Baoguo Temple is located on the side of Lingshan Mountain, which is about 15 kilometers (around 9.3 miles) away from the downtown of Ningbo City. The temple was initially established in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and rebuilt in later dynasties. The present Baoguo Temple is a mixture of constructions made by various dynasties. It is now a cultural relic spot under the state-level protection.
At the gate of Baoguo Temple stand two stone pillars with Buddhist scriptures, which can be dated back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD). Inside the temple, there are the Mahavira Hall (the Grand Hall), the Kwanyin Hall, the Devaraja Hall and the Scripture Repository. Around the Grand Hall are scattered the Bell Tower, the Drum Tower and the Guest House, and so forth.
The Grand Hall is the main construction of the temple. Built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), it is one of the oldest and the best-preserved wooden architecture in the south of the Yangtze River. No bird builds its nest in the Grand Hall; even no insect lives in the hall and the hall always remains free of dust. The hall is built without a single nail and the girders, pillars, columns are joined together neatly. When the wind comes into the hall, it swirls and produces a sound wave which scares off birds and insects and takes away the dust.
There are 17 showrooms open to the public, such as the exhibition rooms of Kwanyin statues, bronze wares, the local customs of marriage, and notable scientific and technological discoveries and inventions of the 20th century. Tourists have the chance to enrich themselves with knowledge during their visit.
Opening hour: 09:00 - 16:30
Recommended visiting time: 1 hour
Ticket: 20 RMB
Type: Temple
Location: Hongtang County, Jiangbei District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, China
Transportation: Take Bus No.332, 338, and get off at Baoguo Temple.