Baoguo Temple (Zhejiang)

29°58′57″N 121°30′58″E / 29.98250°N 121.51611°E / 29.98250; 121.51611 The Baoguo Temple (simplified Chinese: 保国寺; traditional Chinese: 保國寺; pinyin: Bǎoguó Sì; lit. 'Temple of Homeland-Defending', Wu Chinese pronunciation: [pau koh zy]) is a former Mahayana Buddhist temple located in the Jiangbei district, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of Ningbo, in Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China. It is noted as the second oldest surviving wooden structure in southern China since the main hall of the present temple dates back to 1013 AD during the Northern Song dynasty.

History

The temple was originally called the Lingshan Temple (simplified Chinese: 灵山寺; traditional Chinese: 靈山寺; pinyin: Língshān Sì; lit. 'Temple of Divine Mountain', Wu Chinese pronunciation: [lin sae zy]), but in 880 AD, during the Tang dynasty it was renamed the Baoguo Temple. The main hall was rebuilt in 1013 AD, during the Northern Song dynasty, and is one of the oldest and most well preserved wooden constructions in China. The temple also contains columns dating to the Tang dynasty, a hall built during the Ming dynasty, and two halls and towers of the Qing dynasty.