Located in Kaifeng City of Henan province, Xiangguo Temple is a well-known ancient Buddhist temple. For more than two thousand years, the temple was used as the background for so many touching stories, legends and dramas. Together with the statues of Xiang Liang couple, statue of the Goddess of Mercy Guanyin with one thousand hands and eyes, and the story about Lu Zhishen pulling up a willow tree, which make the temple famous worldwide.
As one of the leading Buddhist institutions in ancient times, Xaingguo Temple has a long history and used to be the house of Wu Ji, prince of the Wei Kingdom. The temple was built in 555AD during the Northern Qi Dynasty but was later on destroyed in civil war. In the year of 701 under the Tang Dynasty, a Buddhist named Hui Yun came to Kaifeng and was attracted to the place. He then started raising funds for land purchasing and temple construction. While in construction, an old brand of Jianguo Temple of the Northern Qi Dynasty was found under the ground and the temple was therefore named Jianguo Temple. In 712, Emperor Ruizong Li Dan of the Tang Dynasty renamed the temple as Xiangguo Temple to mark his enthronement of the emperor, and wrote the stele of Grand Xiangguo Temple.
Xiangguo Temple was at the height of its splendor and influence during the Tang and Song dynasties. It enjoyed its best time in the Northern Song Dynasty with Kaifeng being the capital city. During this period, expansions and repair were repeatedly carried out, making Xiangguo Temple the largest Buddhist temple throughout the country. Xiangguo Temple occupied a total land area of more than 500 mu, consisted of 64 Zen and Ritsu institutes and more than 1,000 monks. Its architecture was even more resplendent and magnificent than those beautiful rosy clouds in the sky. At that time, the emperor directly appointed the chief monk of the temple, which was also the place for emperors making their visits and prays, holding gratitude ceremonies and announcing the nomination of successful candidates in the highest imperial examination. As a result, Xiangguo Temple was once also known as the Royal Temple. After the downfall of the Northern Song Dynasty, Xiangguo Temple was severely damaged. In the later dynasties, the temple witnessed repeated repairs. The existing main architecture of Xiangguo Temple was the legacy of the Qing Dynasty. With precise layout, splendid and spacious palaces and halls, and lofty buildings, Xiangguo Temple is creditably a well-known ancient Buddhist temple.
Amid the towering and magnificent buildings inside the temple stands the octagon-glazed hall. Inside the hall is a wooden statue of Goddess of Mercy Guanyin carved out of a gingko trunk. The statue Guanyin has 1,048 hands and on each hand there is a small sacred eye.
Xiangguo Temple, built in 555AD during the Northern Qi Dynasty, has played a pivotal role in the spiritual life of the Central China Plain's citizens. Under the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), Xaingguo was one of the Empire's leading Buddhist institutions. The ruling of Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) saw the temple's monastery grow to over 1000 monks in some 64 different Buddhist colleges. In 1644 the temple was destroyed with the retreating Ming Dynasty opening the flood gates of the Yellow River to slow the advance of the Manchu invaders. Kaifeng city was washed away.
Xiangguo was rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty and has been renovated a few times since. The temple's current structure includes the Shanmen Gate, the Heavenly King Hall, the Grand Hall, the Great Treasure House, the Sutra Library, the Drum Tower and the Bell Towers. The Great treasure House is home to a number of Buddhist relics and artifacts, including a Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) bronze Buddha and a ten-foot high gold covered statue of the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin. The temple was located on the west end of Ziyou Street (Freedom Street).
