Kaifu Temple 开福寺

About Kaifu Temple

The temple is a Hunan provincial-level cultural heritage protection unit. A conservation plan for it was agreed by the provincial cultural heritage bureau, approved by the Changsha municipal government and published by the district in January 2021. It is also one of the temples designated as national key Han Chinese Buddhist temples, a group that in Hunan also includes Lushan Temple on Yuelu Mountain together with Zhusheng, Nantai, Fuyan and Shangfeng temples; Chan, Tiantai and Pure Land are the traditions most widespread in the province, which is treated as an important cradle of Chan Buddhism.

The monastery remains in religious use under an abbot. Its Mahavira Hall is a timber-framed historic building, and in July 2024 the provincial cultural heritage bureau approved in principle the survey and design for a rescue repair of it, the beams and purlins having suffered decay and cracking; painted decoration and lime sculpture on the hall were set aside for a separate conservation scheme. A history exhibition hall opened at the temple on 16 October 2020, setting out its changing fortunes from its foundation in the Five Dynasties onward.

What to look for

• The Mahavira Hall, the timber-framed main hall covered by the temple's provincial heritage protection and repaired under a scheme approved in 2024
• The painted decoration and lime sculpture on the main hall, treated as a separate conservation task by the provincial heritage bureau
• The history exhibition hall opened in 2020, which traces the temple from its Five Dynasties foundation
• The monastery in use, one of the designated national key Han Chinese Buddhist temples

Location & getting there

Getting to Kaifu Temple

Check which interiors and courtyards are accessible. Active places of worship and protected monuments may have different visitor rules.

• Search for 开福寺 with 长沙市 and 开福区.