Donglin Temple

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A distant view with peasants working in the foreground

Donglin Temple (Chinese: 东林寺; pinyin: Dōnglínsì; literally "East Wood Temple") is a Buddhist monastery approximately 20km away from Jiujiang, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China. It was built in 386 at the foot of Lushan by Hui Yuan, founder of the Pure Land Sect of Buddhism.

The monastery reached its peak of influence during the Tang Dynasty, but was severely damaged during the Taiping Rebellion and all but destroyed during the Republican period. It currently houses a small community of monks supported by a small farming village in its immediate vicinity.