Daxiangguo Temple 大相国寺

About Daxiangguo Temple

The sequence of halls is distinguished by sculpture, especially the four-sided, many-armed Guanyin in the octagonal glazed hall. Its radiating hands contrast with the broad, frontal arrangement of Buddhas in the main hall. Looking at the roofs, painted beams and statues together makes this more than a brief stop at a famous temple name.

The temple was first built in 555, during the Northern Qi dynasty, on land that had belonged to Mr. Xinling, and was named Xiangguo Temple (相国寺). In the early Tang it became a private residence, and in 706 the monk Huiyun (惠云) built a temple on the site. It took its present name, Daxiangguo Temple (大相国寺), in 712, in memory of Emperor Ruizong of Tang (睿宗), who had earlier held the princely title Xiangwang (相王).

By the Northern Song the temple's status and scale had reached their height: it administered 64 halls of Chan and Vinaya practice, covered 540 mu (亩), and housed several thousand monks, serving as the country's leading Buddhist center and a hub where merchants from across China traded in the capital. The temple was destroyed by Yellow River flooding in 1642, during the late Ming dynasty, and was rebuilt in stages under the Qing; most of its surviving buildings date from that reconstruction.

Its Tianwang Dian, or Hall of the Heavenly Kings (天王殿), has three red doors, five bays and a roof of golden glazed tile; a statue known as Mi Le Fo sits at its center on a lotus throne, flanked by the Four Heavenly Kings standing guard.

What to look for

• The four-sided, many-armed Guanyin in the octagonal glazed hall.
• The main Buddha hall and the contrast between its large central figures and smaller attendants.

The surrounding area

A provincial city base for food traditions and a Gulou-area evening.

Location & getting there

Getting to Daxiangguo Temple

Approach from Ziyou Road in central Kaifeng. The temple lies in the established urban street network, so use the Ziyou Road entrance as the destination for a local ride and follow the temple’s photography instructions inside the halls.