Jile Temple in Harbin

Why is Jile Temple in Harbin So Special?

Jile Temple is the biggest Buddhist building complex in the Heilongjiang Province, with the grounds covering 27 570 square meters and the buildings 5 186 square meters. Ji Le Temple is regarded as one of the four famous Buddhist temples of the three northeast provinces of China, and Prajna Temple in Changchun, Ci’En Temple in Shenyang and Lengyan Temple in Yingkou.

Brief Introduction of Jile Temple

Jile Temple ( 极乐寺) of Harbin, China is the biggest Buddhist building complex in Heilongjiang and was constructed between 1921 and 1924. The grounds cover 27 570 square meters and the buildings 5 186 square meters. It is located at No. 5, East Dazhi Street, Nangang Dist. in Harbin. It is one of four famous Buddhist temples in the three provinces in northeastern China, the other three being Banruo Temple in Changchun, Cien Temple in Shenyang and Lengyan Temple in Yingkou.

 Layout and Architecture of The Jile Temple

The Jile Temple strictly follows the traditional Chinese temple style. It is a magnificent and resplendent architectural complex. Every house was built of blue bricks and glazed colored tiles. Facing south, it can be divided into three courtyards on the left, middle and right. The Mountain Gate was built to resemble the Chinese character “山” (mountain in English), thus the name “Mountain Gate”. The front hall is the Heavenly King Hall, followed by the Hall of Mahavira, the Hall of Three Saints and Scriptures-storing Tower according to priority.

There are similarities and differences in the shape, structure, ornament and arrangement among the buildings in Jile Temple. For example, the Hall of Mahavira and the Back Hall do not have wood brackets and large open windows, instead, the separate small windows clearly reflects the typical feature of housing in the cold climate of northeastern China.

Main Attractions in Jile Temple

Ji Le Temple was built between 1920 and 1924 by Master Tanxu, a famous disciple of the Tiantai Buddhist clan. The complex of the temple consists of the Heavenly King’s Hall, the Grand Hall, the Three Bodhisattva Hall, and the Buddhist Book Storage Hall. The main halls are fronted by a Drum Tower and a Bell Tower and other subordinate structures. The most imposing building of the temple is probably the 7-level Futu Pagoda on the eastern tip of the grounds, a 37m tall stone structure building dotted with caves engraved with Buddhist embossed sculptures. At the bottom of the pagoda is a large hall with Buddhist statues. In all, the grounds cover 27570 square meters and the buildings 5186 square meters.

Best Time to Visit Harbin

The best time to visit Harbin is from December to February of the next year, when the weather is freezing cold, and Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival takes place during this period. It is the best time to enjoy the area’s ice and snow and relative activities, including skiing.

Climate Data Table for Harbin

    Month  Item
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
maximum
temperature
(℃)
-13.4
-8.1
1.13
12.6
21.6
26.1
28.3
26.7
20.2
12.7
-0.7
-10.1
minimum
temperature
(℃)
-26.0
-21.3
-11.6
-0.62
7.1
14.1
18.2
16.5
8.6
-0.2
-11.5
-20.7
Rainfall (mm)
8.2
5.6
10.2
18.0
40.2
84.6
143.8
121.1
58.6
31.3
10.8
6

How to Get to Jile Temple From Harbin City

Travel with China Dragon Tours (top recommended)

If you want to get rid of hustle of transportation and troublesome navigation, you can book a private tour package which covers visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local tour guide and driver will escort you to Jile Temple in Harbin with speed and convenience, and take care of all the details. You just need to focus on travel.

Independent Travel

1. Take Subway Line 1 to Gongchengdaxue and leave from Exit 3, and then walk north for 3 minutes to the temple.
2. Take Bus 6, 14, 30, 37, 53, 55, 66, 74, 92, 104, or 105 to Nantong Dajie and then walk northwest for 5 minutes to get there.

Useful Travel Tips

  1. In Harbin in winter the temperature is from -25°C (-13°F) to -10°C (14°F), and that’s without wind chill! Hence thermal underwear, gloves, (scarves, earmuffs), hats, (face masks), and thick arctic clothing and boots are necessary. If you have ski boots they would be ideal.
  2. Try to avoid visiting during Golden Week and summer holidays.

Nearby Attractions

Edited by Bella Ren/任新月