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Explore the region
About Tianning Temple Main Hall
The square, three-bay building has a single-eaved hip-and-gable roof and a timber frame that preserves elements from both Song and Yuan construction. Its bracket sets and beams make those structural layers the central interest. A Southern Song Longquan bell adds a second surviving object to the visit. Most of the former temple complex has disappeared, so this is a focused architectural stop.
The temple originated in the Northern Song and was rebuilt in 1318 using some earlier timber. During work between 1436 and 1449, the main hall was expanded from three bays to five and given an additional tier of eaves. In the Republican period, the building served as a university assembly hall.
Testing during major restoration work in 1978 identified columns around a thousand years old and beam and bracket components around eight hundred years old, providing evidence of timber reuse. Further repairs followed in 1979 and 1984. The surviving hall became a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level in 1988.
What to look for
- The compact three-bay hall preserves a timber frame with Song and Yuan elements.
- The Longquan bell provides a separate surviving object from the Southern Song period.
Location & getting there
Getting to Tianning Temple Main Hall
Approach Tianning Temple at 100 Piaoping Road in Wucheng District, Jinhua, then follow the public approach to the surviving hall.
Combine your visit
A suggested sequence linking the specific features of this visit.
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Main-hall exterior
Read the square plan, roof and raised setting.
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Timber frame and bell
Inspect the construction and surviving bell where interior access is permitted.
This order is editorial. Confirm access and any transfers between stops; it does not establish a walking route, same-day connection or common admission ticket.
Find Tianning Temple Main Hall
金华天宁寺 · 金华市
The pin marks the area, not the entrance.
More places nearby
Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.
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View guide →Sources & visit information
The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors, “天宁寺 (金华)” · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 91104920.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikivoyage contributors, listing “Tianning Temple Main Hall” · CC BY-SA 4.0.
Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "天宁寺 (金华)", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 91104920.