Ganlu Cliff Temple

Ganlu Cliff Temple is the most striking single building in the Taining scenic area: a multi-storey Buddhist complex wedged into a natural overhang in the Danxia cliffs, its wooden galleries cantilevering out over a significant drop and its roof tiles meeting the rock face above at an angle that looks architecturally impossible. The temple dates from 1146 and has been continuously maintained since then, with careful restoration work preserving the original construction methods.

The approach is on foot from the base of the cliff, up a series of steep stone steps carved into the rock. The interior contains Song, Ming, and Qing dynasty statuary and paintings, and a small community of monks maintains the religious life of the complex. The views from the upper gallery down the valley are excellent. The temple is about 15 kilometres from Taining town and is usually combined with the Jinhu Lake boat tour as part of a full-day circuit.

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A story
Ganlu Temple is built inside a natural rock overhang without a single iron nail — the timber structure is entirely joined by wooden pegs and relies on the cliff face for support and protection on its back side. Construction began in 1146 CE during the Southern Song dynasty, which means the building has survived in this precarious position for nearly 900 years. The technical challenge of building level timber frames into an uneven overhang, without modern tools and while suspended above a cliff face, required a level of carpentry skill that even contemporary craftsmen would find formidable.