Tiantong Temple was originally built in the Jin Dynasty and has history of over 1,700 years.

It is said that in Year 300(Yongkang First Year, Western Jin), a monk named Yixing traveled to Donggu and became an abbot. A boy gave Yixing salary every day and claimed himself to be the incarnation of the Great white Planet dispatched by the Jade Emperor when he left. From then on, the mountain was named "Taibai" and the temple was called "Tiantong".

In the Tang Dynasty, Buddhist monk Zongbi felt Donggu too narrow and moved the house to the foot of Taibai Mountain, where Tiantong Temple is now situated, in 757. In 759, Emperor Suzong granted it name Tiantong Linglong Temple. In 847, Buddhist monk Xianqi took the post and Dongzong Cao set himself afoot at that time. In 869, Emperor Yizong granted it name Tianshou Temple as requirement of Yang Yan, the observer of Zhejiang.
Zen of China was booming in the Song Dynasty and reached the peak in the Southern Song Dynasty, and Tiantong Temple became the famous one. In 1007, Emperor Zhenzong granted it name Tiantong Jingde Temple. After Emperor Shenzong enthroned himself, he convoked the monks for three times and granted Weibai a golden purple suit in 1085. In 1101, Emperor Weizong granted Weibai the name Master of Buddha and appointed him to continue the preface of Denglu. In 1129, the Buddhist monk Zhengjue took the post and lived in the mountain for 30 years, during when there were over 1,000 monks in the temple. In 1134, a hall holding 1,000 persons was finished and expanded later named Qianfo Pavilion. In 1178, Emperor Xiaozong wrote "Famous Taibai Mountain" to the temple. In 1193, Master Xu'an expanded Qianfo Pavilion to be three layers and about 40 meters. During Jiading REign(1208-1224), the right premier Shi Miyuan applied to name Buddhism five mountains and ten temples, and Tiantong Temple was the third mountain.

In 1301, Emperor Chengzong changed Qianfo Pavilion as Chaoyuanbao Pavilion. In 1359, Buddhist monk Yuanliang rebuilt Chaoyuanbao Pavilion and built copper Buddha in it as well as two buildings beside. In 1360, Emperor Shun granted Master Yuanliang the name "Master Shanjue Puguang".

In 1386, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty conferred titles on temples and Tiantong Mountain Jingde Temple of Yin County, Ningbo, Zhejiang was granted Tiantong Temple and the second among the five Buddhism mountains. During the reign of Shenzong, the temple suffered a historic disaster: enormous floods attacked Yin County on 21st July 1587 and Tiantong Temple was destroyed completely. The abbot Yinhuai rebuilt the hall on the ruin that winter. In 1631, Master Miyun became the abbot. Buddha Palace, Heavenly King Palace, Law Hall, Xianjue Hall, Sutras Pavilion and Abbot Palace were built in 1653. Yunshui Hall, Supply Hall and Life Hall were built in 1636. Western Buddhist Hall and Eastern & Western Guest Hall were built in 1637. Eastern Buddhist Hall, Xinxin Hall, Jiongguang Pavilion and Fanzhao Building were built in 1640. The temple reached the peak at that time, which could be proved by the thousand-monk pan made in 1641(dia. 2.36m, depth 1.07m, weight 4,000kg).

In the 16th year of Shunzhi in Qing Dynasty (A.D. 1659), Emperor Shizu called together temple monks and Taoist priests and granted Three clothing, yellow clothing and satin robe. Next year, he granted 50kg gold to rebuild halls of the temple and conferred "Buddhist Monk Hongjue" as well as one silver seal(2kg, 3 cun), Three clothing, Five clothing, Seven clothing, yellow grandfather's clothing, palace Taoist robe, the color Taoist robe of agalloch eaglewood, thousand patch-up clothing, lined dress, etc. Master Yuanying, a leader of Chinese Buddhism, was the abbot of Tiantong Temple from 1930 to 1936 and the copper bell built during that time, 2.76m high, 1.86m lower caliber and 15,000kg, is now still hung on the bell tower.
After People's Republic of China was established, Tiantong Temple was protected by the people's government. However, the figure of Buddha was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution in 1966. In 1979, it was rebuilt under approval and funds of the State Council, thus the ancient temple's brightness recurred and the torch was restarted.