[2025 Jingzhou Attraction] Travel Guide for Zhanghua Temple (Updated Jun)

Zhanghua Temple, located in Jingzhou, Hubei, is a serene choice for the Dragon Boat Festival. With a rich history dating back to the Yuan Dynasty, it is renowned as the 'First Temple of Jingzhou.' The temple is surrounded by towering ancient trees, its architecture solemn and majestic, and its Buddha statues exude a sense of compassion and dignity, inspiring awe in visitors. Here, you can explore the grand temple structures and appreciate the allure of traditional architectural artistry. You can also quietly pray within the temple, seeking inner peace. If you happen to visit during a ceremonial event, you can participate and experience the solemnity and mystique of Buddhist culture. Additionally, the temple's surroundings are picturesque, perfect for a leisurely stroll to enjoy the tranquility and harmony of the Dragon Boat Festival season. Zhanghua Temple is not just a religious site but also an excellent destination to immerse yourself in traditional Chinese culture. A visit during the Dragon Boat Festival promises a unique cultural experience.

Zhanghua Temple in Jingzhou is located in Taishiyuan, Shashi, Hubei Province. It was built during the Taiding period of the Yuan Dynasty (around 1325 AD) and has experienced the rise and fall of several dynasties, especially during the Qing Dynasty when it was rebuilt. The temple was built on the site of the ancient Zhanghua Terrace, which was a palace of the Chu King Ling. This palace witnessed the prosperity and splendor of the Chu Kingdom. It is one of the famous temples in Jingzhou and has profound historical and cultural value. 📍Architectural features The architectural layout of Zhanghua Temple is unique, with main buildings including the Mahavira Hall, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Jade Buddha Hall, and the Guanyin Sweet Dew Pagoda. Among them, the Guanyin Sweet Dew Pagoda is 66.88 meters high and has seven floors, making it the treasure of the temple. Inside the pagoda is a statue of the main deity of Guanyin Bodhisattva, with a tranquil environment and a strong sense of Zen. 📍Main attractions ✅Chu Plum: The Chu Plum in the temple is one of the five ancient plums in China, with a thousand-year-old tree age, which is a major feature of Zhanghua Temple. ✅Agarwood Ancient Well: This is a historical ancient well with a strong aroma of agarwood, adding a touch of mystery to the temple. ✅Ginkgo Tree: There is also a ginkgo tree from the Tang Dynasty in the temple, which is over 1,400 years old and has lush branches and leaves, making it an important natural landscape of the temple. ⚠️Visiting tips ✅Book tickets: It is recommended to book tickets through official channels, especially during peak tourist seasons or special holidays. ✅Dress code: As the temple is a religious place, it is recommended to dress appropriately and avoid overly casual or revealing clothing. ✅Behavior: Keep quiet in the temple, do not touch cultural relics at will, and ask for permission before taking photos. 💟Travel tips ✅Green travel: Choose public transportation to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment. ✅Protect cultural heritage: Respect and protect the cultural relics in the temple, and do not damage or touch them at will. Zhanghua Temple is not only a pilgrimage site for Buddhists but also a place for cultural enthusiasts to visit. We hope this guide will help you better experience and understand the cultural and historical value of this ancient temple.

🏯Zhanghua Temple, located in Jingzhou, is one of the famous temples here, carrying profound historical heritage and a strong atmosphere of faith. 🌴When you enter the temple, the first thing that catches your eye is the magnificent architectural complex, with every corner exuding solemnity and dignity. 🙏The Buddha statues are solemn and compassionate, inspiring awe; the incense burners emit curling smoke, seemingly able to cleanse the dust of the soul. 🌲Strolling through the temple, it feels as if you can hear the whispers of history. Every bluestone slab and every wooden pillar seems to be telling the vicissitudes and glorious journey of Zhanghua Temple. 📜Zhanghua Temple is rich in historical relics, witnessing the long history and profound cultural heritage of the temple: an ancient "Chu Plum," an ancient agarwood well, and the Tang apricot tree in the east courtyard of Zhanghua Temple, which has a history of over 1,400 years, are all witnesses to the temple's history. These relics have weathered the storms and still quietly guard the temple, telling the vicissitudes of time. 🎏Here, you can feel the power of faith and experience inner peace and tranquility. 💖Whether you are a believer or a tourist, you can find your own peace and strength here. 🎫Tickets: Free all year round 🕓Opening hours: All day 🅿️: You can park inside the temple or in the parking lot outside 🎏🎏: It was built during the Taiding period of the Yuan Dynasty, around 1325. 🎏🎏: It is listed as one of the three major forests in Hubei, along with Guiyuan Temple in Hanyang and Yuquan Temple in Dangyang. ⭐⭐Three ancient relics 1️⃣The first ancient plum - Chu Plum (age: 2,547 years) It is said to be a yellow plum passed down from the Chu State. 2️⃣Ancient ginkgo tree (age: 1,429 years) 3️⃣Ancient agarwood well ⛩Main buildings👇🏻 Heavenly King Hall➕Weituo Hall➕Mahavira Hall➕Guanyin Hall➕Amitabha Hall➕Sutra Library➕Zen Hall➕Buddha Recitation Hall➕Pure Moon Hall➕Vegetarian Hall➕Guest Hall➕Abbot's Room, etc. 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♂️Different halls enshrine different Buddha statues, such as Shakyamuni Buddha, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Guanyin Bodhisattva, etc. When you come to worship, it doesn't matter if you can't distinguish which Buddha statue is which, sincerity is what matters. 🏯In addition to worshiping Buddha, you can ask for a divination stick and chat with a master, believers seek faith, and non-believers seek peace. 🧘🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♀️ When you feel restless, take a walk to Zhanghua Temple. There is always a steady power here that can calm your mind.

