Lingyin Temple & Li Gong Pagoda, Hangzhou, China

Photos by Debbie Stock

Lingyin (Hidden Spirit) Temple, one of the largest and most visited Buddhist temples in China, was built in 328 AD by the Indian Monk Huili. The temple consists of the Hall of the Great Hero, Hall of the Heavenly King, Hall of the Buddha of Medicine, East and West Winding Corridors. A statue of bare-bellied Buddha Maitreya, is positioned in the center of the Hall of the Heavenly King. The main hall in the temple,  In the hall of the Great Hero, contains a statue of Sakyamuni, founder of Buddhism. Lingyin Temple also houses a large collection of Buddhist treasures and artifacts. Thousands of worshipers per day visit the temple.

Li Gong Pagoda (center photo) commemorates Hui Li or Li Gong, who founded the temple. The brick-and-stone octagonal structure stands seven stories tall, with carved inscriptions on the second story, sutras on the third story and Buddhist figures on the fourth to the seventh stories. Li Gong was buried here.

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