Yuantong Temple

Yuantong Temple, formerly known as Ningguo Temple, was built in the fifth year of Zhou Xiande (A.D. 958) after the Five Dynasties(A.D.607-960). It is the earliest religious building in the history of Zhongdai Town. In the first year of Zhiping in Song Dynasty (A.D.1064) it was renamed as the present name. It was demolished in Yuan Dynasty, and was rebuilt in 22nd year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (A.D.1389), and later was rebuilt several times until Qing Dynasty. It was dismantled in the 1950s-60s, and was reconstructed as school and staple food control office. But the ancient ginkgo tree in the original temple is still very flourishing as the world changes.

Yuantong Temple has enjoyed a reputation for a long time and s always burning flourishingly. In old times, it had several attractions such as Qianfo Attic, Zhougong Temple, Tongji Bridge, Qifeng Pavilion, Laihe Pavilion, and Tuiyuan, etc. During its flourishing years, one monk from Japan stayed in the temple to study Buddhist scripture and was buried in the temple after death. In 2016, it was rebuilt in the opposite of the Sakura Park, right to the Jiashan Pool, covering an area of 35 mu（about 2.3 hectares）. It has restored Yuantong Palace, Tianwang Palace, Bell Tower and Drum Tower, and there will be Buddhist activities such as waterway ceremony, dragon boat race, meditation blessing festival and flower bed inedia, etc. held in early summer and late autumn every year.