Wenshu Temple - History of Over 1,000 Years

Wenshu Temple, which has a history of over 1000 years, is the largest and the best-preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu. Being dedicated as the personification of the leader and the wisdom of Buddhism, Wenshu Temple has been a destination for Buddhist pilgrims for centuries, as well as a famous tourist site that features many Buddhist cultural relics.

Home to the Buddhist Association of Sichuan Province, Wenshu Temple's architectural style is that of The Qing Dynasty (1644 -1911). There are five main central buildings in this Temple: the Temple of the Emperor of Heaven, Sandashi Palace (the palace of the three typical representatives of Buddhists: Wenshu, Guanyin, and Puxian), Daxiongbaodian Palace (the palace for sacrificing the statue of The Buddha Sakyamuni and for the monks to chant sutras or performing meditation), the Sermon Hall and the Sutra-Depositary Pavilion. On either side of these buildings are the drum tower, vegetarian dining hall, adjacent accommodations, and bell tower. Near the entrance to the Wenshu Temple is the tallest iron pagoda in China, the Peace Pagoda of a Thousand Buddhas. The most outstanding objects in the Wenshu Temple are the iron, wood, stone, and clay statues of the Buddha's sacrifices. Among these over 300 statues of the Buddha, the most distinguished one is a jade Buddha brought back from Burma by a Buddhist monk on foot in 1922.

Wenshu Temple

In the Sutra-Depositary Pavilion, there are a large number of ancient scriptures, sutras, and Buddhist literature preserved in the Wenshu Temple. There is also a large collection of paintings and calligraphy created by famous Chinese painters during the Ming or Qing Dynasties. There are many more cultural treasures that have been preserved here. There is a cassock that has been preserved here for more than 300 years, the skull of Tang Xuanzang (the founder of the Idealistic School in the Tang Dynasty), a portrait of Guanyin embroidered with the hair of an official's daughter created during the Qing Dynasty. All of these cultural relics, in conjunction with the beautiful temple architecture, make this a solemn and venerable place.

Wenshu Temple

Wenshu Temple has been a popular destination for visitors and pilgrims alike for centuries. Today, there are still a large number of visitors who come to Wenshu Temple to burn incense. Actually, apart from the cultural and artistic relics, there are also other wonders that attract thousands of visitors each year to Wenshu Temple. The Temple's teahouse is extremely famous. It is an ideal location for visitors to enjoy and appreciate Chinese tea and tea culture while enjoying shows presented by folk artisans in beautiful surroundings. There is also a wonderful vegetarian restaurant that was specially designed with windows for visitors to overlook the beautiful and peaceful gardens of the monastery. The streets outside the Wenshu Temple are lined with shops selling Buddhist items such as incense, Buddhist robes, statues of the Buddha, and much more.

Wenshu Temple is a wonderful place, not just to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere but to sit and have a cup of tea and experience local Chengdu people's life.

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