White Robe Nunnery in Lulong

White Robe Nunnery in Lulong

The White Robe Nunnery in Lulong is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Hebei Province.

The White Robe Nunnery at Taolin Kou is located about forty kilometers north of Lulong County, Qinhuangdao City (in Liujia Ying Township), north of Taolin Kou Village. It was built during the Ming Dynasty and has considerable archaeological importance.

The White Robe Nunnery at Taolin Kou (Lulong) is situated about forty kilometers north of Lulong County, Qinhuangdao City (in Liujia Ying Township), north of Taolin Kou Village. It is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The nunnery is named after the white-robed statue of Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy) enshrined inside. This nunnery is the only surviving single Ming Dynasty structure in Qinhuangdao City and holds great archaeological value. It is now a key cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province. The White Robe Nunnery was renovated in the autumn of 2002 by the Qinhuangdao Cultural Relics Bureau. Inside the shrine, there is an exquisitely carved marble statue of the white-robed Guanyin, flanked by the attendant deities Shancai and Longnü, as well as guardian Luohan figures. The sculptures are pristine and solemn, evoking deep reverence.

Originally, there were three main halls and three side halls on the east and west sides. The main hall of the White Robe Nunnery is 10.35 meters wide and 6.42 meters deep, with a total floor area of 66.45 square meters. It features a hip-and-gable roof, and the existing tiles and ridge ornaments are all original. The wooden beam structure includes five-tier beams, with outer arches intact and inner arches removed. Most of the painted designs on the beams have faded, though some traces remain. There are fourteen pillars in total, with the rear central pillar missing—a result of the reduced-pillar architectural style. The current doors and windows have been modified to resemble those of residential houses. The hall floor is paved with blue bricks. The steps have been destroyed. The patterns on the roof tiles are identical to those found on watchtowers of the Great Wall—namely, tiger head motifs. The bracket sets are all constructed in the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty, which is sufficient evidence that this was an auxiliary structure of the Ming Great Wall.

On February 7, 2001, the White Robe Nunnery was designated as a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit by the People’s Government of Hebei Province.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units