There are many important religious buildings and sites within Jiangsu. These mainly consist of temples and pagodas including Tianning in Changzhou, and some located on sacred mountains, such as Jinshan and Jiaoshan in Zhenjiang.

Nanjing Confucius Temple
Nanjing Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) is for consecrating and worshipping Confucius, the great thinker and educator of ancient China. It is one of the 40 best tour spots in China. Situated in the south part of Nanjing and surrounded by the Qinhuai River, the Confucius Temple is one of the city’s most popular attractions. Confucius Temple consists of a cluster of symmetrically arranged buildings and covers an area of over 26,000 square meters. The temple is home to excellent examples of both Ming and Qing dynasty architecture. However, the biggest draw for most Nanjing locals is the great food and shopping. The temple was built in the Song Dynasty (A.D.1034) and expanded in the East Jin Dynasty. This architecture was ruined and rebuilt for several times. The Confucius Temple once was rebuilt in Qing Dynasty (A.D.1869) but was serious fire and destroyed by Japanese troops in 1937. In order to protect the old city, the Chinese Government appropriated funds to rebuild and fix the Confucius Temple.

Hanshan Temple
Hanshan Temple (Cold Mountain Temple) is a Buddhist temple and monastery in Suzhou. It is located at the town of Fengqiao (Maple Bridge), about five kilometers west of the old city of Suzhou. Traditionally, Hanshan Temple is believed to have been founded during the Tianjian era (502-519) of the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang, in the Southern and Northern Dynasties period. The current name of the monastery derives from Hanshan, the legendary monk and poet. Hanshan and his disciple Shide are said to have come to the monastery during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang (627-649), where Hanshan became the abbot.

Hanshan Temple was made famous in China by a classical Tang Dynasty poem called “Mooring to the Maple Bridge at Night” by Zhang Ji. The temple was once one of the 10 most famous temples in China. The temple’s bell is famous for its special sound and large crowds gather during New Year to hear its ring.

Alongside the temple lie the Grand Canal and several other historic sites. An ancient bridge arched like a half moon crosses the canal opposite the temple's gate, while nearby sits a massive and imposing fortified gate and bridge. Raids by Japanese pirates were endemic in the 17th century, and to defend them the residents of Suzhou constructed a bridge/fortress to keep the pirates at bay. It still stands today, its ancient stone walls draped with ivy. Climbing up the narrow spiral stairs to the battlements, your eyes move from the waters of the canal beneath and the busy traffic of heavily laden barges and skiffs over to the yellow halls and ancient green trees of Hanshan Temple, and finally to the buildings of modern Suzhou on the horizon.

Tiger Hill Pagoda
Tiger Hill is one of the most famous attractions of Suzhou. There are many cultural relics there, such as the Tomb of the Wu King Helu (the Spring and Autumn period), the Yunyan Pagoda, the Sword Testing Stone, the Thousand Men Rock, and the Sword Pond. The Yunyan pagoda is over 1,000 years old and is arguably the most recognizable landmark in Suzhou. It is seven stories tall and leans at an angle of 3.5 degrees, but you do not worry as it has been standing longer than the Tower of Pisa.

Zijin Nunnery
Buddhist faith in China has traditionally been expressed through statues of the Buddha and his saints and sages, and the Zijin Nunnery in Dongshan near Suzhou is home to a collection of some of the finest ancient examples of this art. In its ancient halls are a set of statues of Buddhist sages, dating from the Southern Song Dynasty, over 900 years ago. Sculpted by the master craftsman Lei Chao with the help of his wife, they are among the finest of the few remaining Buddhist statues from this period. Made of clay, they are only one of a handful of statues to have survived this long. They are not only remarkable for the age, but also for their amazing quality. They represent 16 of the most famous arhats - the wisest and most illustrious Buddhist monks. The arhats are one of the most popular subjects for sculpture in China because they are all distinguished by unique facial features and expressions, ranging from the placid to the furious, enlightened to distressed, giving full play to the sculptor's imagination and skills. Although they are remarkably well preserved, the statues have not been repainted or touched up since their creation. Although slightly faded, their original colors still shine.

The statues are set into an abstract evocation of a mountain landscape - the arhats perch on gnarled stone ledges set into a wild three-dimensional background of mountains interweaving with stylized clouds tinted with veins of green, blue, and purple. The nunnery is set in a tranquil and natural setting, fitting for such ancient statues. It is located in the countryside on the slopes of a forested hill, up a winding road lined with fruit trees. Ancient trees grow in its quiet courtyards, while outside the only sounds is the chatter of birds.

