Jile Temple (极乐寺), established in 1923 by Master Tanxu, a disciple of the 43rd generation of the Tiantai sect, is one of the four major Buddhist temples in China’s northeastern provinces. It is renowned alongside Banruo Temple in Changchun, Ci‘’en Temple in Shenyang, and Lengyan Temple in Yingkou. The temple spans an area of 53,500 square meters, with a construction area of 3,000 square meters, and is divided into four main sections: the central courtyard, east courtyard, west courtyard, and the pagoda courtyard.
The main buildings of Jile Temple, including the Shanmen (Mountain Gate), Hall of Heavenly Kings, Mahavira Hall, and Hall of the Three Saints, are all aligned on the central axis. The Shanmen is designed as a traditional archway. Upon entering, visitors encounter the Bell Tower to the east, the Drum Tower to the west, and the Hall of Heavenly Kings as the first major hall in the temple. Behind it stands the Mahavira Hall, the temple’s primary building, followed by the Hall of the Three Saints and finally the Sutra Library at the rear. The temple’s architecture is elegant, majestic, and resplendent, retaining the distinct style and features of traditional Chinese Buddhist temple design.
The eastern courtyard houses the Seven-tier Pagoda, built in 1924. This octagonal, seven-story pagoda stands 30 meters tall and is connected to the Hall of Ksitigarbha. In front of the pagoda and hall, there are two-tiered bell and drum towers on the east and west sides, forming a unique layout rarely seen in China. Both the pagoda and hall are adorned with murals depicting Buddhist stories.
Jile Temple hosts grand temple fairs every year on the 8th, 18th, and 28th of the fourth lunar month, known as the Celebration of Buddha Days. During these events, the temple becomes a lively hub of activity, drawing large crowds of visitors.
Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 1 hour |
| Ticket Price | 10 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 8.00 – 15.30 |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0352-8978026 |
Location and Transportation
Jile Temple is located at No. 9 Dongdajie Street, Huayuan Subdistrict, Liaoyuan Subdistrict, Nangang District, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, China. To get there, you can choose one of the following ways:
Bus: Take bus 115, 116, or 121, get off at Dafangli Medical Center (大方里卫生服务站), and walk about 200 meters to the southeast.
Metro: The closest metro station to Jile Temple is the Engeering University (工程大学) on line 1. After getting out of the station, walk about 200 meters to the northwest to reach the attraction.
