Linggu Temple ("Temple of the Valley of the Spirits") played a rather important role in the spread of Buddhism in ancient China. The temple is located on the southern slope of the Mountain of Purple Gold (Ziqin), in Nanjing. The construction of the landmark began in 512 and was completed in 515 under the leadership of Emperor Wu-di (Liang Dynasty). The original construction site was Dulunfu Hill, but in 1376 Emperor Hongwu ordered the building to be moved to the vicinity of Zijin Mountain. This decision was due to the fact that the famous Xiaoling Mausoleum was planned to be built on the site of Linggu.
The temple changed its name quite often. Thus, in the Tang era the structure was called Baogong Shenyuan, and in the Yuan and Sun periods the temple was known among Buddhists as Taipingsinguo Sy. During the Ming dynasty, Linggu was once again renamed Jiangshan Sy. Only in the early XIV century the temple received its final name, which has survived to this day.
Most of the temple complex was destroyed during the Taiping War (mid-19th century). However, well preserved is the Wuliang Dian Hall or "Chamber Without Rfters", erected without the use of building materials made of wood to support the roof of the temple. Inside the chamber many centuries ago were the relics of the holy monk Xuanzang, to which Buddhists from all over China came to pray.
Restoration work on Linggu continues to this day. In 1929, a pagoda of the same name was erected near the temple, commemorating the soldiers who died in the Northern Approach.