Maoshan Mountain
Maoshan Mountain Lies in the southwest of Jiangsu and in 60 kilometers west of Changzhou, covering an area of 50 square kilometers. The highest peak, the Great Maoshan, is 372.5 meters above sea level. It is not famous for the height, but is a famous holy place of Taoism, because of the old saying in China "mountain is not famous for its height but for its legend.”

Maoshan Mountain Scenic Spot has four characteristics. The first is the charming natural scenery. There are nine peaks, 18 springs, 26 caves and 28 pools, together with sheltered cliffs and rocks. The second is the holy place of Taoism. It is regarded as "the first blessing land and the eighth cave" in Taoism. The third is the center of anti-Japanese foundation base, which is one of the six bases noted by Chairman Mao. The fourth one is the base of traditional revolutionary education.

Qianyuan Taoist Temple, originally named "Jihu Temple", is located in the west slope of the Yuguang peak of Maoshan Mountain. It was the source for making alchemy by Li Ming Zheng Ren in Qin Dynasty. It is said that Emperor Qin Shihuang came here to seek medicine for keeping people alive forever. In the Qi and Liang Period of South Dynasty, Tao Hong lived here, who is called "the premier minister in the mountain". Now it is the only Kun nunnery in Jiangsu.

Lingshan Great Buddha
One of the most awe-inspiring sights in Wuxi, or even in the whole of Jiangsu, is the Great Buddha at Lingshan, along the shores of Lake Taihu in Wuxi. The largest statue of the Buddha anywhere in the world, this bronze colossus stands 88 meters tall; its lotus flower pedestal brings the entire structure to over 100 meters. The statue was built several years ago, but has already become a major tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over China. The Buddha stands on the side of a hill, facing Lake Taihu, an ideal location according to Chinese feng-shui.

The statue stands at the end of a long boulevard of many smaller attractions related to Buddhism and the great statue. First inside the entrance gate is a massive bronze pillar, topped with a huge lotus bud. The shaft of the column is worked into a wild array of sculptures of looming Buddhist guardian gods, lion’s heads, and auspicious symbols, while bronze dragons and other mythological animals crouch in a reflecting pool, all with the great statue of the Buddha looming in the distance. As impressive as this is, four times a day it is transformed into an extravagant celebration of the birth of the Buddha. The huge bronze leaves of the lotus bud slowly open to reveal a statue of the baby Buddha, which slowly rotates in a complete circle, while the statues of dragons become fountains, spraying jets of water from their mouths over the open lotus flower. The lotus flower is a traditional symbol of Buddhism, since it is white and pure despite growing from the mud, just like humans can reach enlightenment despite the troubles of the world.

Midway on the Buddha sits an enormous bronze palm, almost 12 meters tall, identical to the palm of the statue itself. The largest bronze hand in China, during the building of the statue some workers left the hand sitting alongside the construction site while they worked on other parts of the statue. However, the attention of local people was soon drawn to the massive palm, and people began burning incense to it and rubbing it to show their devotion to the Buddha. Seeing its popularity, the administrators left the palm in place, and ordered a new one to be cast for the statue. The huge hand is still very popular - supposedly walking around it while repeated slapping the bronze brings good luck!

Next to the palm is a large bronze statue of an obese Buddha with a wide smile -Maitreya, the Buddha of the future. Dozens of babies crawl over his recumbent form, pulling at his earlobes, poking his navel, and otherwise being naughty. The plump Buddha and the babies are a traditional expression of people’s wishes for a happy and prosperous future.

After these statues a grand staircase leads up to the Great Buddha itself. In the middle of the broad stairway are a series of large stone reliefs illustrating scenes from the life of the Buddha - they not only enrich the atmosphere of the site, but are also remarkable carvings in and of themselves. The closer you get to the Buddha the more awe-inspiring its massive proportions really are. A set of stairs leads up to the top of the lotus flower pedestal next to the giant toes of the barefoot Buddha. From here, its scale is truly breathtaking - the folds of its robe swoop upward in giant bronze waves, almost too big to be real.

Langshan
A famous historical and cultural site at Nantong is Langshan (“Wolf Hill”). This hill is about 110 meters in elevation and right next to the Yangtze River. On top of the hill is a Buddhist temple dedicated to a Song dynasty monk. Because of the monk's legendary powers over water demons, sailors prayed to him for protection on their voyages.

