Hongfu Temple
» Guiyang, Gui Zhou

弘福寺

Qianling Park

Located in Qianling Park in the northeast outskirts of Guiyang, where pilgrims come from home and abroad to worship Buddha, the Goddess of mercy, Manjusri and other Bodhisattvas. Therefore, the fragrance of the joss sticks can be smelled all year round. "Hongfu" in Chinese means to develop Buddha's spirits and to benefit mankind. Today it is rated as one of the 142 national key temple scenic areas as well as the key cultural relic preservation in Guizhou Province.

History of the important Buddhist temple

A monk named Chisong originally built Hongfu Temple in 1672. Since he was attracted by the elegance and beauty of the surrounding scenery, he decided to build a temple on the site. At the beginning, the temple was just a hut for him to make religious rites. Over time, it was enlarged, rebuilt, destroyed and then restored several times.

Stone inscriptions carved in precipitous cliffs

On the way to the temple, up in the sharp cliffs, stone inscriptions can be seen here and there. Among them, the most notable one is the 6.2-meter-high and 3.7-meter-wide Chinese character of "Tiger," which was written by a man called Zhao Dechang in the year 1860. Its calligraphy is skillful and unique and is of high history value.

On entering the gate of the temple, you will see the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower on both sides. The bronze bell weighs more than 3,000 Jin in Chinese measurement (equal to about 3,300 pounds), and was cast in 1469 during the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644). It is the largest of its kind in Guizhou province.

Superb halls standing in the temple

In the first hall named Heavenly King Hall, you can see the statues of Maitreya Buddha and the four Heavenly Kings. On the walls there are also steles of sutra and colorful paintings. The second main hall is the Bodhisattva Hall dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with 32 arms. In the third hall named Mahavira Hall there are gilded statues of Sakyamuni and the 18 Arhats. There's also a jade Buddha statue from Rangoon, the capital of Burma. It is 1.5 meters high and weighs 900 kilograms. The statue looks beneficent but solemn, and it stands among more than 10 other jade statues of Bodhisattva and Maitreya.

Other sights

Besides these superb halls, the temple is also adorned with galleries, pools, and springs, which are of high artistic value. The temples are magnificent and well-arranged. Embraced by verdant trees and pervaded by incense smoke and filled with bell ringing, these meticulous layout temples seem mysterious and solemn to the tourists. The exhibitions of photograph, painting and calligraphy add a great deal to its cultural atmosphere.

  Weather

  1. When is the best time to travel to Guiyang?
  2. Are there any travel tips about weather?

  Shopping

  1. What good souvenirs can I buy there?

  Travel

  1. Travel tips for you to Huangsuoshu Waterfall on best time

  Customs

  1. What are some interesting festivals in Guiyang?
  2. Does Guizhou have a lot of ethnic groups there?
  3. Some customs about the Miaos

  Other Hints

  1. Some warnings about hotels
  2. Electricity
  • Does Guiyang rain a lot?

    Guiyang has a pleasant moist subtropical climate with ample rainfall. It is neither hot in summer nor too chilly in winter. Guiyang is lucky as much as it does not suffer sandstorms and the pleasant climate makes it a cozy city in which to live.


  • Are there any travel tips about weather?

    Whether for escaping from summer heat or winter cold, Guiyang is definitely a good destination.

    However, due to the changeable weather on the Yungui Plateau where Guizhou is located, it is recommended that you take rain wear along with you and a folding umbrella is an asset! In addition, temperatures in the morning and the evening can often be rather low, so a windproof coat is necessary. The strong radiation from the sun means that you will also need our sun glasses and a sun hat - and don't forget your suntan lotion!


  • What good souvenirs can I buy there?

    Some special local products like traditional art works, or local food are decent gifts for you friends and relatives.


  • Travel tips for you to Huangsuoshu Waterfall on best time

    July and August is the best time to visit Huangguoshu Waterfall. During this period of time, there is a rich amount of water, making magnificent scenery. You can not appreciate such scenes during the lack-of-water period. An umbrella is suggested when you go to the waterfall, due to the giant size of the waterfall, you will be soaked wet without it.


  • What are some interesting festivals in Guiyang?

    Liu Yue Liu literarily means a date, June 6. Actually it is a festival held on the sixth day of the sixth Chinese lunar month, hence the name. This festival is an important day for Buyi people to worship the cook's god and the mountain god.

    Si Yue Ba is held annually on the eighth day of the lunar month. On this day, large numbers of Miao people put on their beautiful costumes and congregate in the center area of Guiyang City to celebrate this great festival by playing the Lusheng and flute, singing antiphonal songs and dancing.

    Di Xi is a form of local drama. It is held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month at Huaxi by Buyi People and other minority groups. The performers put on masks and costumes and engage in dancing and singing. Generally the performance tells a story of a battle or the loyalty between friends of ancient times


  • Does Guizhou have a lot of ethnic groups there?

    Guizhou is a multi-region province. Apart from Han, there are about 17 other ethic groups that live here, such as Miao, Buyi, Dong, Yi, Shui, Hui, Zhuang, Yao, Man, Bai, Mongolia, Qiang and Tu.

    We suggest that you 'do as the romans do' when you go to visit Guizhou, because there are a lot of customs and taboos in the ethnic groups. Also respect their tradition to avoid conflict.


  • Some customs about the Miaos

    The Miaos usually keep open doors and are fond of drinking. Most of them can make home-made alcohol. Shaojiu is the most common alcohol. During a meal, the host might want his guest to drink some alcohol, if they refuse to drink, the host will not be happy. If you really can't drink, then please tell the host before the meal starts.


  • Some warnings about hotels

    Hotels in small towns such as Rongjiang and Congjiang are of significantly lower standard. Heating is sometimes not available and western style toilets usually unavailable.


  • Electricity

    The electricity used in China is 220 volt AC. Many middle and high-class hotel wash rooms have transformer plugs for electric shavers and hair dryers, but it is better to be prepared with an adapter plug.


As the most famous Buddhist temple in Guizhou, the Hongfu Temple owns some superb halls and attracts pilgrims from home and abroad to worship Buddha.

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