Kaixi Temple

Kaixi Temple

Kaixi Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Kaixi Temple is located in the southern part of Anzhou District, Mianyang City, Sichuan Province. It was first built during the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of 611 years. The original Kaixi Temple covered an area of about 50,000 square meters and mainly included more than ten structures such as the Wenchang Hall, Jieyin Hall, and Thousand-Handed Guanyin Hall. During the Cultural Revolution, Kaixi Temple suffered severe damage, and currently only the Mahavira Hall remains relatively well-preserved. In 1991, Kaixi Temple was designated as a Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Unit, and in 2013, it was listed as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

The Mahavira Hall is four bays deep and three bays wide. Inscriptions on the beams date the hall to the fourth year of the Yongle era (1406). The total floor area of the hall is approximately 170 square meters. Its roof is covered with green tiles, and the eaves at the four corners rise sharply upwards, giving it a highly distinctive look. There are a total of 20 brackets on the surrounding walls, which have a rather rustic charm.

During the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, Kaixi Temple suffered further damage. Fortunately, the state promptly allocated funds for its restoration. In addition to repairing the Mahavira Hall, other halls were also renovated or rebuilt, and the surrounding environment of the temple was landscaped. Today, the entire architectural complex of Kaixi Temple is grand and majestic. Nestled among the surrounding bamboo groves and residential houses, it presents a uniquely serene atmosphere.

Protected Area: Within the existing perimeter wall.

Construction Control Zone: Southeast to the outer wall of the drainage channel, southwest to 100 meters beyond the edge of the parking lot along Kaixi Village Road (i.e., Zeng Xinggui’s cattle farm), northeast to 200 meters beyond the Renmin Canal toward Tianbao Liangzi, northwest to 50 meters beyond the outer wall of Kaixi Temple.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units