Description of the attraction
The Lingu Temple ("Temple of the Valley of the Spirits") played a rather important role in the spread of Buddhism in the territory of ancient China. The temple is located on the southern slope of the Purple Gold Mountain (Zijin), in Nanjing. The construction of the landmark began in 512, and in 515 it was completed under the leadership of Emperor Wu Di (Liang Dynasty). The original site of construction was Dulongfu Hill, but in 1376 Emperor Hongwu ordered to move the building to the vicinity of Mount Zijin. This decision was due to the fact that on the site of Lingu it was planned to create the famous Xiaolin mausoleum.
The temple changed its name quite often. So, in the Tang era, the building was called Baogong Shenyuan, and in the Yuan and Song periods, the temple was known among Buddhists as Taipingsinguo Si. During the reign of the Ming dynasty, Lingu was once again renamed Jiangshan Si. Only at the beginning of the XIV century, the temple received its final name, which has survived to this day.
Most of the temple complex was destroyed during the Taiping War (mid-19th century). However, the well-preserved Ulyan Dian Hall or "Chamber without rafters", erected without the use of wooden building materials supporting the roof of the temple. Inside the chamber many centuries ago there were the relics of the holy monk Xuanzang, to which Buddhists from all over China came to pray.
Lingu's restoration work continues to this day. In 1929, a pagoda of the same name was erected near the temple, which immortalized the memory of the soldiers who died in the Northern Approach.
