Mengle Great Buddha Temple

Mengle Great Buddha Temple

Mengle Great Buddha Temple is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural tourism destination.

Mengle Great Buddha Temple is located in the suburbs of Jinghong City, the capital of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province, and is built to the standards of a national AAAA-level tourist attraction. The Mengle Great Buddha Temple is a restored and reconstructed site on the original location of the ancient Dai royal temple "Jingpiao Buddhist Temple." "Jingpiao Buddhist Temple" was built by a Dai king named Bolong in memory of his deceased queen, Nansha Weibian. The queen was a lifelong devotee of Buddhism, so every festival, the king would personally visit the temple to hold large-scale Buddhist ceremonies in her honor and to promote the Dharma. Historical records indicate that "Jingpiao Buddhist Temple" was first built during the Ming Dynasty and was one of the iconic structures representing the Twelve Muangs (regions) of Theravada Buddhism, as well as an important site for Buddhist activities in Xishuangbanna. The building was destroyed during wartime in Buddhist Year 2883 (i.e., 1848 AD, during the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty), which was 169 years ago. The reconstruction of the temple began in 2005, with a grand land consecration ceremony held on March 9 of the same year, and a magnificent foundation-laying and consecration ceremony for the main hall on May 9, 2005. During the construction of the main hall, a large number of silver coins, silver boxes, and Buddhist ritual items were unearthed. The first phase of the temple was completed on November 3, 2007. Upon completion, 108 eminent monks from both China and abroad were invited to conduct a grand consecration ceremony. The event attracted over 650,000 Buddhist devotees of all ethnicities from within and outside the prefecture. Covering an area of 400 acres, the temple is built against a mountain with a drop of 122.8 meters, resembling a sitting Buddha—a unique sight both in China and abroad. The scenic area integrates the life of Sakyamuni Buddha and temple activities into its landscape and architectural design, fully showcasing the history and traditional culture of Theravada Buddhism. From the square in front of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the beautiful tropical scenery of Jinghong City.

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Best season: January–December; suitable all year round. Xishuangbanna has a tropical rainforest climate, with no severe heat in summer or bitter cold in winter, offering warm and pleasant weather all four seasons.

Recommended visiting time: 1–2 hours

Ticket price: 120.00 RMB

Opening hours: 08:00–17:00; "Bathing the Buddha" activity times are two daily sessions at 11:30 and 15:30

Location: Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province

Tel: 0691-8998568

Transportation

Take bus route 4 within Jinghong City to reach the temple, or take a taxi from downtown for around 15 RMB

Ticket Information

The incense and flower voucher is priced at 120 RMB per voucher. Online booking prices are 96 RMB per voucher for 1–2 people, and 80 RMB per voucher for 3 or more people (excluding the in-temple shuttle bus). The in-temple shuttle bus is 40 RMB per person for a one-way trip and 60 RMB per person for a round trip. Children between 1.2 m and 1.4 m in height, full-time elementary, middle, and high school students with valid student IDs, seniors aged 60–69 with senior discount certificates and ID cards, may purchase discounted (80 RMB per voucher) incense and flower vouchers (excluding during major ceremonies). Children under 1.2 m in height, seniors over 70 years old, individuals with national disability certificates, active-duty military personnel with military or soldier ID cards, and licensed tour guides or management-certified personnel from the Xishuangbanna tourism industry may enter the temple for free (excluding during major ceremonies).