Visitors to the Chinese city of Guangzhou should make it a point to visit the well-known Temple of Six Banyan Trees. This esteemed Buddhist shrine is frequented by numerous locals as well as visitors from abroad. Well-informed travellers seeking Guangzhou holiday apartments will find an appealing accommodation in the Springdale Serviced Residence Guangzhou. This attractive rest offers well-appointed interiors as well as contemporary amenities that will meet the expectations of the visitor.
The Temple of Six Banyan Trees is an ancient religious complex which is reputed to possess a historical legacy of no less than 1,500 years. Even today numerous Buddhist devotees practice their faith at the shrine, uttering prayers and lighting incense.
This acclaimed shrine is thought to have been initially constructed in about 537 AD in the time of rule of the Liang Dynasty. Although the name of the temple was different in these early times, it was given its present name by a well-known scholar Su Shi, who gave this name to the shrine due to a cluster of banyan trees that he saw here. The buildings and pagodas of the temple compound have been constructed and in turn destroyed a number of times; the tall, imposing pagoda which may be seen today was constructed in 1900.
Today the visitor will see that there are a number of buildings at the temple compound. After entering through the main gateway, the first building you will come across is the attractive Tianwang Hall which features a Laughing Buddha statue. The actual pagoda itself is the focus of attention, with its white and red exterior. On the other hand in the main hall you will see a number of copper Buddhas, including statues of Buddha Sakyamuni and Buddha Amitabha. Many Buddhist pilgrims congregate here during major festivals such as the Lantern Festival and the Chinese New Year, when many locals arrive at the shrine to light incense and pray for good fortune.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+
