Maritime Silk Road Quanzhou | Explore the Thousand-Year-Old Kaiyuan Temple

Located on West Street in Licheng District, Quanzhou, Kaiyuan Temple is an important cultural relic in the southeast coastal area of China and the largest Buddhist temple in Fujian Province. It was first built in the second year of Chuigong in the early Tang Dynasty (686) and was initially named "Lotus Dojo". It was renamed Kaiyuan Temple in the 26th year of Kaiyuan (738). The main buildings that exist today were built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The temple is about 260 meters long from north to south and about 300 meters wide from east to west, covering an area of 78,000 square meters. It is a key cultural relic under state protection. One of the inspirations for "Black Myth: Wukong" comes from Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou. This ancient temple with a long history shows the unique style of ancient architecture, integrating a strong religious atmosphere and a sense of mystery, making it an ideal place to explore Eastern culture and the world of mythology. The architectural layout of Kaiyuan Temple is very exquisite, with Ziyunping, Tianwang Hall, Worship Pavilion, Mahavira Hall, Ganlu Altar, and Sutra Pavilion arranged in sequence on the central axis. On the east wing, there are the Donor Temple, the Master Hongyi Memorial Hall, and the Zhunti Temple; on the west wing, there are the Ancestral Hall, the Merit Hall, and the Water and Land Temple. The twin stone pagodas in Kaiyuan Temple are world-famous. The east pagoda is called "Zhenguo Pagoda", which was first built in the sixth year of Xiantong in the Tang Dynasty (865). It was originally a wooden pagoda and was rebuilt into a stone pagoda in the Southern Song Dynasty (1238-1250), with a height of 48.24 meters. The west pagoda is called "Renshou Pagoda", which was first built in the second year of Zhenming in the Later Liang Dynasty (916). It was originally a wooden pagoda and was rebuilt into a stone pagoda in the Southern Song Dynasty (1228-1237), with a height of 44.06 meters. The east and west stone pagodas are about 20 meters apart. They have stood firm and magnificent despite many disasters, which is a miracle and a treasure in stone pagoda architecture. In short, Quanzhou Kaiyuan Temple is not only a religious place but also a place full of history and culture, which is worth exploring and experiencing in person. 📍Detailed address: No. 176, West Street, Licheng District, Quanzhou, Fujian Province 🚉Transportation guide: 1️⃣ [Fuzhou-Xiamen Railway Quanzhou Station] Take bus K602 to Kaiyuan Temple West Gate Station, and walk 44 meters to the destination. 2️⃣ [Fuzhou-Xiamen High-speed Railway Quanzhou South Station] Take bus K604 to Huazhou Home Decoration Market Station, transfer to bus 602 to Kaiyuan Temple West Gate Station, and walk 44 meters to the destination. 3️⃣ [Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport Station] Take bus K602 to Kaiyuan Temple West Gate Station, and walk 20 meters to the destination. 🕙Opening hours: 06:30-17:00 ⏳Duration: 1-2 hours 🎫Ticket: Free