Japanese architect eyes Ningbo project

Norihiko Dan is looking for an opportunity to expand a small temple on a secluded island in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. Jiang Dong / China Daily

Japanese architect Norihiko Dan has worked on many major buildings, but he now has his sights set on a smaller project - to build a modern Buddhist Zen temple in China. Sun Yuanqing reports.

For the past decade, China has been a playground for the world's boldest architectural ideas. But a Buddhist Zen temple? It's still new territory. And Japanese architect Norihiko Dan wants to be among the first explorers.

Dan is a designer who thinks big - and has previously been commissioned to work on major projects - but now he is looking for an opportunity to work on an expansion project for a small temple on a secluded island in Ningbo, a port city in East China's Zhejiang province.

A permanent member of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association, Dan has devoted himself to Sino-Japanese cultural exchange for more than a decade. And now he wants to visually express his understanding of the Sino-Japanese connection with this Zen temple.

"Many people think of China as a market, but this project is not about that. It's for cultural exchange and that's why I'm excited," says Dan, 58. He led a delegation to China to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries in May.

Tucked away on scenic Meishan Island, the Qingxiu Zen Temple has been a religious center for the local community since the 19th century. As the number of pilgrims grows, especially during the annual Fanfo Festival, an event commemorating a late philanthropic abbot, the temple is seeking an expansion. And Dan envisions it as the base for a modern structure that will echo with its past, something still new in China but prevalent in Japan.