There are two thousand-year-old temples with the same name in Ningbo, one is hot, the other is low-key, and few people know it.

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Asoka Temple

Ashoka ancient temple

Speaking of the Millennium Temple in Ningbo, we have to mention Asoka Temple, which is the only famous Buddhist temple named after Asoka of India in China, and it also contains precious relics and stupas. Not to mention that in Ningbo or Zhejiang, Asoka Temple has a certain international reputation. However, as a native of Ningbo, I recently learned that there are actually two Ashoka temples, one with high incense and the other with a low profile, and few people know it.

Asoka Temple

Asoka Temple, which is familiar to Ningbo people, is located in Bao Zhuang, Wuxiang Town, Yinzhou District. At a glance, you can see the four concrete columns in front of the temple, which are tall and majestic. The entire Ashoka Temple does not accept tickets, but also receives incense sticks free of charge, and incense is given according to regulations. There is no messy word-measuring booth, clean and quiet. Many people come here to pray for blessings on holidays, and many foreign tourists come here. On weekdays, even in bad weather, many people come to the temple for a walk. This is a popular Millennium temple.

Asoka Temple

Asoka Temple

Another Asoka Temple is located in Wushi 'ao, Jiaxi Village, Beilun, Ningbo. The distance between the two temples is only 6 kilometers, but few people know the existence of the other one. This one in Beilun, called the Ancient Asoka Temple or the Ancient Asoka Temple, was rebuilt in 2008. Although the two temples have the same name and surname, the degree of excitement is completely different. In fact, tourists who observe carefully may find a stop sign pointing to the location of Ashoka Temple on the road at the entrance of Ashoka Temple, but probably like me, they have not thought about it in particular.

Ashoka ancient temple

Two Asoka temples have the same name, one in Yinzhou and the other in Beilun. So which one is "true"?

In fact, both of them are true, with the same name and surname, and the same ancestry. In the third year of Taikang in the Western Jin Dynasty, when Shang Hui visited Wushi 'ao, Beilun, Ningbo, he stumbled upon the stupa of Ashoka period, so a temple dedicated to the stupa was built in Wushi 'ao, which was the original ancient temple of Ashoka in Beilun, with a history of 1000 years.

Ashoka ancient temple

Later, as temples became more and more famous, more and more monks, believers and people prayed for blessings. The original Ashoka Temple began to accommodate so many people. Coupled with the remote geographical location of Jiaxi Village in Beilun, the West Tower was rebuilt in the next 300 years, which is now the Ayurveda Temple in Yinzhou District. Ashoka Temple is still full of incense, and the ancient Ashoka Temple is hidden in a small mountain village in Beilun in a low-key way, which is not humiliating. Although Ashoka Ancient Temple is deserted, it is still noble in the hearts of many people as the ancestral hall of the temple.

Ashoka ancient temple

Interestingly, the layout of the two Asoka temples is very similar, with the mountain gate and the release pool similar, followed by the Heavenly King Hall and Mahayana Hall. According to the visitors of the ancient temple, there is not much difference in appearance between the two temples except the size. The ancient temple is located at the foot of the mountain, so the environment is quiet and there are few people. If it is only a tourist attraction, it is also a very good place, especially the yellow courtyard wall with bluestone path, which is quite chronological.

Asoka Temple

Ashoka ancient temple

There is also a vegetarian restaurant among online celebrities in Ashoka Ancient Temple, which is very popular with tourists. The independent small building is located next to the discharge pool and also has large French windows. This environment has become particularly Zen even when eating. To tell the truth, most tourists who come to the ancient temple come to the restaurant for dinner, otherwise I really didn't know there was an ancient Asoka Temple here.

Ashoka ancient temple online celebrity restaurant

Do you know there are two Asoka temples in Ningbo? If it's the first time I've heard of it, I might as well go to the ancient temple in my spare time and maybe find something different.

Tips:

1. The location of Ashoka Ancient Temple is relatively partial, so you can directly navigate the Ashoka Ancient Temple.

2. Asoka Temple can take the subway 1 line and get off at Baozhuang Station, and walk 10 minutes. If you drive, there is a parking lot at the gate. 10 yuan/car.