During the reign of Emperor Zhezong of the Song dynasty (1086～1093), Zhou Yingxi, a junior official from Zhouzhuang, donated his residence for a Buddhist temple.

Expanded over years, the temple has possessed numerous extraordinary halls and pavilions, encircled by waters, thus known as water-based buddhist pure land. Numerous people came to worship here. The tolls of the temple sound spectacular and spread far and clear…

At the New Year's Eve, people would wash their hands to sound the large bell, praying for clearance of bad luck in the past and wishing good luck in the future.