Wenshang Baoshang Temple

Wenshang Baoshang Temple

Baoshang Temple in Wenshang is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural heritage site.

The Baoshang Temple Scenic Area is situated in the northwest corner of Wenshang County and is a famous Buddhist cultural tourism destination in China. The core attraction, Baoshang Temple, was originally built during the Tang Dynasty and was initially named Zhaokong Temple. When Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty stayed in Wenshang during his pilgrimage to Mount Tai, he bestowed the name Baoshang Temple upon Zhaokong Temple. Through a thousand years of history, the temple has maintained its vibrant spiritual legacy, becoming a revered destination for emperors, generals, literati, and artists, and establishing itself as a distinguished Buddhist temple in the land of Qilu. On March 15, 1994, 141 Buddhist relics including a Buddha's tooth and sarira were unearthed from the underground palace of the Prince’s Sacred Relics Pagoda at Baoshang Temple. The revelation of the Buddha's tooth and sarira of Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, caused a sensation nationwide and shocked the world, earning Baoshang Temple the reputation of the "Second Famen Temple" both in China and abroad.

The main attractions of the Baoshang Temple Scenic Area include: the Sea of Suffering, the Bodhi Tree, Mount Sumeru, Baoshang Temple, the Underground Palace, the Prince’s Sacred Relics Pagoda, the Crystal-Clear Reclining Buddha, the Lumbini Garden, Bodh Gaya, the Deer Park, the South Sea, the Guanyin Hall, the East Sea, Eastern Buddhist Culture, the Three Eastern Saints, the Buddhist Culture Museum, the Pagoda Forest, the Three Western Saints, Sravasti City, the Ashoka Pillar, Southern Buddhist Culture, and Tibetan Buddhist Culture. In the four directions of the scenic area — northeast, northwest, southwest, and southeast — stand the Four Heavenly Kings, guardians of the Buddha: Vaishravana, Virupaksha, Virudhaka, and Dhritarashtra. The scenic area features five major tourist highlights: first, the Nine Dragons Bathing the Buddha, Lotus Splashing Water, and the Birth of the Buddha; second, the colorful crystal-clear reclining Buddha and the Buddha’s Nirvana and Ascension; third, the Pagoda’s Buddha Light, where the Buddha manifests; fourth, auspicious clouds in the night sky, revealing the presence of the Buddha; fifth, large-scale cultural performances titled “The Charm of Brahma and Buddha” held during major Buddhist festivals, dramatizing the stories of the Buddha’s birth, renunciation, enlightenment, nirvana, and the arrival of his tooth and sarira relics in Wenshang.

The annual Wenshang Buddha’s Light Festival attracts huge crowds, with eminent monks, dignitaries, devotees, and tourists from home and abroad gathering at the Baoshang Temple Scenic Area to witness the divine Buddha’s light. The supreme relics of the Buddha, such as the Buddha’s tooth and sarira, bring the sanctity of a Buddhist holy land and the spiritual harmony of heaven and earth to the scenic area, making Baoshang Temple a world-famous Buddhist cultural tourism destination and a true spiritual capital of Eastern Buddhist culture.

It takes approximately two hours to tour the entire scenic area.

Address: Intersection of Baoshang Temple Road and Shangshu Road, Wenshang County

Business Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tour Duration: Approximately 2 hours

Price: 50 RMB per person

Price Description: Free admission for children under 1.2 meters in height; also free for holders of senior citizen certificates or valid military ID

Featured Attractions: The Buddha’s Light at the Prince’s Sacred Relics Pagoda, the True Sarira and Tooth of Shakyamuni Buddha

Tour Route: Baoshang Temple Entrance → Baoshang Temple Complex → Mahavira Hall → Offering Hall → Pagoda Palace → Prince’s Sacred Relics Pagoda → Zhongdu Museum

Guide Fee: Mandarin-speaking guide costs 50 RMB per person per session

Supporting Facilities:

Dining & Accommodation: Buddha Capital Grand Hotel, Baoshang Yuan Grand Hotel

There are souvenir shops within the scenic area.

Visitor Service Center: Located near the ticket checkpoint in the scenic area. Phone: 0537-7223501. Guide services are available at 50 RMB per person per session.

Public Transport:

Taking a taxi from the bus station to the scenic area costs around 5 RMB, or 2 RMB per person for a tricycle.

Self-Driving Directions:

Take the G3 Beijing-Taipei (Beijing-Fuzhou) Expressway, exit at Ciyao, proceed to Wenshang County via Ningyang County and head west, then turn north onto Shangshu Road and then right onto Baoshang Temple Road to reach the scenic area. It takes about 60 minutes after exiting the expressway.

Parking Information:

There is a dedicated parking lot at the entrance of the scenic area, offering safe, convenient, and reasonably priced parking.