Daming Temple
Daming Temple, located on a hill slope in the northwestern suburb of Yangzhou, is one of the oldest temples in the city, having a history of over 1,500 years. Once Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty toured Yangzhou and was unhappy to see the name of the temple "Daming", for he took it to mean "Great Ming" (Ming dynasty was ruled by the Manchus, a minority. Qing succeeded Ming). For fear that it might remind people of the Ming Dynasty, he renamed the temple “Fajing Temple” and put it down in his own handwriting. (Emperor Qianlong was a good calligrapher). In the spring of 1980, in reparation for the exhibition of the statue of Monk Jian Zhen, the Yangzhou Municipal Government changed it back to "Daming Temple.” Thus, Qianlong’s inscription “Fajing Temple” became a mere historical relic. In the main hall (Mahavira Hall) sit three Buddhist images. In the centre is Yamuni, to his east Master of the Medicine, to his west is Amitabha, on each side of Sakyamuni stands one of his ten disciples. The older one on his left represents experience and prestige, the younger one on his right represents wisdom and knowledge. On the eastern and western sides are 18 arhats. On the northern side, six Buddhist images represent six founders of the Chan Sect of Buddhism. At the back is an island on sea with Guanyin (God or Goddess of Mercy) standing on the head of a huge turtle. According to Buddhist Sutra, he can deliver all living creatures from any suffering. Those in misery need only call him and he will come to their rescue. He is sometimes portrayed as a man and sometimes as a woman. Actually, he has a man's body but a woman's appearance, representing kindness.

Tianning Temple
One of the largest Buddhist temples in eastern China, Tianning Temple is just a few blocks from Changzhou's downtown. It is also near the city's main historic parks and a historic pagoda. The temple was founded almost 1,300 years ago, and as grown bigger and bigger over the centuries. The present temple complex dates from the Qing dynasty, and it spreads over several city blocks. The temple was destroyed five times due to natural disasters or wars, but was rebuilt afterwards. The site functions both as a Buddhist temple and a monastery. During the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong visited the temple several times. It was renovated by the local municipal government in 1990. The temple is actually a construction complex comprising 497 rooms, 33 Buddhist halls, and 24 pavilions. The largest Buddhist hall is 25.8 meters high, 26.4 meters wide and 28 meters long, covering an area of 1,031 square meters and it is an architectural structure rarely seen in China. Among the preserved 127 sculptured statues, the Bodhisattva Guanyin is 13 meters high, standing over the head of a crocodile and preparing to help. Near the temple are several interesting ancient parks. The largest and more famous is the Hongmei Park, named for the red plum trees which flower in the spring. Set amongst its ponds, groves, and pavilions is the Wenbi Pagoda, one of the symbols of Changzhou and a testament to its long cultural heritage.

Jiaoshan Temple
Dinghui Temple is the largest of all the temples on Jiaoshan Hill, and said to be built at the end of the Han Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty it was named Puji Buddhist Temple. In the period of Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, its name was changed to the present one, commonly known as Jiaoshan Temple. The temple lies on the hill and its main gate is of five bays with double eaves and a gable and hip roof. On the right side is a big hall of five bays with double eaves and a hip roof. Before the hall is a platform. Tens of carved stones are on display in the temple.

To the southwest of Dinghui Temple is Huayan Pavilion, which is two stories high. On its eastern, southern and western sides, one can enjoy the scenery of the Yangtze River. It is also one of the three well-known places in Zhenjiang for admiring the full moon. The western wall is inlaid with stone carvings of calligraphy of the Tang and Song Dynasties. In the northwest is Sanzhao Cave, which is said to be the place where Jiao Guang lived in seclusion. Inside, there is a stone statue of him. From here towards the northeast are 200 stone steps leading to the highest spot -- Jiaoxian Ridge, at whose top is Xijiang Pavilion. In the pavilion there is a four-sided Buddhist statue, so it is also called "Pavilion of Four-side Buddha.” From this place one can look far into the distance and appreciate the beautiful scenery of nearby hills, distant peaks, and ships, boats and gulls on the Yangtze River.

Jinshan Temple
Situated at the western foot of Jinshan Hill in Zhenjiang, Jiangtian Temple was originally built in the Eastern Jin Dynasty and named "Zexin Temple.”  In the Song Dynasty, it was renamed "Long you Temple" and in the period of Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty it got the present name, commonly called "Jinshan Temple.” Before the temple there is a wall as well as a 3-story stone archway with three bays and four pillars. Inside was the Heavenly-King Hall, which was burnt down in 1948. Past the site are the steps for climbing up the hill. Halls are of different height with white walls, painted pillars and upturned eaves, and look resplendent and magnificent. Verandahs and pavilions, close to hill and water, are really spectacular. At the top of the hill is Cishou Pagoda with seven stories and eight sides in the style of a wooden pavilion. On each floor there is a corridor. Leaning on a railing, one can see Guazhou, Jiaoshan Hill and Beigu Hill in the distance.