"TianningTemple,accordingtothevictoryoftheupperreachesofSanwu,createsagrandviewandoutstandingstructure,andstandsasthefirstgardeninSoutheastChina.".IntheMingDynasty,astoryofrebuildingTianningTempleoncecommentedonChangzhou,afamousstonetemplewithahistoryofthousandsofyearsathomeandabroad.
TianningTempleislocatedintheEastWaiZhistreetofChangzhou,anindustrialstarcityrisinginrecentyears.ItwasfirstbuiltintheYonghuiperiodofTangDynasty(650-655),whenonly"morethantencoupletswerebuilt";TianfutemplewasofficiallybuiltintheTianfuperiodofTangDynasty(901-904),andthenitwasrenamedWanshouChongningtemple;intheZhenghefirstyearofNorthernSongDynasty(1111),theemperororderedittobenamedTianningTemple;duringthisperiod,itwasrenamedGuangxiaotempleandchongfenghuiDaochang;intheYuanDynasty,itwasrenamedTianningTemple,anditisstillinusetoday.
TianningTempleisfamousforits"bigtemple,bigBodhisattva".Therearemorethan800monksatmost.Thewholetemplehasmorethan400halls,pavilionsandotherlargeandsmallbuildings,coveringanareaofmorethan130mu.Thewholetemplebuildingformsaquadranglecourtyardwithnationalstyle.ThemainhallsthathavebeenrestorednowareTianwanghall,Daxionghall,Jinganghall,Puxianhall,Manjusrihall,GuanyinhallandLuohanhall.Themainhallhasdoubleeavesandnineridges,withaheightofabout33metersandawidthofmorethan26meters.TheFourHeavenlyKings(KingKong)intheheavenlykinghallarevivid,majesticand7.8meterstall,whichcanbecalledthecrownofKingKonginJiangnan.ChangzhouTianningTemple
TheattractionofTianningTempletotouristsathomeandabroadistheartisticcharmofthefivehundredArhatsinthearhathall.Theysitinfourrows.Eachoneisabout1meterhigh.Eacharhathasadifferentlook.Hiseyesarevivid.Hisjoy,anger,worryandjoyallcomeoutfromhisheart.Springisrealandnatural,justlikealivingperson.Onthewestwalloutsidethemainhall,thereare500Arhatscarvedinstone,whichareofhighartisticvalue.Theirrubbingsarewidelyspreadabroad.Thebigleatherdrumandantiquebronzebellinthemainhallarealsoverydistinctiveinthetemple.Thebellis2.5metershigh,1.8metersindiameter,andweighsmorethan4tons.Itstrikesonceandlastsfor90seconds.Thesoundshakesthepalaceandtheaftersoundislingering.Itisclosetothesoundeffectofthe"kingofbells"-BeijingYonglebell,andaddstotheatmosphereofthe"morningbellandeveningdrum"oftheancienttemple.