In 535 BC, King Ling of Chu, who had a penchant for slender waists, spent five years building a luxurious Zhanghua Terrace, ten zhang high, just to house the slender-waisted beauties he had collected for his pleasure. Therefore, it was also called the 'Slender Waist Palace.' Legend has it that after the completion of Zhanghua Terrace, King Ling of Chu invited feudal lords from all over the world to come and enjoy it. Many visitors had to rest several times while climbing the terrace, indicating that this towering Zhanghua Terrace was indeed sky-high. Zhanghua Terrace has long been buried in the river of history, and Zhanghua Temple was evidently built in association with the name of Zhanghua Terrace. In the second year of the Taiding era of the Yuan Dynasty (1325 AD), people built Zhanghua Temple on the site of Zhanghua Terrace. The place that was once filled with vibrant flowers and singing birds has turned into a serene Buddhist sanctuary. The slender-waisted beauties who once danced gracefully have now been replaced by the sound of wooden fish and bells. It is known as one of the 'Three Great Forests of Hubei' along with Guiyuan Temple in Hanyang and Yuquan Temple in Dangyang. The temple layout is orderly, with a palace-style architectural pattern, reasonable layout, and splendid decoration. The existing temple buildings cover an area of 12,000 square meters. The main buildings include the Mountain Gate, Hall of Heavenly Kings, Hall of Wealth God, Hall of Weituo, Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Hall, Amitabha Hall, Sutra Library, Meditation Hall, Buddha Recitation Hall, Jingyue Hall, Dining Hall, Guest Hall, Abbot's Room, etc. The scale is enormous and magnificent. During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, the high monk Jingyue of Zhanghua Temple was summoned to the capital by imperial decree and was highly appreciated by Empress Dowager Cixi and the court ministers. He was bestowed with a set of the 'Dragon Sutra,' half of the imperial carriage, and other court treasures. Jingyue was conferred the title of Fourth Rank Grand Monk and Imperial Abbot. The ancient plum trees, agarwood well, ancient ginkgo trees, and ancient stone inscriptions in Zhanghua Temple are known as the 'Four Ancient Wonders.'

The first thing I saw after entering the Zhanghua Temple was the Tianwang Temple. On both sides, the bell tower and the drum tower were dedicated to Guan Gong and the head of the wealth. Behind the Tianwang Hall is the Daxiong Hall. There are also two words on the plaque on the side of the plaque. This shows that Zhanghua Temple was a place of great favor today. There is a piece of ancient plum called Chumei in the temple. This is one of the three ancients of Zhanghua Temple. The second antiquities are the ginkgo trees in the courtyard. The time can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. The third antiquities are agarwood. Dry well. Interested friends can explore it in person.

Jingzhou, the ancient name of "Jiangling", the prefecture-level city of Hubei Province, is the location of the capital city of Chu in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Jingzhou has a long history and a splendid culture. With a history of more than 2,600 years, Jiancheng is the birthplace of Chu culture and the center of the culture of the Three Kingdoms. As a native of Jingzhou, I am very proud to see the development and changes of my hometown for so many years. In Jingzhou, I can not only feel the ancient history and culture, but also become more and more modern. Although I feel happy when I am building my hometown better and better, I also miss the time when I was a child, all the old roads, and every old house left a lot of good memories. Now I only have time for vacation. If you walked the previous road, you will find a lot of feelings. Many streets have not changed much. It may not be seen in a few years. You can't help but pick up the camera and record it.

###trip# Zhanghua Temple has Sangu, the first is Chumei, and the second is the ginkgo tree of the Tang Dynasty. The third is Shenxiang Gujing, but unfortunately did not see it. This ginkgo tree is very different from what you usually see, and it is much thicker and more vicissitude than those on the roadside. I don't think of the inscription in front of it. I thought it was an apricot tree. This Tang Xing is also the object of worshipping people. The trees are full of red cloth strips with blessing words, carrying the expectations of people. From the front of Tang Xingqian, you can see Guanyin Ganlu Pagoda. It is also the name of the temple tower of Zhanghua Temple. It is named after the statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva Ganlu. The tower is 66.88 meters high and has seven levels of seven-level floating map. The Guanyin murals outside the tower and in the tower are drawn according to the different styles of the various dynasties of Han, Yi, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing. The tower body stone column is a dragon. White elephant. Kirin. Master. Colorful clouds. More than 500 white deer and other forms are different. As a hometown, there are still a few beautiful scenes in Amway.