Quanzhou Bronze Buddha Temple

Quanzhou Bronze Buddha Temple

The Quanzhou Bronze Buddha Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Quanzhou City.

The Quanzhou Bronze Buddha Temple has a long history. The temple was originally built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty and was renamed to its current name when it was renovated by Shi Guobao, the great-grandson of Qing Dynasty’s Shi Lang.

The existing main hall is a suspended-roof, post-and-lintel style brick-and-wood structure, spanning three bays wide (18 meters) and five bays deep (19 meters), covering an area of approximately 400 square meters. Inside, it enshrines sixteen bronze Buddhas cast between the 12th and 16th years of the Shunzhi reign in the Qing Dynasty. The statues are four to five feet tall, with solemn expressions, smooth lines, and lifelike appearances, renowned for their exquisite carving craftsmanship. In recent years, a two-story, hip-and-gable roofed Amitabha Hall in pavilion style has been newly built behind the main hall. The front courtyard of the main hall features curved railings, and to the east, a curved bridge spans a pond, connecting directly to the Baiyuanchuan Pond. Lush greenery and beautiful scenery abound.

The eminent monk Master Hongyi resided here from the winter of 1941 to March 1942, composing a couplet for the temple gate that reads: “The teachings of Buddhism are like the vast net of dharma; the essence of the Buddha’s path lies solely in the light of precepts.” The name “Baiyuan Temple” is hidden within the couplet.

In recent years, the temple’s incense offerings have flourished, attracting a continuous stream of visitors and worshippers. Every first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, known as “Buddha-Circling Days,” devotees gather at the temple, filling the air with the sounds of Buddhist chants, bells, and drums that resonate to the skies. It is a renowned Buddhist site in Quanzhou City.

(Image source: Chinese Temples)

Information source: Fujian Provincial Tourism Development Commission