Guanzong Temple

Buddhist Temple

Guanzong Temple

观宗寺

The Mahavira Hall at Guanzong Temple.

Religion
Affiliation| Buddhism
Deity| Tiantai
Location
Location| Haishu District, Ningbo, Zhejiang
Country| China

Shown within Zhejiang

Geographic coordinates| 29°52′02″N 121°33′27″E﻿ / ﻿29.867279°N 121.557436°E﻿ / 29.867279; 121.557436
Architecture
Style| Chinese architecture
Date established| 1078-1085
Completed| 20th-century (reconstruction)

Guanzong Temple (simplified Chinese: 观宗寺; traditional Chinese: 觀宗寺; pinyin: Guānzōng Sì) is a Buddhist temple located in Haishu District of Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.[1]Reconstructed in 20th-century.

## History[edit]

The temple traces its origins to the former Shiliuguan-tang (十六观堂; Shíliùguān Táng), founded by monk Jieran (介然) in the Yuanfeng era (1078-1085) of the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) and would later become "Guanzong Temple" in early Republic of China. In early Republic of China, Zhang Daqian came to the temple to study Buddhism under master Dixian [zh].[2][3]

During the ten-year Cultural Revolution, the Red Guard had attacked the temple, wooden statues of the Five Hundred Arhat and statues of "Three-Life Buddha" (三世佛; Sānshì Fó) were demolished by Red Guards. Halls of the temple were used as warehouse, school and conference hall.

On December 5, 1981, it was inscribed as a municipal level cultural heritage by the local government. In 1993, the Ningbo Municipal Government invited Yixing (益行), the acting abbot of Guoqing Temple and forty-seventh generation of Tiantai school, to restore the temple.

## Architecture[edit]

Now the existing main buildings include Four Heavenly Kings Hall, Mahavira Hall and wing-rooms.

### Four Heavenly Kings Hall[edit]

The Four Heavenly Kings Hall is 16-metre (52 ft) high and 22-metre (72 ft) wide with double-eave gable and hip roofs.

### Mahavira Hall[edit]

The Mahavira Hall is 21-metre (69 ft) deep and 23-metre (75 ft) wide with double-eave gable and hip roofs. The roof is supported by stone columns.

## References[edit]

1. ^ 莲桥街：古日湖的时光背影 最江南的人文院落. nbwb.net (in Chinese). 2014-03-09.
2. ^ 张大千与宁波观宗寺 [Zhang Daqian and Ningbo Guanzong Temple]. sina (in Chinese). 2015-07-07.
3. ^ 张大千：我当了一百天和尚 被家人抓回家结婚 [Zhang Daqian: After a hundred days as a monk, I was taken home and married]. qq.com (in Chinese). 2017-07-07.