Quanfu Lecture Temple Nanhu Garden

Quanfu Lecture Temple was originally built in the first year of Yuanyou during the Song Dynasty (108[...]

Quanfu Lecture Temple was originally built in the first year of Yuanyou during the Song Dynasty (1086 AD), and the temple complex seen today was reconstructed in 1995. This temple, located by the Nanhu Lake, is a typical garden temple, featuring vast lake areas and pavilions. Most of the temple buildings are constructed over water, and the inscription ‘Buddha’s Land in Water’ on the temple’s archway perfectly captures its essence.

The temple is oriented north-south, with the main structure along the central axis and gardens to the east and west, commemorating the famous Tang Dynasty poets Liu Yuxi and Lu Guimeng, as well as the Western Jin Dynasty literary figure Zhang Jiying. The temple’s mountain gate faces Nanhu Lake, housing statues of Maitreya Buddha, Wei Tuo, and the two generals Han and Ha. A five-hole stone bridge connects the mountain gate to Zhi Gui Pavilion, spanning a large pond for releasing animals. To the west, there is a winding bridge with a pavilion on it, and artificial mountains by the shore, with schools of carps swimming in the pond. Without the backdrop of the yellow walls and grey tiles of the temple buildings, visitors might think they are in a garden.

In Zhi Gui Pavilion, the Western Three Saints are enshrined. Passing by Zhi Gui Pavilion and through the bell tower and drum tower to the north, one arrives at the Mahavira Hall, where a 5-meter-tall bronze statue of Sakyamuni stands majestically and solemnly. North of the Mahavira Hall is the Scripture Repository, which is not open to visitors. The temple is open from 8:00 to 16:30.

1. Visitors to Quanfu Lecture Temple may encounter individuals who ask for ‘charitable donations’ under the guise of fortune-telling, burning incense, or offering flowers, ranging from hundreds to thousands of yuan. Caution is advised.

2. It is recommended to visit the temple as soon as it opens in the morning when there are fewer tourists and the scenery is at its best.