Daxiangguo Temple

Kaifeng's Great Xiangguo Temple was founded in the sixth year of the Tianbao era of the Northern Qi dynasty (555 AD), located in the city center of the famous cultural and historical city of Kaifeng, which was the capital for eight dynasties. The temple has a long history and is one of the ten great temples of Chinese Han Buddhism. The layout of the entire temple complex is rigorous and majestic, and it holds an important position and wide influence in the history of Chinese Buddhism.

Coming to Kaifeng Daxiangguo Temple again at the end of summer, immersed in the courtyard full of ancient style, there is an instant feeling of 'because of the bamboo courtyard meets the monk's talk, and get half a day of leisure in the floating life'. Nowadays, the old trees in the temple are full of branches and leaves, and the flowers are also blooming, which is very beautiful. There are not many tourists, so it's very free to take photos~ When the temple is used as a background, the most stylish is the contrast formed by the old red buildings and green plants, which wins in the original picture tone. This time I chose a light blue cheongsam, casually took a fan and an umbrella, and it felt like it. If you come to Kaifeng for a tour, Daxiangguo Temple is indeed a good check-in point~

I've been to many places in Henan, but this is my first time in Kaifeng. The first stop upon arriving in Kaifeng is the renowned Great Xiangguo Temple. Being there in person is incomparable to just looking at pictures, reading texts, or watching videos. It allows for a better appreciation of the profound historical significance that Kaifeng once held in various aspects, especially the spread of Buddhism in Kaifeng and its influence on thought, art, and culture! The Great Xiangguo Temple, originally named Jianguo Temple, is located on the west section of Freedom Road in Kaifeng City, Henan Province, and is one of China's famous Buddhist temples. It was first built in the sixth year of the Tianbao era of the Northern Qi dynasty (555 AD). In the first year of the Yanhe era (712 AD) of the Tang dynasty, Emperor Ruizong renamed it the Great Xiangguo Temple to commemorate his ascension to the throne from the position of Prince Xiang. During the Northern Song dynasty, the temple was highly esteemed by the royal family, expanded several times, and became the largest temple in the capital and the center for Buddhist activities nationwide. It was later damaged due to wars and floods. In the tenth year of the Kangxi era of the Qing dynasty (1671 AD), it was restored. The existing structures of the Great Xiangguo Temple include the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Octagonal Glazed Hall, the Sutra Repository, and the Thousand-Handed Thousand-Eyed Buddha, among other ancient relics. In 1963, it was designated as one of the first batch of cultural relics protection units in Henan Province. In August 1992, Buddhist activities were resumed, and buildings such as the bell and drum towers were reconstructed. The layout of the entire temple complex is rigorous and the architecture is majestic and spectacular.

Da Xiangguo Temple 🪔Da Xiangguo Temple is one of the iconic buildings in Kaifeng. During the Song Dynasty, it was the largest temple in the capital and the center of Buddhist activities nationwide. In addition to the Bell and Drum Towers, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, and the Mahavira Hall, the most worthwhile sight is the octagonal glazed hall (also known as the Arhat Hall) and the statue of the Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Guanyin Bodhisattva within it, which is the treasure of Da Xiangguo Temple. Due to the sacredness of the Buddha statue, photography was not permitted, but both the materials and the craftsmanship are nothing short of miraculous. 🎫There is a joint ticket for Da Xiangguo Temple and Kaifeng Mansion available on Ctrip, but it's not much cheaper than buying them separately. Kaifeng Mansion From Da Xiangguo Temple to Kaifeng Mansion, you will pass Zhou Bridge and the Bian River ruins. If you have purchased a pass for ten scenic spots, you can take a detour to visit them. I have other articles that talk about this separately. ☀️Kaifeng has a 'Bao Qingtian', and Kaifeng Mansion was where Judge Bao worked. In fact, before becoming emperors, three of the Northern Song Dynasty emperors served here💼, and other notable figures such as Kou Zhun, Ouyang Xiu, Fan Zhongyan, Su Shi, and Sima Guang also worked here, making it a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. 🗺️Our route started from the front (south) to the back (north), following the traditional central axis of the government office, then from the east side from back (north) to front (south) through the Imperial Examination Hall, Qingxin Tower, Qianlong Palace, and the garden, and then crossing to the west side from front (south) to back (north) through the prison, the six departments, the drill ground, and Tianqing Temple. The second phase is still under construction in the west. The whole scenic area is quite large. Additionally, it is written on the walls of the male death row in the prison that Yang Zhi, who killed Niu Er with a knife, was once imprisoned here. 🎫As mentioned above, there is a joint ticket available on Ctrip. Bao Gong Ancestral Temple Bao Gong Ancestral Temple is just across Bao Gong Lake from Kaifeng Mansion, but you have to walk around half the lake to get there. The ancestral temple is not very big, and if you're short on time, it's not a must-visit.💦To the east of Bao Gong Ancestral Temple is a well called Lianquan, which legend says quenches the thirst of the common people; it's sweet and fragrant for honest officials; but for corrupt officials, it causes a prickling in the throat and splitting headaches, and they must drink a bowl of dog urine to alleviate the pain.

