The Jin Shan Temple(Gold Mountain Temple), the oldest and also the most
famous sight has become a symbol of the Zhenjiang city. The temple is visible
from far away.It climbs up the sides of a hill along the flat flood plains of the
Yangzi,and its pagoda dramatically crowns the crest of the hill.
The temple first achieved prominence in the Tang dynasty, and has been rebuilt
and expanded many times since. While today the saffron walls and yellow tiled
roofs of the temple complex make the hill look golden in the sunlight, it originally
took its name from rich veins of gold within the hill itself. A monk looking to establish
a new monastery found the precious metal as he was beginning construction, and this
sign of divine support convinced the imperial government to lend a hand as well, and
helped first established Jin Shan Si as a major temple.
