Handan Ronghua Temple

Handan Ronghua Temple

Handan Ronghua Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Handan Ronghua Temple (originally named Chonghua Temple), located in Beizhangzhuang Village, Handan City, Hebei Province, on the eastern side of the village, was first built during the Eastern Han Dynasty and has a history of over two thousand years. It was once one of China’s Twenty-Five Ancient Buddhist Temples. The existing Mahavira Hall and Sangharama Hall were rebuilt in the 26th year of the Republic of China (1937) and are now municipal-level cultural heritage sites in Handan.

To the west of the Sangharama Hall lies an area of approximately one acre that was originally the “Ancestral Pagoda Forest,” where the remains of revered monks and ancient burial artifacts were interred. At ground level, five pagodas still stood in the early years after liberation. Among them were a bluestone pagoda (shaped like a lotus, with its lotus-shaped base still well preserved) and a brick pagoda, both about 4–5 meters high, along with a tombstone inscribed with records of the reconstruction of “Chonghua Temple” during the Ming Dynasty. In recent years, due to active spiritual practices and renovations, Ronghua Temple has attracted an increasing number of lay practitioners, with over a thousand attendees at its peak Dharma assemblies.

After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, the Party’s policies on ethnic and religious affairs were fully implemented. With the support of Buddhist followers, the ancient Ronghua Temple was renovated and expanded. On the foundation of the restoration, a chanting hall covering an area of about 300 square meters was completed in 2001 — one of the larger such facilities in Handan and even in Hebei Province. The temple also offers more than 100 dormitory beds. Last year, with an investment of 2 million yuan and completed in just seven months, a new 300-square-meter Mahavira Hall was built. This wooden structure follows traditional ancient architectural styles and presents a solemn appearance. A consecration ceremony was held on December 28, 2007. Since 2000, Ronghua Temple has successively completed the construction of a chanting hall, dining hall, Heavenly King Hall, dormitories, and the new Mahavira Hall, with a total built-up area of over 2,000 square meters.

Transportation Guide

Address: Beizhangzhuang Village, Hanshan District, Handan City, Hebei Province

Transit options: Take bus routes 4, 5, or 51 within Handan City and get off at County No. 2 Middle School Station.