Site: Leng Yang Temple

With the name originating from a Buddhist scripture called 《Lengyan Sutra》, this temple has witnessed a history of 1400 years, being one of the eighteen most famous ancient temples in China. In the Reign of Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, a successful candidate in the imperial examination at provincial level in the Qing Dynasty called CHEN Qiaosen from Suining County personally wrote three Chinese characters “楞严寺”on a rectangular plank for the top of the temple’s front gate and a pair of couplet for the gate as well, running as follows: “An immortal is invited to stay overnight on stone bed at the cave’s entrance, while stepping on clouds a guest is being seen off in front of the temple’s gate”. Enshrined and worshipped in this temple are more than thirty Buddha statues like the Buddha of the third generation, Laughing Buddha, the Eighteen arhats, Goddess of Mercy, etc. In China, this is the sole temple where the Hall of Sakiyamuni is built making use of volcanic rock cave for building material. Carved on the rock wall above the Hall of Sakiyamuni are three big Chinese characters of “湖光岩”which is said to be the authentic calligraphy left behind by LI Gang, the Prime Minister of the Song Dynasty.