Tianning Temple

CHINA, Jiangsu, Changzhou

Tianning means Heavenly Peace. It has been called the “Number One Chan Monastery of the Southeast.” Chan Master Farong established the temple between 650 and 656 of the Tang dynasty. It has been damaged and repaired a number of times throughout its history. Most of the existing buildings were repaired between 1862 and 1908 during the Qing dynasty. The temple was listed as a key Buddhist temple in the Han region of China in 1983.
The principal structures along the central axis include the main temple gate, Heavenly King Hall, Great Hero Hall, Jade Buddha Hall, and the Triple Gem Hall. Side halls include the Manjusri Hall, Samantabhadra Hall, Arhat Hall, Avalokitesvara Hall, and the Ksitigarbha Hall.
The seven-bay wide Heavenly King Hall has a double-eave hip-and-gable roof. On either end of the ridge there is a dragon with a coiled tail created during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). The Great Hero Hall has a double-eave hip-and-gable roof. It is 26.4 m wide and 25.8 m high. On either end of the main ridge there is a dragon in openwork. The extended eaves and beams are supported by three-tier bracket sets. Eight large columns support the roof inside the hall. They are made from ironwood and measure 80 cm in diameter. The Three Buddhas are enshrined within the hall, with Avalokitesvara of the South Sea featured behind them. Over 500 stone carved images of Arhats stand along the walls. The ceiling has eight layers and is decorated with 104 colorfully painted phoenixes. The 13-story, octagonal wooden Tianning Pagoda was completed in 2007. It is 153.8 m high and is currently the tallest Buddhist pagoda in China.