Linji Temple is the founding site of the Linji school of Chan Buddhism, established in the Tang dynasty by the monk Linji Yixuan. The Linji tradition spread to Japan as Rinzai Zen, one of the two major Japanese Zen schools, which means this modest temple grounds has had an outsized influence on the spiritual life of East Asia. The buildings standing today are much later reconstructions — the original Tang structures are long gone — but the site itself carries genuine historical weight.
The complex is quieter and less visited than Longxing Temple, which makes it a better place to sit and think. A pagoda in the grounds is associated with Linji Yixuan's relics, and the temple is still an active place of practice for Chan practitioners who come specifically to stand at the origin of their tradition. Admission is modest and the atmosphere is more contemplative than the larger temple complexes in the area.