Qita Temple

CHINA, Zhejiang, Ningbo

Qita means Seven Pagodas. In 858 during the Tang dynasty, Ren Jingqiu converted his residence into a temple. He invited the retired Chan Master Xinjing Zanghuan from Tiantong Temple to become its abbot. In 1682 during the Qing dynasty, seven pagodas were built in front of the temple, representing the Seven Buddhas of the Past. Since its founding, the temple has flourished and declined a number of times. The temple was badly damaged during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and was repaired in 1980. It was listed as a key Buddhist temple in the Han region of China in 1983.
The central axis runs from south to north with buildings including the main temple gate, Heavenly King Hall, Perfect Understanding Hall, Hall of the Three Sages, and sutra repository. Along the sides there are the bell and drum towers, the Jade Buddha Pavilion, and other subsidiary buildings. There are seven stone pagodas in front of the main temple gate. The seven-bay wide Perfect Understanding Hall is the main hall of the temple. It has a double-eave hip-and-gable roof covered with gray cylindrical tiles. A gilt camphor wood statue of the Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara is enshrined within the hall. On either side there are Manjusri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas. The walls are decorated with brick carvings of the Five Hundred Arhats.
The temple houses the relic stupa of the first abbot Chan Master Xinjing Zanghuan, two copper bells cast during the Song dynasty (960–1279), a seal dated to 1735 of the Qing dynasty, and the Qing Tripitaka, which was donated by Emperor Guangxu (reigned 1875–1908).