Guiyuan Buddhist Temple
A Stone Tablet In Guiyuan Temple
Located in the Cuiwei Road of the Hanyang District, the Guiyuan Buddhist Temple is one the four most famous Buddhist temples in Wuhan City. The other three are the Baotong Temple, Lianxi temple and the Zhengjue Temple. The Guiyuan Temple plays a significant role in Chinese Buddhism.
First constructed in 1658 during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), the temple now enjoys a history of nearly 400 years. The temple has suffered frequent damage, followed by restoration or reconstruction. The existing structures were recreated in 1864 and 1895 as well as during the Republication Period. Covering an area of about 20,000 square meters (23,920 acres), the temple is comprised of three courtyards in the middle, north, and south parts, each featuring a main building with attached substructures.
The middle courtyard features towers, halls, springs, and water pools harmonizing with each other in the shelter of the trees and flowers. A sitting statue of Sakyamuni is worshiped in the Grant Hall (Daxiong Baodian). This hall was first build in 1661 and reconstructed in 1908.
The highlight of the north courtyard is the hall for collecting classic Buddhist texts and many other valuable relics. Built in 1920, it is among the several temples of China to own a huge sum of literary works concerning religions. With a typical attic style, the hall is 25 meters high and covers an area of 400 square meters (478 acres). In addition to Buddhist classics, the collections also include statues of Buddha, inscriptions and sculptures, paintings and calligraphies, and foreign classics, to name just a few. The hall itself is a visual experience.
The Arhat Hall in the south courtyard is well-known both at home and abroad. First built in 1852, and once destroyed in the turmoil of war, the existing hall was reconstructed and completed in 1902. The 500 arhats placed in the hall with each bearing a distinct character are truly a grand view. Stepping in to the hall, one never gets a confined feeling, for the spacious layout of the hall not only provides enough room for the arhats, but also affords good ventilation and lighting.
The temple is more a garden than a temple. There are a great many wonders for visitors to explore.
Admission Fee: CNY 10
CNY 20 (during the Spring Festival, Labor Day Holiday and National Day Holiday)
Opening Hours: 08:00 - 17:00
Bus Routes: Take Bus No. 45, 524, 707 or Tourism Bus No.1 and get off at Guiyuan Temple.
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