Qixia Temple Travel Guide
One of China’s most important monasteries, Qixia Temple is found on a mountain by the same name 16 miles outside of Nanjing. This historic temple was first built the 5th century and later overhauled and reopened in 1979.
This temple has a relatively early founding date and serves as headquarters for a special branch of Chinese Buddhism (the School of the Three Sastras). Inside are literally thousands of tomes of scripture and religious works. A monastic community of 200 monks lives here on a full time basis.
Aside from the temple complex itself, one of the greatest attractions here is Thousand Buddha Cliff. The rock face behind the temple is carved with hundreds of niches carved with Buddha images that range in size from a few inches to more than 30 feet. These images were damaged during the Qing Dynasty wars and later restored.
Next to the temple is Sheli Pagoda, which dates to the Tang Dynasty. Records show construction began on this pagoda at the turn of the 7th century, though its architectural style points toward the 10th century. Fresh-water springs also dot the countryside, and the monks use these for drinking water.