Thai Buddhist Temple

Thai Buddhist Temple

The Thai Buddhist Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

This Thai-style building in Chaozhou, modeled after Thailand’s Marble Temple, is rich in Thai characteristics. Its double-eaved, multi-faceted roof is covered with fish-scale tiles, while the upward-facing yellow patterns on the eaves and the upturned dragon-and-phoenix motifs on the column capitals symbolize prosperity.

The Thai Buddhist Temple is located at the foot of the mountain opposite Huiru Park on Dongshan Road, with a plaque at its entrance reading “Thai Buddhist Temple of Kaiyuan Temple.”

Thai temples are often considered museums of Thai art. This replica of Thailand’s Marble Temple, built in the historic city of Chaozhou, is rich in Thai features, including a double-eaved, multi-faceted roof covered with fish-scale tiles, upward-facing yellow patterns on the eaves, and dragon-and-phoenix motifs on the column capitals symbolizing harmony. The decorative gables and pointed roof elements of the doors and windows showcase ancient Thai artistic styles, fully reflecting an exotic atmosphere of grandeur and intricacy. For locals in Chaozhou, it offers a chance to experience foreign culture without leaving the country; for the Chaozhou community living in Thailand, it holds even more sentimental value.

At the center of the main hall sits a Thai-style statue of Sakyamuni Buddha, known as the Qingla Buddha. Its spiky-haired attire is distinctly different from the Han-style Sakyamuni Buddha in Kaiyuan Temple, featuring a spiral flame design. This 3-meter-tall, 1.5-ton bronze Buddha statue is gilded with gold leaf, hence called the Golden Buddha. The surrounding walls feature murals titled “The Story of the Buddha,” depicting the birth, enlightenment, and nirvana of Sakyamuni.

On the east side is the Four-Faced Buddha. In Thailand, the Four-Faced Buddha is a deity, not a Buddha, representing one of the three major gods of ancient Brahmanism—Brahma, meaning “the Great Brahma.” Thai Chinese commonly refer to it as the “Four-Faced Buddha.” “The Great Brahma” is the creator of the five elements of the world. Originally having five heads, legend says one was destroyed by Shiva, leaving four heads facing the four cardinal directions, with each of the four hands holding the Vedas, a lotus, a spoon, or prayer beads and a alms bowl. When offering incense to the Four-Faced Buddha, incense must be presented to all four directions, followed by worshiping in a clockwise order. The Four Faces represent loving-kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita), and equanimity (upekkha).

On the hillside of the Thai Buddhist Temple are structures such as the “River-Viewing Pavilion,” “Continent-Viewing Tower,” and a “Buddhist Pagoda,” with a bell and drum hung on each of the two small hills to the east and west.

Address: Dongshan Road, Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province (a 3-minute walk from Hanshan Normal University)

Type: Historical Site

Recommended Visit Duration: About 1 hour

Ticket Information:

Free admission.