Travel in China
Immortalised by the Tang poem 'Mooring by Maple Bridge at Night' - its midnight bell still rings each New Year.
Hanshan Temple (Cold Mountain Temple) was founded during the Liang dynasty (502-519 AD) and named after the Tang monk Hanshan who lived here as a hermit. The temple is best known for the poem by Zhang Ji: 'Mooring by Maple Bridge at Night' - 'Outside Gusu (Suzhou) Cold Mountain Temple, the midnight bell rings to the traveller's boat' - which every Chinese schoolchild learns.
The temple's bell still rings 108 times at midnight each New Year's Eve, drawing listeners from across Asia. During the rest of the year, visitors can ring the bell themselves for a fee. The temple buildings include the Main Hall, the Sutra Repository, and the five-storey Puming Pagoda.
The temple's stele corridor holds the famous poem carved in stone by generations of calligraphers. The Maple Bridge and the Jiang Village Bridge, both mentioned in the poem, span the canal just outside the temple gates.
Highlights
The Midnight Bell
The bell that rings 108 times each New Year's Eve - drawing listeners from across Asia.
The Poem Stele
The stone carving of 'Mooring by Maple Bridge at Night'.
The Puming Pagoda
A five-storey pagoda beside the temple.
The Maple Bridge
The bridge from the poem, spanning the canal outside the temple.
The Bell Tower
Visitors can ring the ancient bell for a fee.
The Main Hall
Buddhist statues and the monk Hanshan's shrine.
Photo Gallery
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