Guoqing Temple

国清寺

An ancient temple from the Sui dynasty and the ancestral temple of the Tiantai school of Buddhism, which is also the ancestral temple of Tiantai Buddhism in Japan and Korea. The Sui pagoda, the Sui plum tree and an old temple among rice fields make it free and peaceful.

Guoqing Temple lies at the southern foot of Tiantai Mountain, north of Tiantai County town. It was founded in 598, in the 18th year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui dynasty, and is the root temple of the Tiantai school founded by Master Zhiyi. Japanese Tendai founder Saichō and Shingon founder Kūkai both received teachings here, so monks and visitors from Japan and Korea often come to pay their respects. In front of the temple stand the Sui-era Guoqing Temple Pagoda (a brick pagoda about 60 meters tall), Fugan Bridge and the 'Ancient Temple of the Sui Dynasty' screen wall. The 'Sui plum tree' inside the temple is said to have been planted more than 1,400 years ago and blooms in February and March. Behind the temple are rice fields and bamboo groves, golden in autumn and a favorite spot for photographers. Guoqing Temple is a rare famous temple that charges no admission and is not overly commercialized. Vegetarian meals (about 10 yuan) are served at lunchtime. A visit takes about 1.5–2 hours, and you can continue up to other sights on Tiantai Mountain. Getting there: Tiantaishan station on the Hangzhou–Taizhou high-speed railway is about 15 minutes by car from Guoqing Temple. Buses from Tiantai County town run to the scenic area car park, and it is then a 10-minute walk to the temple. Notes: dress appropriately, and photography is prohibited inside the halls. Entry is free but crowded during holidays, so go in the morning. The temple's chronicles and calligraphy are worth seeing, and you can hire a guide or join a talk to learn about the history of Tiantai Buddhism.

Guoqing Temple

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