Chùa Kê Minh

Jiming Temple, sometimes called the Ancient Jiming Temple, is one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in Nanjing, set on a small rise just south of Xuanwu Lake in the northern part of the old city. Its history is traditionally traced back to the Western Jin dynasty in the fourth century, which would make it one of the earliest continuing Buddhist sites in southern China, and over the centuries the temple has been rebuilt and expanded many times. Today it functions both as an active monastery and as one of the most beloved religious landmarks in the city.

The temple complex climbs the slope in a sequence of halls and courtyards, with the yellow-walled facades, dark tile roofs, and incense smoke giving the compound the warm, lived-in atmosphere of a working Buddhist institution rather than a purely preserved monument. The upper terraces and the Yao Shi Fo Pagoda, a slender multi-story tower that crowns the complex, offer sweeping views northward across the willow-lined shores and lotus-covered waters of Xuanwu Lake, one of the most expansive green spaces in Nanjing. The temple's immediate surroundings give it additional seasonal appeal: in spring, the cherry trees along the road in front of the temple form a tunnel of blossom that draws large crowds of photographers, while in summer the lotus on the lake provides a second peak of color.

For foreign visitors, Jiming Temple rewards a relatively brief visit — typically an hour or two — that can easily be combined with a walk through the adjacent Xuanwu Lake park and the old Ming city wall that runs along its eastern shore. The temple is small enough to feel intimate, active enough to feel genuine, and central enough to reach on foot from several other major sights. It is particularly worth timing a visit for the early-morning hours, when local worshippers fill the main halls and the atmosphere is at its most characteristic, or for the cherry blossom season in early spring, when the road outside the temple becomes one of the most photographed stretches in Nanjing. The view of the lake from the upper terrace alone justifies the climb for many visitors.