Shuanggui Temple

Shuanggui Temple – Brief Introduction

Shuanggui (Two Osmanthus Trees) Temple is a famous Buddhism temple in China, titled as "the birthplace of southeast Buddhism Zen". It plays an important role in the Buddhism of China and Southeast Asia. In 350 years history, the grand architecture and prosperous burning incense make it as "The Top of Southeast Vindhyavana (where monks get together to cultivate themselves)", "The First Buddhist Temple", "The Giant Buddhism".

Shuanggui Temple – Revolution

Shuanggui Temple was first named "Fuguo Temple". As there are two old osmanthus trees in the temple, so it also named Shuanggui Temple. Furthermore, the temple was surrounded by the bamboo, so it also named "Wanzu (Thousands Bamboo) Mountain. In Qing Dynasty (1860), when the Sheli Hall was built, found a piece of golden ribbon under ground; so the temple also titled "Golden Ribbon Temple". But the name of Shuanggui Temple lasted today.

Shuanggui Temple – Architecture

The whole Shuanggui Temple covered over 70000 square meters. The temple located in the east side and faces the west side. The temple was made up of wood, including big gate, the Maitreya Hall, the Hall of Sakyamuni, the Hall of Manjusri, the Hall of Poshan, the Hall of Mercy and the Hall of Buddhist Relics in seven different levels. In recent years, the whole temple has been repaired, and new built the Five Hundreds Lohan Temple. On the both sides of the temple, there are about 300 rooms connected with long corridor, 42 patios and Haiguan which are delicate and in old style, with White Lotus Pond, garden and some other sights in it make the circumstance become more quiet and beautiful, like a paradise on earth. The Hall of Sakyamuni is the grandest building in Shuanggui Temple. It is a palace style building with three floors. In the first floor, there are stone lion and elephant statue; the middle floor exhibit celebrities' inscribed tablets; the third floor with dragon and phoenix rilievo. The hall was extending built in Qing Dynasty, spent 5 years. Each of the 52 stelaes which supported the hall is thirty feet in length, over 20000 catty and they are carried here by man from hundreds meters away places. You can see how great the hall is.

Shuanggui Temple – Historical Relics

Although Shuanggui Temple has a long history, there are 237 pieces of historical relics in the temple, including 61 calligraphy and painting, 110 figures of Buddha and 66 Buddhism relics. Among them, the most famous are the bronze statue of Buddha, bamboo painting and jade statue of Buddha. The precious cultural relics in Shuanggui Temple includes the Tripitaka which was conferred by Emperor Yongzheng in Qing Dynasty, stone inscriptions, inscription tablets and over 7000 scrolls sutra.