Yangzhou Lianxing Temple (Fahai Temple)

Yangzhou Lianxing Temple (Fahai Temple)

Yangzhou Lianxing Temple (Fahai Temple) is a cultural tourism attraction.

Lianxing Temple

Yangzhou Lianxing Temple

Situated south of the Five Pavilion Bridge and west of the White Pagoda, Lianxing Temple is a historic site with over 1,400 years of history. Originally named Fahai Temple, also known as the White Pagoda Temple, it was built in the late Sui and early Tang dynasties and rebuilt during the Yuan Dynasty. The name "Fahai Temple" means boundless Dharma. The temple’s inner murals, known as “Transformation Tableaus,” are rare large-scale artworks in China. Painted using natural stone materials, they depict scenes and stories from the Amitayurdhyana Sutra.

During the Cultural Revolution, Lianxing Temple suffered severe damage and fell into disrepair. Since 1996, the city's religious affairs department has carried out multiple restorations, and now facilities such as the Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, and Mountain Gate Hall have been restored.

The White Pagoda of Lianxing Temple, built in the 49th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1784), was modeled after the White Pagoda in the Spring Shade on Qiong Island of Beihai Park. Standing 28.5 meters tall, it consists of three parts: the thirteen tiers, the niche, and the base. It is one of the few surviving examples of brick-built Lamaist pagodas in China.

The base level is a square platform surrounded by balustrades. A small front terrace is set in front, with steps leading up from both sides and the front. At the center of the base is a brick-carved sumeru pedestal, with three small niches on each side, featuring brick carvings of the twelve zodiac animals along with entwined lotus patterns. Above the pedestal are a lotus petal base supporting the body of the pagoda and a vajra ring. The middle section is a niche chamber shaped like an ancient vase, with an “Eye of Wisdom Door” on the southern side housing a statue of the White-robed Guanyin. The upper part is a conical spire composed of 13 slender rings symbolizing the Buddhist “Thirteen Heavens.” At the top sits a hexagonal canopy adorned with wind chimes, supporting a bronze gourd-shaped finial.