✨After the Heavenly King Hall, the majestic building with double eaves and resting mountains is the main hall of Daxiangguo Temple, the Mahavira Hall. This hall was built in the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, with a width of 7 rooms, a depth of 5 rooms, a height of 17.43 meters, and a building area of 531.77 square meters. It has double eaves and resting mountains, and yellow and green glazed tiles. 🌟Inside the hall is a giant bronze statue of Sakyamuni, weighing 400 kilograms and 4.3 meters high. This hall is magnificent and can be regarded as a treasure in ancient architecture, known as the "First Hall of Central Plains". ✨Around the main hall and on the pillars of the white stone railings of the terrace, there are 58 carved lions, with exquisite craftsmanship and different shapes. Inside this Mahavira Hall, there are three Buddhas of Sakyamuni, Amitabha, and Medicine Buddha, all of which are raised by one foot and three feet. ✨The eighteen Arhats are enshrined on the bases of the east and west walls. Behind the Three Buddhas is a large sculpture of Guanyin on the sea island, which is based on the story of Sudhana's 53 visits in the Avatamsaka Sutra, vividly showing the scene of Guanyin in the South China Sea ferrying all beings.

Kaifeng Zisheng Pavilion. Originally built in the fourth year of Tang Tianbao (745), it was rebuilt in the Five Dynasties. The pavilion has three floors, is three hundred feet high, has five eaves dripping water, and is magnificent. Zisheng Pavilion was once a landmark building of the Daxiangguo Temple during the Tang and Song Dynasties, and it was destroyed several times. In May 2006, the foundation laying ceremony for the reconstruction of Zisheng Pavilion in Kaifeng was grandly held in Daxiangguo Temple. The newly built Zisheng Pavilion now stands tall, and tourists can climb the pavilion to overlook. The interior of the pavilion is beautifully decorated, and it is a good place to practice Zen and worship Buddha.

Drum Tower On the first night of arrival, I went to the Drum Tower first, where there is a night market at night, with a lot of people. The food is basically the same as the night markets everywhere, I am not particularly interested in it, so I didn't eat anything. The main reason to go to the Drum Tower is to take pictures of the ancient tower at night. The lights will be turned on at about 7:40 in the evening, which is particularly atmospheric! It's like a dream back to Bianjing! Other guides recommend taking photos on the sightseeing elevator next to KFC, I personally do not particularly recommend it, I feel that the position is a bit too biased, if you want to take pictures of people, you can go, if you just want to take pictures of the scenery, you can stand below. Other places to visit are the nearby bookstore street, where there are some Kaifeng snacks and cultural and creative shops. Kaifeng Mansion Speaking of Kaifeng, we have to mention Bao Gong Temple and Kaifeng Mansion. I went to both attractions, each has its own good, I can't say which one I recommend. Both attractions are heavily marked by later constructions. Bao Gong Temple focuses on Bao Gong himself, and the narration of Bao Gong's deeds is very detailed; Kaifeng Mansion is more about the history of Kaifeng Mansion, and Bao Gong is just a part of it. If you have time, you can go and see both. I am not particularly interested in history, but I was still shocked in Bao Gong Temple, and I couldn't help but look at the 'Bao's Family Instructions' for a long time, admiring Bao Gong's integrity and honesty. As for Kaifeng Mansion, it's really photogenic! It's been a long time since I've encountered a city tower and pagoda that I can climb up to, this is really good in Kaifeng, basically every city tower and pagoda I encountered can be climbed for a view. Daxiangguo Temple One of the most recommended attractions, a very beautiful and solemn national temple, most of the buildings in the temple are ancient buildings, it is said to be the mansion of 'Four Sons of the Warring States' Xinlingjun. Because I was worried about taking pictures and not being good, and clashing with other people who are devoutly worshipping Buddha, I didn't take many pictures inside. But the temple is really beautiful, if you observe carefully, you will find that there are details everywhere, even the pavilions in the temple are very particular. If you are not in a hurry, you can light a free incense stick for good luck. In addition, the cultural and creative work in the temple is also very good, I bought two canvas bags and small sachets, recommended! Tianbo Yang Mansion On the day before leaving, I had some time, so I went to Tianbo Yang Mansion for a tour. It turned out to be worth the ticket price. If you are interested in the Yang family generals, I highly recommend it, and for those like me who don't know much about the three generations of the Yang family generals, you can also take this opportunity to study seriously. Because it was once the Yang Mansion, there are fish ponds and gardens inside, it's nice to rest and cool off when you're tired, and you can also feed the fish. Tianbo Tower is also very spectacular, you can also climb the tower, and you can see some of the history of Kaifeng on the way up. 🏠 I recommend a hidden treasure guesthouse in Bianjing City, Ying Guesthouse is located in Huangsong Daguan Court on Jin'an Road, an old factory building, steel bars, red bricks, and logs, where Bianjing meets Northern Europe in the Northern Song Dynasty. Perhaps because Bianjing has witnessed too many historical changes, it has an extraordinary demeanor, and it can keep people without speaking or laughing. In Liang Jun's guesthouse, the elegant charm of the Northern Song Dynasty is reproduced, with guqin, flower arrangement, noodles, incense burning, and tea fighting. Every detail reflects the elegant charm of the Northern Song Dynasty, the room is full of texture with the simple and original wooden furniture, and the simple design that returns to the original. The rooftop garden in summer is a good place for taking pictures.

