Jinshan Temple (Jiangtian Temple)
金山寺
A thousand-year-old temple where the monastery wraps around the mountain, with the Cishou Pagoda on the summit; the setting of the 'Flooding of Jinshan' in the Legend of the White Snake, with the Zhongling Spring, 'the finest spring under heaven', nearby.
The formal name of Jinshan Temple is Jiangtian Temple. Founded in the Eastern Jin dynasty, it has more than 1,600 years of history. It originally stood on Golden Island in the middle of the Yangtze, but after sediment built up in the late Qing, it became joined to the south bank. The temple is built against the mountain, with halls and pavilions stacked layer upon layer that wrap the whole hill. The saying goes, 'Jinshan Temple wraps the mountain, Jiaoshan Mountain wraps the temple.' At the summit, the seven-story octagonal brick-and-timber Cishou Pagoda is the landmark of Jinshan. The mountain also has Fahai Cave, White Dragon Cave (the place where the White Snake fought Fahai in the legend of the flooding of Jinshan), Miaogao Terrace (where Liang Hongyu beat the drum against the Jin army) and Seven Peaks Pavilion. On the western side of Jinshan is the Zhongling Spring, which the Tang dynasty ranked as the finest spring under heaven, along with Jinshan Lake. A visit takes about 2 hours. Entry is about RMB 45 (included in the three-mountain combined ticket), and the temple is open about 08:00–18:00, with entry stopping at 17:00. Getting there: take a city bus to Jinshan station, or walk or cycle about 20 minutes from Xijindu. Note: keep quiet in the Buddha halls, and the stairs up the pagoda are narrow and steep.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–18:00 (entry stops at 17:00)
Nearby sights
- Yanchun Restaurant
- Boxian Park
- Xijindu Ancient Ferry Street
- Zhenjiang Museum
- Former Residence of Pearl S. Buck
- Beigu Mountain
- Mengxi Garden
- Nanshan Scenic Area