Kaiyuan Temple lies on West Street in Licheng District,Quanzhou£¬formerly named 'Lotus Temple'.It covering an area of 78 thousand square meters. Built in the second year of Chuigong during the reign of Emperor Wu Zetian in the Tang Dynasty , Kaiyuan Temple now has a long history of over 1,300 years. It is one of the key Buddhist Temples and national heritage conservation sites in China, with large scale, magnificent construction and beautiful scenery. Kaiyuan Temple enjoys equal popularity with White Horse Temple in Luoyang, Temple of Soul’s Retreat in Hangzhou and Universal Rescue Temple in Beijing.
As the largest Buddhist temple in Fujian Province, Kaiyuan Temple has attracted many domestic and foreign travelers who are interested in Buddhist culture.
The principal axis of Kaiyuan Temple consists of Zi Yun Ping, Tianwang Hall, the Great Buddha’s Hall, Gan Lu Jie Tan, and Cang Jing Tower. There are also other famous constructions in the temple such as Tan Yue Memorial Temple, Xiao Kai Yuan, Gong De Hall, Zun Shent Court, Shui Lu Temple and East and West Towers.
In front of Kaiyuan Temple are two imposing stone towers. The east one is called Zhenguo Tower and stands 158 feet high, while the west one is called Renshou Tower and stands 145 feet high. This pair of towers is the highest stone towers in China. Due to their uniqueness, they are regarded as a special landmark of Quanzhou City. On every floor of each tower, lifelike carvings of arhats and knights can be seen around the niches, on the walls, and on the eaves.
The gate to the temple is known as Tianwang Hall. It was built in the third year of Chuigong during the reign of Emperor Wu Zetian in the Tang Dynasty . The constructions existing now were built in 1925 A.D. The pillars are shuttle-shaped, thick in the middle and thin at the two ends. That is why they are called “Suo Pillars”. Entering the gate, visitors will reach al-ting. There is a stone courtyard in front of the al-ting for officials and ordinary people to worship and have activities. On the 26th day of every second month of the lunar calendar, this stone courtyard is full of people and Buddhist chants. There are altogether 86 stone pillars in the Great Buddha’s Hall in Kaiyuan Temple, so the hall is also called “Hall with A Hundred Pillars”. It is said that purple clouds hovered when this hall was being built. That why the Great Buddha’s Hall is known as “Hall of Purple Clouds”.
Most of the local people in Quanzhou believe in Buddhism. Kaiyuan Temple is a must for visitors to learn the local culture. After exploring the entire complex, visitors will surely appreciate the Buddhist culture exemplified by the Kaiyuan Temple.