Hongfu Temple Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information
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.