Hidden Gem in Taizhou, Zhejiang: A Snap of the Sui Dynasty Ancient Temple, Guoqing Temple!

Guoqing Temple | Summer Greenery in Full Bloom🌿

This is not the sudden enlightenment of Zen Buddhism, nor the precepts of the Vinaya School, but the birthplace of the Tiantai Sect of Chinese Buddhism: Guoqing Temple. Built in the 18th year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (598 AD), it has weathered over 1,400 years of history. Once an imperial temple, even Emperor Yongzheng personally inscribed its plaque.

"If the temple is completed, the nation will be at peace"—the dying wish of Master Zhiyi led to the establishment of this ancestral temple of East Asian Tiantai Buddhism. Japanese Master Saichō sought teachings here and later founded the Japanese Tendai School, which still reveres Guoqing Temple as a sacred site today.

The Sui plum blossoms fragrance, ancient pagodas pierce the clouds, the east-facing gate welcomes auspicious energy, and every brick and tile tells a story. Here, there is no noise, only the blend of Zen and history—a true "hidden gem" of Buddhist purity.

Guoqing Temple, Tiantai Mountain, Zhejiang | Free admission, awaiting those with a destined connection.

Post by BIW. Mia 3322 | Aug 10, 2025