Bailin Temple (Bailin Chan Monastery)

Bailin Temple, or Bailin Chan Monastery, stands on Yongtong Road in Zhaozhou Town, Zhao County, in Hebei province, south-east of Shijiazhuang and not far from the famous Zhaozhou Bridge. The monastery is closely associated with Zhaozhou Congshen, a Tang dynasty Chan master who lived from 778 to 897 and who taught in the town for roughly forty years from his late eighties. His teachings, preserved in the Chan record literature, include the celebrated exchange in which a monk asks whether a dog has Buddha-nature and Zhaozhou answers 'Wu', which later became the best-known kōan of the Zen tradition. The temple's origins are placed in the Eastern Han period, and it was known as Guanyin Temple before it became associated with Zhaozhou. The most important surviving historic structure is the Zhaozhou Pagoda, also known as the Bailin Temple Pagoda, an octagonal seven-storey brick pagoda of the Yuan dynasty, about 33 metres high, which is said to hold the master's relics. Much of the rest of the monastery was destroyed in the twentieth century, and the temple halls, gate and ancillary buildings were rebuilt from the 1990s, partly with support from Buddhist communities in Asia. The monastery has since developed as an active Chan centre and attracts pilgrims from China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere. The grounds are open and the atmosphere is devotional, with worship halls, a bell tower and courtyard gardens. Entry is free. A typical visit lasts about an hour, and the site pairs naturally with the nearby Zhaozhou Bridge for a half-day trip from Shijiazhuang.