Xiangguo Temple lies in the western section of Ziyou Road in Kaifeng CityŁ¬Henan. Today it has become the center for major Buddhist activities in Henan Province. It's one of the ten famous temples in Chinese history and plays an important role in the development of Buddhism in China.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, it was deeply worshipped and respected by the royal family enlarging for several times, it once occupied an area as large as 500 mu of land, with 64 meditation yards, law yards under its administration, with more than 1,000 monks, being the biggest monastery in the capital city and the center of national Buddhist activities. Later it was destroyed by a Yellow River flood at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and it was reconstructed again at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. The temple's main attraction is the magnificent four-sided statue of Avalokitesvara (the male Indian bodhisattva who became transfigured over the years into the female Guanyin), with a thousand hands and a thousand eyes (all-seeing and compassionate), who stands surrounded by 500 arhats. Weighing 2,000 kilograms (2.2 tons), the 7m (23-ft.) high statue was said to have been carved from the trunk of a thousand-year-old ginkgo tree and required 58 years to complete.
At present, the existing structures of the temple are the Grand Hall, the Octagonal Hall, the east and west chambers, and other buildings holding Buddhist sutras. Coming here, you will be surprised at the magnificent architecture and the well-arranged layout of the temple. The existing structures were mainly built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The buildings include Mountain Gate, Paifang, Heavenly Kings Hall, Daxiongbaodian Hall (Hall of Sakyamuni), Arhat Hall and Sutra Hall. They are set on the north-south central axis with some other annexes built symmetrically on both sides.
In addition, the temple holds annual activities like lantern exhibitions on the Lantern Festival, chrysanthemum exhibitions and the great prayer festival of water and land. On the occasion, pilgrims from home and abroad will assemble here to celebrate the holidays.
Ticket Fee : CNY 30
Opening Hours : 9:00-22:00