Baohua Zen Temple: A Thousand-Year-Old Ancient Temple Hidden Deep in Tiantai Mountain

Step into the Zen garden and listen to the morning bell and evening drum 📍 Baohua Zen Temple in Tiantai, Taizhou, is a thousand-year-old ancient temple hidden within Tiantai Mountain. Known for its unique Zen garden and rich historical culture, it has become a rare sanctuary for spiritual retreat. Unlike ordinary temples, it blends natural landscapes with architectural aesthetics, making it an excellent place to seek inner peace. 🙏 Historical Background The history of Baohua Zen Temple dates back to the second year of the Tang Dynasty’s Qianfu era (875 AD), originally named Taiping Temple. In the third year of the Song Dynasty’s Zhiping era (1066 AD), it was renamed Baohua Zen Temple. The temple is located on Baohua Mountain in Tiantai. Legend has it that this place was formed from the fragments of the five-colored stones used by the goddess Nüwa to mend the sky, combined with a seven-colored rainbow, transforming into seven lotus flowers scattered across the mountain, with Baohua Temple situated at the center of the seven lotus mountains. This ancient temple has experienced a thousand years of rise and fall. At its peak, it housed hundreds of monks, covered tens of thousands of acres of forest, and managed more than ten branch temples. In 1958, the original temple site was converted into Baohua Forest Farm. Fortunately, in 2013, the reconstruction project of Baohua Zen Temple began, and the main structure was completed in 2018 under the leadership of Chan Master Shi Guoning, restoring the temple’s former glory. 🌿 Architecture and Environment The rebuilt Baohua Zen Temple features Song Dynasty architectural style, constructed according to the terrain, forming a layout of "three axes advancing in parallel and four verticals connected horizontally." The main axis includes the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, and the Great Compassion Pavilion, all grand in scale, with symmetrical bell and drum towers on the east and west sides. The temple skillfully integrates garden aesthetics, embodying the concept of "a temple within a garden, a garden within a temple." Surrounded by four rings of verdant peaks and three winding streams, the corridors twist and turn, and the pavilions are secluded and serene. Moss-covered steps, scattered mountain cherry trees, and the faint glow from rooftops, beams, and gables at night enhance the profound Zen atmosphere. 🌸 Unique Highlights · Baohua Stone: A local mineral called flower milkstone, colorful and soft with a delicate texture, historically used for making seals and stone pillows. · Stone Little Monks: Stone statues of little monks are placed throughout the temple—in the shade of trees, by the fish pond, and at corridor corners—adorable and representing the myriad forms of sentient beings. · Plum Blossoms and Tea Gardens: In early spring, the plum blossoms inside the temple and the surrounding tea gardens complement each other, adding a touch of elegance to the ancient temple. 🏯 Zen Practice Experience As a Chan Buddhist site, Baohua Zen Temple has offered courses such as the Five Contemplations Zen and Zen Retreats since 2016. With the morning bell, evening drum, tinkling wind chimes, and chanting sutras, it has become a prime location for practicing walking meditation. 📍 Practical Information Address: Northeast of Lishuyuan Village, Tiantai County, Zhejiang Province Transportation: Best accessed by self-driving or taxi from Tiantai County town Baohua Zen Temple, with its tranquil environment, unique garden layout, and profound cultural heritage, offers visitors an excellent place to escape the hustle and bustle and cultivate inner calm. Whether you are a culture enthusiast, photography lover, or a traveler seeking spiritual peace, this place will provide you with an unforgettable experience.