The splendid Guiyuan Buddhist Temple in Wuhan is a noteworthy place of worship which is considered to be one of the most important Buddhist shrines in the area. Initially constructed during the reign of the Qing Dynasty the earliest building at the site was created by a couple of monks in a garden owned by a local poet. The temple is named after a term in a Buddhist sutra, which signifies liberation from the cycle of existence and death and the achievement of tranquillity and peace. Guiyuan Temple has experienced more than three centuries of repeated cycles of development and decline. However it has always retained its status as the foremost Buddhist shrine in Wuhan, attracting many devotees with its Buddhist ceremonies and significance.
This expansive place of worship contains a number of interesting features like the Arhat Hall, Daxiongbaodian Hall, Sutra Pavilion and other captivating highlights. The temple also boasts five attractive courtyards; namely the western, eastern, middle, northern and southern courtyards. In recent decades the temple complex has been steadily expanded, giving it the dimensions seen today.
The entranceway of the temple is located at the easternmost courtyard, where a sturdy apricot coloured doorway opens in an eastern direction, symbolising the vital importance of creating beneficial relationships and liberating the entirety of humanity from the bonds of suffering.
In the northern courtyard the western saints, namely Amitabha, Dashizhi Bodhisattva and Kwan-yin Bodhisattva are venerated. Also worshipped are the Puxian Bodhisattva and Wenshu Bodhisattva. At the this courtyard’s Sutra Pavilion you will find Buddhist cultural relics, Buddha figures, paintings, stone engravings, calligraphy, religious items and books from foreign countries.
On the other hand in the southern courtyard you will find the well-known Lohan Hall, which contains no less than 500 figures of lohans, or Buddhist saints. These figures are all the same size, but possess individual features and expressions. Guiyuan Temple is considered to be noteworthy for its splendid architecture, fine sculptures, its role in promoting Buddhism and collection of Buddhist scriptures.
Travellers to the area on the lookout for outstanding accommodation will find an attractive choice in the Citadines Zhuankou Wuhan. These convenient serviced apartments Wuhan feature appealing accommodations and attentive hospitality.
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.
