The Qita Temple, or Seven Pagodas Temple, is a Zen Buddhist temple located in the Yinzhou District of Ningbo City. It is the only major Zen Buddhist temple complex within the city proper of Ningbo. Qita Temple is listed as a "Han Chinese Buddhist Temple of National Significance". Since 2011 it has been listed as a relic being protected by the provincial government.
The history of Qita Temple can be dated back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) in 858 AD. Qita Temple was first called the Dongjin Zen Courtyard. The temple went through multiple destructions and rebuilding. At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), seven pagodas were known to be placed in front of the entrance of the temple. Since then it got the present name. During the Qing Dynasty the temple was the site of the dissemination of the Linji school of Buddhism. The temple was nearly totally destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The Qita Temple today was restored in 1980.
Opening hours: 8:00-17:00
Recommended visiting time: 1 hour
Ticket: Free
Type: Temple
Location: No.183 Baizhang Road, Yinzhou District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, China
Transportation: Take Bus No. 3, 15, 102, 111, 135, 517 and get off at Qitasi Station.