Liuzhou Kaiyuan Temple

Liuzhou Kaiyuan Temple

Liuzhou Kaiyuan Temple was originally built during the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, but was destroyed in the late Qing Dynasty. Its original site was located within Liuhou Park. Dating back approximately 1,300 years, the temple fell into ruin and was buried by the end of the Qing Dynasty. Remains of Kaiyuan Temple structures from the Ming and Qing periods have since been excavated within Liuhou Memorial Temple. On September 29, 2009, the reconstruction of Liuzhou Kaiyuan Temple was initiated and prominently funded by the Li-Ning Foundation. The new site of the temple was selected within Dule Park in Liuzhou City, covering an area of nearly 100,000 square meters, with a total floor space of about 26,000 square meters. Its Mahavira Hall is a wooden structure designed in the Tang Dynasty architectural style.

The reconstructed Liuzhou Kaiyuan Temple covers an area of approximately 87,000 square meters, with a total floor space of about 20,000 square meters. The overall temple complex is modeled after the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty. The Mahavira Hall features an all-wooden structure that combines engineered timber with traditional wood, connected by mortise-and-tenon joints. The large indoor space is topped with a domed roof — a rare feature in the history of China’s engineered timber architecture. Liuzhou Kaiyuan Temple is currently the largest Buddhist temple in Guangxi, serving as a comprehensive Buddhist cultural tourism area integrating ecological, cultural, tourism, and leisure functions.