Built in 386 CE at the foot of Mount Lu by Huiyuan, founder of the Pure Land Buddhism, it is well known for how long it has stood without collapsing.

Donglin Temple made contributions to improve cultural exchanges and friendly visits between China and Nepal, India, Japan.

[3] The monastery reached its peak of influence during the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE), but was severely damaged during the Taiping Rebellion and was almost destroyed during the Republican period (1912–1949) of Chinese history.

[2] Donglin Temple was originally built as "Longquan Jingshe" (龙泉精舍) in 386 by a prominent Buddhist monk named Huiyuan, founder of the Pure Land Sect of Buddhism, under the Eastern Jin dynasty (266–420).

[4] The temple experienced unprecedented growth during the Tang dynasty (618–907), and it had more than one thousand monks and was 120,000-square-metre (1,300,000 sq ft) in size, with 310 halls and rooms.