One must visit the architecture here when visiting Kaifeng, Henan! The Daxiangguo Temple in Kaifeng was first built in the sixth year of Tianbao in the Northern Qi Dynasty, originally named Jianguo Temple, and renamed Daxiangguo Temple by Tang Ruizong. Daxiangguo Temple is one of the ten famous Buddhist temples in China, and is known as one of the 'Four Famous Temples in Central Plains' along with the White Horse Temple, Shaolin Temple, and Fengxue Temple. Daxiangguo Temple was the first royal temple in Chinese history, and became a gathering place for Buddhist cultural exchanges from various countries during the Tang and Song Dynasties. After generations of construction, damage, and reconstruction, it has formed the symmetrical layout of traditional Chinese architecture that we see today. Its main buildings include the main gate, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Eight Treasures Glass Hall, the Mountain Gate, the Bell and Drum Towers, the Great Buddha Hall, the Sutra Tower, the Arhat Hall, etc. Each building has its own characteristics, with carved beams and painted pillars, and the Arhats and Bodhisattvas enshrined are lifelike. In the Arhat Hall, there is a four-faced, thousand-handed, thousand-eyed Guanyin wooden statue, which is 6.6 meters high. It was carved from a white fruit tree by a great artist during the Qianlong period. Each face has 6 large hands, more than 200 small hands, and a wise eye in the palm of each hand, totaling more than 1,000, hence the name Thousand-Handed Thousand-Eyed Buddha. We quietly walk around here, light some incense, and see that the flowers in the temple are even more vibrant than those outside, and we feel a sense of peace in our hearts. Seeing many aunts coming here to worship Buddha and offer incense, very devout, I am also moved. Attraction: Daxiangguo Temple 4A Scenic Spot Historical Building Religious Place Location: No. 36, West Section of Ziyou Road, Gulou District, Kaifeng City Time: Summer opening hours: 08:00-18:00 Winter opening hours: 08:00-17:30 Tickets: Adult ticket 40/person, half price for students with student ID

👍Most Recommended: Kaifeng, Henan, this ancient city blooms an incomparable beautiful snow scene in winter. The fluttering snowflakes decorate the ancient city like a fairy tale world, every corner exudes a strong winter atmosphere. Let's enjoy this dreamlike snow scene together, as if we are in a snow kingdom! ❤Reason for Recommendation: The winter in Kaifeng always brings unexpected surprises. When the snow is flying, the whole city is covered in silver. On snowy days, parks, streets, and buildings are all covered with white snow, as if entering a pure white world. Stepping on the vast snow, making a rustling sound, makes people feel relaxed and happy. ❤Reason for Recommendation: The night in Kaifeng has a different flavor. Under the reflection of the snow, the brightly lit streets and buildings emit warm and attractive light. Walking on the snowy streets of Kaifeng at night, feeling the quiet and romantic atmosphere, as if traveling through time and space into the ancient Kaifeng story. ❤Reason for Recommendation: The ancient city of Kaifeng retains many historical relics, and the snow scene adds a different charm to these relics. Walking into the thousand-year-old temple - Daxiangguo Temple, the snow-covered courtyard is more simple and solemn. And the Qingming Shanghe Garden outside the city, under the reflection of the snow scene, seems to have become a fairyland like a scroll. 👍Most Recommended: Coming to Kaifeng, you can't miss the rich food. Tasting local food in the snow will definitely bring the ultimate enjoyment to your taste buds. The hot bean soup and fried buns warm your stomach and make you feel the warmth of winter from your heart. 👍Most Recommended: Winter in Kaifeng, not only has a dreamy snow scene, but also a variety of ice and snow entertainment activities. Whether it's skiing, ice skating or snowball fights, you can have a fun and exciting winter time. Whether it's young people or children, they can find their own joy here. The winter in Kaifeng always brings too many surprises and touches to people. The beautiful scenery of snowflakes, the collision of ancient cities and modernity, the combination of food and entertainment, make you fall in love with this city. Hurry up and pack your bags, come to Kaifeng to feel the romance of winter, and get ready for a different winter journey!