Province Jiangsu | Phone +86 512 6534 9545 | |
Address 18 Xiyuan Long, Gusu Qu, Suzhou Shi, Jiangsu Sheng, China, 215000 Similar Lingering Garden, Hanshan Temple, Humble Administrator's Garden, Master of the Nets Garden, Lion Grove Garden | ||
Xiyuan Temple (Chinese: 西园寺; literally: "Western Garden Temple") is a large, mainly Vinaya（Ritsu, Ordination Platform） Buddhist temple beside the old town of Suzhou, China. It is formally titled the Western Garden Vinaya Column School of Ritsu Buddhism(Chinese: 西园戒幢律寺) and is located just to the west of Lingering Garden(used name Eastern Garden).
History
The Temple was founded in Yuan Dynasty, was ruined and then became part of a large classical garden, Xiyuan(Chinese: 西园; literally: "Western Garden"). The garden belonged to a Senior Government Official, the Core Minister, during the Ming Dynasty. When the official passed, his son donated the garden to the monastery. Unfortunately, most of the buildings were demolished during the civil war between the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and Ta Tsing Empire periods in 1860. The monks rebuilt the Temple immediately after the war.
The temple is known for its statues, Arhat Hall and Free Life Pond, where 2 famous long-life Asian Giant Softshell Turtles lived. One turtle died in 2007 at the age of 400, and the other has disappeared.