The Emperor Wu in the Liang Dynasty built an Iron Buddha Temple on the site of the religious platform for crossbows. It was rebuilt and enlarged during the years of Da Li (from 766 A.D. – 779 A.D., the period which were in the reign of Li Yu) in the Tang Dynasty and was named Mingjiao Yard and later was changed to be Mingjiao Temple in the Ming Dynasty. However, it was destroyed in wars. The Mingjiao Temple which now rises straight up on the platform majestically is the one which was rebuilt as it were by Yuan Hongmo, an old adherent of the past Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, who was then wandering and collected alms for the temple in the 11th year of the reign of Guang Xu Emperor in the Qing Dynasty (1886).
Mingjiao Temple consists of three parts: Buddhist Palace, Sutra Depository and Western Chamber Park. The Buddhist Palace is composed of the front palace and the back palace and has more than 30 Buddhist statues. There are more than 30 statues of the figures of Buddha and some constructions such as the Grand Hall and the Ti-tsang Palace inside the temple. Tourists can overlook the whole city of Hefei once they mount the Ting Song Pavilion on the platform.
