Shenyang Bore Temple

Shenyang Bore Temple

Shenyang Bore Temple is a municipal cultural relics protection unit in Shenyang.

Bore Temple is located at No. 8 Danan Street, Shenhe District. It was built in 1684 (the 23rd year of the Kangxi reign in the Qing Dynasty) by the eminent monk Master Gulin. It underwent two reconstructions—in 1909 (the first year of the Xuantong reign) and 1924 (the 13th year of the Republic of China). It was damaged in the mid-1960s but was repaired after 1979, including the restoration of statues. In October 1984, on the 300th anniversary of the temple’s founding, a statue consecration ceremony was held. In 1985, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit. The temple faces south and has a two-courtyard layout, covering an area of 2,289 square meters with a construction area of 2,037 square meters. The main structures are brick-and-wood hard mountain-style buildings, representing one of the better-preserved Buddhist architectural complexes in the city. The temple is a bhikkhuni nunnery. It features a rigorous layout with a clear central axis. The main halls along the axis include: the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, and the Scripture Depository. The side rooms on the east and west are used as the abbot’s quarters, monks’ dormitories, kitchen, dining hall, and reception room, among others. The east courtyard houses the Ancestral Hall, while the side rooms to the east and west are monks’ quarters.

On both sides of the Hall of Heavenly Kings are the mountain gates. The front gate features a plaque inscribed with the golden characters “Bore Temple,” written by the renowned calligrapher Mr. Feng Richan. The plaque on the back door is inscribed with “Three Continents Respond.” There are couplets on both sides—the upper line reads, “The sacred traces descend, undimmed even when fires rage, the furnace remains intact,” and the lower line reads, “The divine power is unfathomable, the vajra remains unbroken no matter what.” At the center of the hall is a gilded clay statue of the Maitreya Bodhisattva (also known as the Laughing Buddha), behind whom stands the guardian deity Wei Tuo Bodhisattva holding a demon-subduing pestle. On either side are statues of the Four Heavenly Kings: the Eastern King Dhritarashtra (holding a pipa), the Southern King Virudhaka (holding a sword), the Western King Virupaksha (holding a serpent), and the Northern King Vaishravana (holding a parasol). These majestic guardians protect the mountain gate and safeguard the Three Jewels—Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. In the center of the rear courtyard is an iron-cast precious tripod, forged in 1984 by the abbot of Bore Temple and disciples, engraved with the words “Bore Lecture Temple.”

The Mahavira Hall is located behind the Hall of Heavenly Kings. Above the main hall hangs a golden plaque inscribed with “Mahavira Hall,” written by the famous calligrapher Huo Anrong. On the east side is a plaque reading “All Dharmas Are Empty.” The red pillars on either side of the hall doors bear a couplet: “Such a magnificent and solemn presence reveals that the assembly on Vulture Peak has not yet dispersed; the innate purity of the Buddha unites the sacred and the ordinary, and the path to enlightenment is fulfilled here and now.” Inside the hall, intricately carved and gilded statues of the Three Buddhas are enshrined, with the historical Buddha Shakyamuni in the center, Bhaisajyaguru (Medicine Buddha) for healing and longevity on the right, and Amitabha Buddha of the Western Pure Land on the left. In front of Shakyamuni are his disciples Ānanda and Kāśyapa. The hall is adorned with lamps, flowers, banners, and canopies. The murals of the Sixteen Arhats are painted on the side walls. Behind the Three Buddhas is a folding screen depicting colorful paintings of Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, vivid and lifelike.

The Scripture Depository is located in the second courtyard. It is a two-story building with blue bricks and tiles, housing the “Tripitaka and Twelve Divisions” of Buddhist scriptures.

The Ancestral Hall is located in the east courtyard of the temple. It was built in 1676 (the 35th year of the Kangxi reign). The main hall enshrines the 28 patriarchs of Buddhism. A Tang dynasty glazed ceramic jar painted with green leaves and red peonies, containing the remains of Master Gulin—the founder of Bore Temple—was once buried inside the hall.

Location: No. 8, Bore Temple Lane, Danan Street, Shenhe District, Shenyang

Transportation: In Shenyang, take bus routes 286, 276, 225, 259, or 275 to the Scientist Garden stop, then walk west along Science Street for about 100 meters to reach the temple. Alternatively, take bus routes 113, 250, 150, or 257 on Shenyang Ring Road and get off at the No. 27 Middle School stop.