Xinjin Guanyin Temple

Xinjin Guanyin Temple

Xinjin Guanyin Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Guanyin Temple is located in Baoqiao Village, Yongshang Town, Xinjin County, Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Originally built in the eighth year of the Chunxi era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1181), it was destroyed in the late Yuan Dynasty and rebuilt in the third year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty (1490). The existing structures include the Ming Dynasty Pilu Hall (Fresco Hall) and Guanyin Hall (Statue Hall), as well as the Qing Dynasty Mountain Gate, Maitreya Hall, and Guide Hall, covering a construction area of 1,180 square meters.

The Pilu Hall was built in the sixth year of the TianShun era of the Ming Dynasty (1426). It features a three-bay width, a single-eave hip-and-gable roof, and a soaring, upturned roofline that showcases the solid and unadorned architectural style of the Ming Dynasty. The walls of the hall preserve six frescoes painted in the fourth year of the Chenghua era (1468). The Guanyin Hall was built in the second year of the Chenghua era (1466), and the statue of the South Sea Guanyin inside is acclaimed as the “Venus of the East.”

In June 2001, Guanyin Temple was designated as part of the fifth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council.

• A national-level cultural relics protection site, famous for its Ming Dynasty frescoes and statues.

Attraction Introduction

Located 7 kilometers southwest of Xinjin County, Guanyin Temple is a national-level cultural relic unit known for its Ming Dynasty frescoes. The temple houses two main halls: the Pilu Hall and the Guanyin Hall. The Pilu Hall was built in the sixth year of the TianShun era (1426 AD), with six frescoes preserved on its walls, painted in the fourth year of the Chenghua era (1468 AD). The Guanyin Hall was built in the second year of the Chenghua era (1466 AD), and the statue of the South Sea Guanyin within is exquisitely lifelike.

The Pilu Hall, built in the sixth year of the TianShun era (1426), features twelve Wisdom Kings and the full assembly of the Xiangshan mural behind the shrine on its left and right walls. These were painted in the fourth year of the Chenghua era (1468) using traditional Chinese fine-brush heavy-color painting techniques, with natural mineral pigments such as stone blue, stone green, cinnabar, yellow lead, raw lacquer, gold leaf, and pearl powder.

The Guanyin Hall was built in the fifth year of the Chenghua era. At its center are statues of the Three Great Bodhisattvas—Manjusri, Samantabhadra, and Guanyin—created in the eleventh year of the Chenghua era. The bodhisattvas are adorned with floral crowns and bejeweled necklaces, with plump cheeks and dignified expressions. The forty-six arhat statues in the wooden niches on both sides vary in form and are filled with a rich sense of daily life.

The temple also houses a large relief sculpture of the Guanyin Crossing the Sea. In this piece, the Guanyin figure stands atop an australian sea turtle, emerging from the raging waves, with panoramic views of Mount Emei in Sichuan, Mount Putuo in Zhejiang, and Mount Wutai in Shanxi sculpted on her back. Various disciples of the Buddha are arranged around the Guanyin figure.

Protected Area: Bounded by the existing perimeter wall.

Construction Control Zone: Extending 30 meters beyond the protected area.

Address: At the foot of Jiupeng Mountain, 7 kilometers southwest of Xinjin County, Chengdu City

Type: Historical Site / Temple

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Phone: 028-82512912

Ticket Information:

Public Price: 1.0 RMB

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units