Harbin - Temple of Paradise

(Local Name: Jile Si) The Temple of Paradise (Jile Si), at Dongda Zhijie No. 5 in the city center, covers an area of 2.6ha/6.5acres; it dates from 1924 and ranks as the largest Buddhist temple in Heilongjiang province.

It consists of four large halls - the Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings (Tianwang Dian), with statues of Maitreya and the Four Heavenly Kings, the Sumptuous Hall of the Great Hero (Daixong Baodian), the Hall of the Three Holy Ones (Sansheng Dian), containing statues of Amitabha, Guanyin and Dasizhi, and the Pavilion of the Holy Scriptures (Cangling Lou).

As well as the halls, the seven-stepped Pagoda of Qiji Futu Ta deserves special attention. The niches on the exterior walls contain