Haiyin Temple

TAIWAN, Kinmen

Haiyin means Sea Seal. According to local records, it was originally a Daoist temple built during the rule of Emperor Duzong (reigned 1265–1274) of the Southern Song dynasty. The temple’s records state that it was repaired in 1661 during the Ming dynasty, and had become a Buddhist temple by then. It was badly damaged during wartime in 1958 and was fully restored in 1960. It was listed as a local heritage site.
The principal buildings include the main temple gate, Jiaoyue Pond, Dragon Tower, Phoenix Pavilion, main hall, the rear hall, and a stone chamber. The main temple gate is a stone archway with eaves that are slightly curved at the ends. The three-by-four bay main hall has a single-eave flush gable roof. The portico at the front of the building has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. A statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is enshrined inside the main hall. The back wall has two doors which lead to the rear hall. On the grounds of the temple there is a stone chamber which has been created from a cave within a cliff.