[2] The temple, which literally means "rooster crowing" was first constructed in 527 during the Liang dynasty and has been destroyed and reconstructed many times.

The existing temple was initially constructed during the Ming dynasty[3] during the reign of the Hongwu Emperor in 1387.

By 1931 most temple buildings had been appropriated as barracks by police and army of the Nationalist government of Republican China.

[5] Within the temple are Guanyin Hall (观音殿), Huomeng Building (豁蒙楼), and the Medicine Buddha Pagoda (Chinese: 药师佛塔).

The Rouge Well (胭脂井), got its name from a legend that the emperor of the Southern Tang Dynasty and his concubine hid themselves in the well to escape enemy pursuit.