First-Class Temple in Qingdao, Enjoying Mountain and Sea Scenery and Subway Access
This beautiful coastal city of Qingdao has long been known for its unique mountain and sea scenery and European-style charm, and Buddhist temples are not many. In Qingdao's old city center, there is a young and well-known temple, considered the only Buddhist temple in Qingdao. Although its history is not long, it has gained great fame.
To find the temple, you can look at the map, and you will find that the location of Zhanshan Temple is excellent: east, west, and north are surrounded by Fushan, Zhanshan, and Taiping Mountain, and it faces the sea. It is not far from some of Qingdao's famous tourist attractions such as Badaguan Eight Scenic Area, Zhongshan Park, and Fushan Square, and the transportation is also very convenient. Take Metro Line 2 to the 'Ziqiu Road' station and walk to Zhanshan Temple.
Unlike some other ancient temples, Zhanshan Temple appears to be a traditional ancient building style, but its history is only 75 years old. The temple was built in 1934 and completed in 1945. The total area is about 80 acres and is a quiet place in Qingdao's old city center.
It is a renowned temple of the Tiantai sect. Outside the main gate, there is a large release pond, and the two stone lions in front of the gate are said to be from the Ming Dynasty and were originally owned by the Qingzhou Ming Emperor's Mansion. Later, they were taken to Qingdao because of the construction of the Jiaozhou Railway. Entering the temple, there are Tianwang Hall, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Daxiongbaodian (Great Hall of the Sakyamuni Buddha), Guanyin Temple, and San Sheng Temple, all built in a Ming Dynasty palace-style architectural style.
Zhanshan Temple is the most famous temple in Qingdao, so there are many tourists here. Some tourists walk here after finishing their tour of Zhongshan Park, and some come here specifically to make wishes and pray for blessings.
Behind Tianwang Hall is a library with more than 6000 Buddhist scriptures and ancient Buddha statues. To the east of the temple, there is a small mountain, and there is an octagonal seven-level brick pagoda that stands tall.
Zhanshan Temple has been constantly expanded and built, and its scale is growing day by day. In 1989, two bell and drum towers were added; in 1999, Zhanshan Dawn Bell was built; and in 2001, the Dharma Hall (library) was expanded, with an area of 1200 square meters.
Qingdao has not only the beautiful scenery of blue seas and blue skies, but also temples like Zhanshan Temple, which add to the city's diverse culture.
