Donglin Temple (东林寺) at the northern base of Lushan is one of China's most historically significant Buddhist sites, founded in 386 AD and recognised as the birthplace of Pure Land Buddhism. The temple was extensively rebuilt following periods of destruction, and the current structures are largely modern, but the site's religious importance remains: it is an active monastery and a major pilgrimage destination.
The most striking recent addition is a massive bronze statue of Amitabha Buddha completed in 2015, standing 48 metres tall on a lotus base above the temple complex. The scale is extravagant and somewhat at odds with the ancient site below, but it draws large numbers of pilgrims and has become a landmark visible from considerable distance. The older sections of the temple — the main hall, the pond, and the ancient ginkgo trees — are worth seeing independently of the statue.