THE SIGN HUNTERS

CHINA: Hangzhou Explorations, 12: Xiangji Temple

Written by Laszlo, 30 November 2022

Xiangji Temple (香积寺) is one of the eight famous temples of Hangzhou (杭州市). It is located near the Grand Canal in Gongshu District (拱墅区). It is reputed "the no.1 temple of the Canal" and it is only temple where Kinnara Buddha (Jianzha) is enshrined and worshipped. (A kinnara is a celestial musician, part human and part bird, who are musically paradigmatic lovers. The kinnaras (male) and kinnaris (female counterpart) are two of the most beloved mythological characters.)

It was built in the 3rd year of Taiping Xingguo Period (978) in the Northern Song Dynasty. Its original name was Xingfu Temple. The temple was destroyed during a war in the end of the Yuan Dynasty, which was then rebuilt in the 4th year of Hongwu Period (1317) in the Ming Dynasty. However, the thousand-year-old temple could not escape the flames of war in the later years. In the early years of the Republic of China, the Xiangji Temple was destroyed and fell into oblivion. In 1968, during the Cultural Revolution, the Red Guards attacked the temple, and the Eastern Pagoda was demolished. Until 2010, Xiangji Temple, a temple that had been silent for more than 80 years, was finally reborn after being reconstructed in 2009. The new Xiangji Temple was officially reopened on the 7 February 2010 and became one of the largest urban temples in Hangzhou.

On the square of Xiangji Temple, there are two stone towers about 12 meters high. The towers are engraved with scriptures and exquisite pictures related to Buddhism. They look the same from a distance but look very different closely: one was newly built when the temple was rebuilt; the other is ancient and vicissitudes. It is the only remaining Qing Dynasty pagoda in Hangzhou and is a key cultural protection unit in the province. According to historical records, it was built in the 52nd year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1713). In 1963, the twin towers of Xiangji Temple were listed as key cultural relics protection units in the city. In 1968, the East Tower was destroyed, leaving only the West Tower.

The photos below follow an approximate route order from entering the temple site from the Xiangji Archway (香积牌坊) and Fangsheng Pond (放生池) site; the Hall of Heavenly Kings (天王殿 Tianwang Hall); Hall of King Kinnara Bodhisattva (大圣紧那罗王殿); Mahavira Hall or Main Hall (大雄宝殿 Daxiong Hall) where the Three Bodies of Buddha (三世佛), also knowns as Trikaya, is enshrined; and finally, the Sutra Pavilion (藏经阁). The Guanyin Hall (观音殿) is located within the Main Hall, which was rejuvenated in 2022. The newly installed, vibrant, colourful lights and reflective, also colourful tiles give a special feel to this section of the temple. Among the other buildings Manjushri Hall (文殊殿 Wenshu Hall), Puxian Hall (普贤殿), Bell and Drum Tower (钟鼓楼), Decang Hall (地藏殿), and Jialan Hall (伽蓝殿) are worth mentioning.

According to the Xiangji Temple’s official WeChat information page (click here), a total of 400 tons of copper were used in the construction of the entire temple. Copper tiles are also used on the roofs of the above mentioned four main halls within the Xiangji Temple complex. The roof ridges and railings are also covered with copper, which adds a majestic artistic conception and strong artistic atmosphere to the entire building complex. The rafter nails under the eaves are covered with a layer of copper, and there is a freehand word "Xiang 香" written on them. It is said that there are more than 9,000 "Xiang 香" characters on the rafter nails on all the buildings within the temple complex.

Xiangji Temple can now be easy accessed by metro Line 3.