| Nengren Temple | |
| Native Name: | 能仁寺 |
| Native Name Lang: | zh |
| Map Type: | China |
| Coordinates: | 29.2916°N 116.4106°W |
| Religious Affiliation: | Buddhism |
| Sect: | Chan Buddhism |
| Leadership: | Shi Puyu [1] |
| Festivals: | --> |
| Location: | Xunyang District, Jiujiang, Jiangxi |
| Country: | China |
| Architecture Style: | Chinese architecture |
| Established: | 502 - 549 |
| Year Completed: | 1870 (reconstruction) |
| Date Destroyed: | --> |
Nengren Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Xunyang District of Jiujiang, Jiangxi, China. Nengren Temple is one of the "Three Buddhist Temples of Jiujiang". It has been authorized as a National Key Buddhist Temple in Han Chinese Area by the State Council of China in 1983. Nengren Temple was first built in the Northern and Southern dynasties (420 - 589), and went through many changes and repairs through the following dynasties. The modern temple was founded in 1870 in the Tongzhi period of the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911).
Nengren Temple was first built between 502 and 549 during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang of Liang dynasty (502 - 557), rebuilt in the Dali period (766 - 779) of Tang dynasty, and initially called "Chengtian Temple" .
The temple had reached unprecedented heyday in the reign of Emperor Renzong (1041 - 1048) of the Northern Song dynasty (960 - 1127), while monk Baiyunduan resided in the temple chanting and practicing scriptures, and attracted large numbers of practitioners.
In 1352, in the 12th year of Zhizheng period (1341 - 1370) in the Yuan dynasty (1271 - 1368), the temple was completely destroyed by war.
In 1379, at the dawn of Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), the local government rebuilt the temple. In 1498, in the second year of Hongzhi era, the temple was renamed "Nengren Temple". In 1573 during the reign of Wanli Emperor, the Buddhist Texts Library was added to the temple.
In the Qianlong period (1736 - 1796) of the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), the emperor bestowed a set of Tripitakas on the temple. During the Xianfeng period (1851 - 1861), it became deserted and restored in the Tongzhi period (1862 - 1874).
In July 1957, the Jiangxi People's Provincial Government classified the temple as a provincial-level key cultural heritage.
In 1983, Nengren Temple was designated as a National Key Buddhist Temple in Han Chinese Area by the State Council of China.
Nengren Temple is built along the up and down of mountains and divided into the front, middle and end routes. The central axis of the complex are the Shanmen, Shuangyang Bridge, Mahavira Hall, Iron Buddha Hall, and Buddhist Texts Library.
The Mahavira Hall is the main hall of Nengren Temple enshrining Sakyamuni. Statues of Kassapa and Ananda are placed on the left and right sides of his statue. The statues of Eighteen Arhats stand on both sides of the hall.
The Dasheng Pagoda was first built in 766 and rebuilt in 1379. The seven-story, 42.26adj=midNaNadj=mid, hexagonal-based Chinese pagoda is made of brick and stone.
The Stone Boat was made in 1406 in the Qingli period of Northern Song dynasty (960 - 1127). It is long, wide, and deep. During the Yuanyou period (1086 - 1094), an iron Buddha was cast and placed on the boat. Legend says that in the Northern Song dynasty a monk dreamed about an iron Buddha ferrying across the river in a stone boat. In the Cultural Revolution, the Iron Buddha was demolished by the Red Guards.
The marble three-arch Shuangyang Bridge was built in the Yuanyou period (1086 - 1094) of the Northern Song dynasty (960 - 1127), its banisters were engraved patterns of various flying phoenixes, lotuses, Hercules, monsters, etc.