Located 12 kilometers northwest of Kunming, Qiongzhu Temple was built during the Tang Dynasty. Having subsequently been burnt down, the temple was restored in the 15th century, and was further expanded between 1883 and 1890 when the abbot employed master Sichuanese sculptor Li Guangxiu and his apprentices to fashion 500 luohan (arhats or noble ones). These sculptures are all life-size and made of clay, and are fine examples of ancient Chinese sculpture. Step into the huge walls and you will see the breathtaking surfing Buddha s, numbering around 70,riding the waves on a variety of mounts, blue dogs, giant crabs, shrimp, turtles and unicorns. These sculptures were fashioned with the precision of a split-second photograph, and include a monk about to bite into a big peach (the face contorted almost into a scream), a figure caught turning his head to emphasise a point being discussed, another about to clap two cymbals together, while another appears to curse a pet monster. The sculptures vividly capture the gamut of human emotions. With so many life-like statues, the temple is really like a sculpture exhibition, which not only showcases works of sculpture, but also presents the master craftsmanship of ancient Chinese sculptors.