Temple Of The Six Banyan Trees

The Temple of Six Banyan Trees has a long history as a monastery and is well know within China and abroad by those who have an interest in this area. The site contains majestic towers, dense trees, plenty of antiques and valuable heritage from famous people throughout its history. It is one of four Buddhist temple complexes in Guangzhou with the other three being Guangxi ao Temple, Hualin Temple and Haizhuang Temple.

History of the Temple

Temple of Six Banyan Trees was first built in the 3rd year of Datong (537 A.D.) during the reign of Emperor Wu in the Southern Liang Dynasty. It was originally called Baozhuangyan Temple.

In fact the temple has had several name changes; Chaoshou Temple and Songchu Temple in the Southern Han Dynasty. The temple was damaged by fire and later and was rebuilt in the 2nd year of Duangong in the Northern Song Dynasty (989 A.D.) and was named Jinghui Temple. In the 4th year of Shaosheng during the Southern Song Dynasty (1097 A. D.), the temple was repaired and Buddhist relics were buried under the new construction. Thousands of Buddhist statues were placed in the niches and it was renamed Qianfo Temple.

In the 3rd year of Yuanfu in the Northern Song Dynasty (1100 A. D.), Su Dongpo, a great writer, seeing that the six banyans were verdant and entangled with each other and full of power and grandeur, wrote the words "Liurong"(means six banyan trees) when he visited the temple. His inscription was highly valued so it was and hung above the temple's gate.

In the 9th year of Yongle during the Ming Dynasty (1411 A. D.), the Jinghui Temple was renamed as Liurong Temple, and therefore the Dagoba Tower was named Temple of Six Banyan Trees.