DaMing Temple: Yangzhou's MUST SEE hidden gem

Daming Temple (Chinese: 大明寺; pinyin: Dàmíng Sì) is a temple located at the middle peak of Shugang Mountain, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China. This temple is known for a famous monk, Jianzhen, who studied the sutras and initiated people into monkhood here in 742 AD.Daming Temple is so named because it was constructed during the periods in the reign of Xiaowu Emperor of the Liu Song dynasty during the period of Daming (453–464 AD). In the first year of Renshou in the Sui Dynasty (601), Emperor Yang Jian issued an edict to build 30 pagodas across the country for the worship of Buddhist relics (佛骨) to celebrate his birthday. So the Qi Ling Tower was build in this temple. The magnificent tower had nine floors and was known as "China's most magnificent and special architecture", so the temple was also called "Qi Ling Temple".

During the periods of the Wuzong reign of the Tang dynasty (618–907), it was called Qiling Temple.

In the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), due to social taboo of "Daming" (Daming Chinese: 大明 means Ming dynasty), its name was changed into "Qiling Temple" (栖灵寺). In 1765, during the 30th year of Qianlong period (1736–1795), Qianlong Emperor honored the name "Fajing Temple" (法净寺).