Qiongzhu Temple
An ancient temple founded in the Tang Zhenguan era, named — by legend — for the qiong bamboo that came back to life while a wonder-working monk preached in Kunming; it hides in pine woods at the foot of Yu'an Hill west of the city.
Visitor info
- Opening hours
- 08:00-17:00
- Ticket
- CNY 6
Price is indicative — final quote on inquiry.
An ancient temple founded in the Tang Zhenguan era, named — by legend — for the qiong bamboo that came back to life while a wonder-working monk preached in Kunming; it hides in pine woods at the foot of Yu'an Hill west of the city. The temple's crowning treasure is the painted 500-arhat sculpture group, shaped over seven years (1883-1890) by the Qing folk artist Li Guangxiu and set along the two walls of the Mahavira Hall and the Tiantai Lai Pavilion; the arhats look worldly like ordinary townsfolk — winking, musing, grinning, each with its own character — hailed as "a pearl in the treasury of Eastern sculpture" and a one-of-a-kind surviving work for studying the secularization of Qing religious art. With few visitors and a tranquil atmosphere, it is the top pick for in-depth heritage-seeking.
Getting there: Bus / self-drive to Yu'an Hill
Photos
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