Harbin Huayan Temple

Harbin Huayan Temple

Harbin Huayan Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Huayan Temple was built earlier than Jile Temple, which is known as the foremost of the Four Great Buddhist Monasteries in Northeast China. It is named after the Buddhist Huayan School’s classic scripture, the Avatamsaka Sutra. The temple originally had four main halls enshrining various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, with many inscriptions by renowned calligraphers. Its two-story brick carvings and wooden structures further highlight the uniqueness of Huayan Temple. The artistry of its brick carvings is extremely distinctive, with blue bricks laid using the “mortar-jointed precision” technique, making it a well-preserved and uniquely shaped cultural relic in Harbin.

After enduring multiple historical hardships such as wars and land reforms, the brick carvings’ figures remain vivid. Today, Huayan Temple covers an area of over 1,200 square meters, with only the Heavenly King Hall and the Huazang World Hall remaining, yet the entire temple complex remains majestic. Viewed from the surrounding high-rise buildings, garages and skyscrapers have been erected close to the temple, and the monks are concerned that the increasing number of nearby buildings and garages may impact the temple’s structure and pose risks to the safety and fire prevention of its brick-and-wood construction.

In 1996, the Municipal Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs and Nangang District relocated the restaurant next to the temple in order to implement religious property policies and protect Huayan Temple, which is when the site was largely restored to its original appearance. Currently, the cultural relics management station is compiling documentation and plans to submit Huayan Temple as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit in July.

Location: No. 63, Bile Street, Nangang District, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province

Transportation: Take bus routes 7, 8, 92, 109, etc. in Harbin City and get off at Gexin Street Stop.