Jiming Temple

Jiming Temple (Chicken Crowing Temple) stands on a small hill at 1 Jiming Temple Road in Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China, beside the Ming city wall and overlooking Xuanwu Lake. It is one of the oldest Buddhist sites in Nanjing, with origins traced to the third century, and it was rebuilt several times, including in the Ming dynasty when it became a centre of imperial patronage, and again after damage in the 19th century. The current buildings are set in a compact compound with yellow walls, incense burners, worship halls and a seven-storey Yaoshi (Medicine Buddha) Pagoda that rises above the site and is a Nanjing landmark. Visitors climb through the entrance gate and courtyards, passing the Maitreya Hall, the Main Hall and the Guanyin Hall, and can climb the pagoda for views across the lake and the city. The temple is still active, and worshippers light incense and pray, especially around festivals, so visitors should be respectful and avoid photographing worshippers closely. The approach along Jiming Temple Road is one of the most popular cherry blossom walks in Nanjing, with rows of trees blooming from late March into April, when the temple grounds and adjacent road become very crowded. A visit typically takes one to one and a half hours, more if the wall walk or lake stroll is added. The entry ticket is around ¥10, which is inexpensive, and children under 1.2 metres enter free. Opening hours are 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Weekday mornings are calmest, while blossom season weekends and Buddhist festival days draw the largest crowds. The temple is a short walk from Xuanwu Lake Park and the Ming wall, and it is accessible from Jimingsi Station on Metro Line 3 or Xuanwumen Station on Line 1. The vegetarian restaurant on the grounds is known locally for meat-free noodles and dishes.