
Baoguo Temple(Chinese: 报国寺) in the north part of the city is a good choice for the first day’s schedule. Take a taxi from Tianyige Library, a journey of about 25 minutes. The temple was originally built in the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220). The current grand hall was renovated in 1013. It is the largest wooden structure in China’s Jiangnan region. You won’t be able to find a single nail in the hall, which is 11.91 meters long by 13.35 meters wide, because it is put together with the traditional Chinese mortise-and-tenon technique, which reached one of its peaks of development here. Since the temple was renovated many times, it is like a live slide-show of Chinese architectural samples from the Han, Tang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties and modern times. The green area around the temple is also a good place to catch some fresh air.
Located at the foot of Lingshan Mountain, Baoguo Temple is 15 kilometers away from downtown Ningbo. With more than 970 years of history, it is China’s oldest and most complete wooden structure south of the Yangtze River. On both sides, there are is bell and drum tower that connects to the other buildings. Baoguo Temple’s Grand Hall (大殿), in the history of Chinese architecture, holds much historical, artistic and scientific value. The Grand Hall’s construction is full of clever designs; it employs the use of girders, pillars, columns, and corbel brackets (brackets between crossbeams and columns) throughout. Most impressively, the hall was built without a single nail used. And all of the components fit so snuggly together that it can support the full weight of the 50-ton roof. With the beautiful location, the preservation of the ancient site and the expert craftsmanship of the Grand Hall, it is no wonder that Baoguo Temple is listed as a national cultural relic protected spot.
Address: Anshan Village, Hongtang Street, Jiangbei District, Ningbo(Chinese: 地址: 宁波市江北区洪塘街道鞍山村)
Opening hours: 8:00 – 16:00Price: 12 RMB
Transportation: ride the No. 332 or 338 bus directly there