Temple of Guanyin at Jianfu

Temple of Guanyin at Jianfu

The Temple of Guanyin at Jianfu is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural tourism site.

The Temple of Guanyin at Jianfu is located at the intersection of Jintang Highway and Dazhigu Middle Road in Dazhigu, Hedong District, Tianjin, covering an area of over 5,000 square meters. Dazhigu is the birthplace of Tianjin. Historically home to more than 30 temples and nunneries, it is also known as “Dazhigu came before Tianjin Wei.” The Temple of Guanyin at Jianfu was constructed on the ruins of the former Yaowang Temple in the central platform of Dazhigu. It is a newly established Buddhist site relocated from the Jianfu Nunnery. The Jianfu Nunnery, located in Xiaosunzhuang, was built during the Republican era and is a cultural heritage site protected by Hedong District. It currently has 15 resident nuns. Since opening in 1996, it has grown from an obscure small nunnery into a well-established, bustling, and well-disciplined Buddhist venue. Its religious activities, charitable initiatives, and Dharma propagation efforts have earned it high recognition among followers both domestically and internationally. Due to limited space, incomplete halls, overcrowding from a large number of worshippers, impending demolition, and zoning restrictions, with the support, coordination, and assistance of municipal and district leaders as well as the generous help of Dongda Real Estate Development Company, the Jianfu Nunnery was relocated and renamed the “Temple of Guanyin at Jianfu.”

In front of the Yuantong Treasure Hall of the temple stands an ancient locust tree over 600 years old (one of the three treasures of the temple). Through the passage of time, the ancient locust tree remains, serving as testament to the profound history of Zhigu Fort. People praise it as a “divine tree,” truly the ancestor tree of the people of Zhigu. The 600-year-old Tree King Bodhisattva will be enshrined in front of the ancient locust tree, safeguarding the sacred temple. The Yuantong Treasure Hall houses the Four-Faced Thousand-Armed Guanyin Bodhisattva (one of the three treasures of the temple), standing 8.6 meters tall, crafted from camphor wood and adorned with Japanese gold leaf. The hall will also feature nine plaques including a Nine-Dragon Plaque, and murals depicting the Thirty-Two Manifestations of Guanyin Bodhisattva, which are unique in design. The hall can accommodate 450 people for simultaneous chanting. In the courtyard in front of the Yuantong Treasure Hall, a 13-meter-tall, 11-story Thousand-Buddha Pagoda will stand, engraved with 1,000 statues of Sakyamuni Buddha. Majestic and solemn, it adds another scenic highlight to the ancient temple of Zhigu.

The central axis of the Temple of Guanyin at Jianfu consists of a Song Dynasty-style memorial archway, the Mountain Gate Hall, the Skanda Hall, and the Yuantong Treasure Hall. On both sides are the Eastern Trinity Hall, Western Trinity Hall, 0 Hall, Ksitigarbha Hall, Yaowang Hall, Tree King Bodhisattva Hall, Scripture Depository, Dining Hall, Meditation Hall (which can accommodate 300 people), Dharma Lecture Hall (also known as the Audiovisual Hall, accommodating 400 people), Buddhist Guesthouse (also called the Reception Hall), computer room, storage room, and a large conference room. The basement of the Yuantong Treasure Hall will house a uniquely designed “Gratitude Hall” in China. In the main hall’s basement, the Buddhas of the Three Ages and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva will be enshrined, along with space for 10,000 long-term memorial tablets for the deceased. On the first and fifteenth days of each month, monks perform rituals for the deceased to transfer merits, helping them find liberation, happiness, and rebirth in the Pure Land. The temple’s bell and drum towers will be open to the public. A 5-ton bronze bell (one of the three treasures of the temple) and a 2-meter-diameter Thunder Sound Drum will be hung inside. Above the towers are four pavilions built in the Song Dynasty style, offering a serene place for Zen meditation.

The construction of the Temple of Guanyin at Jianfu is based on a tone of simplicity, elegance, uniqueness, cohesion, grandeur, and magnificence. It reflects historical features while also showcasing modern style, complementing the nearby Yuan, Ming, and Qing Tianhou Palace. It is set to become a uniquely distinctive Buddhist venue, a major nunnery complex in northern China, and a renowned tourist attraction.

Address: No. 27, Dazhigu Middle Road, Hedong District

Phone: 24160708