and an “Eight Precepts Ceremony on Laba.” During the “Eight Precepts Ceremony on Laba,” from the second day of the winter month to Laba Festival, new monks from 16 temples across the county and other temples including Zhenfo Mountain in Dazhou would come to Jinshan Temple to receive their precepts. In 1958, Jinshan Temple was designated as a key protected temple by Sichuan Province and is now included in publications such as the "Comprehensive Annals of Chinese County Conditions" and the "Chinese Temples, Pagodas and Grottoes – Sichuan Volume." Although the temple suffered damage during the ten-year turmoil, since its approval for restoration and reopening by the Kaijiang County government in 1992, it has been revitalized through extensive fundraising and repair efforts. The temple buildings and statues have been restored, the cultural relics and ancient trees have been preserved, the gardens have been cultivated, and pilgrims and tourists continue to flock here.

The mountain temple (also known as “Golden Peak”), backs against Golden Peak and overlooks the Fu River, covering an area of over 10,000 square meters. With its magnificent and resplendent architecture, coupled with its beautiful mountain and river scenery and convenient transportation, Jinshan Temple has become a sacred Buddhist site and an important tourist area in the region.

Protection zone: 20 meters outside the temple wall, and 10 meters outside the stupa base.

Construction control zone: 15 meters outside the protection zone.