Longhua Temple

CHINA, Yunnan, Chuxiong

Longhua means Dragon Flower. The temple was built between 904 and 907 during the Nanzhao Kingdom and was originally called Wofu (Reclining Buddha) Hermitage. It was converted to a temple during the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). It was twice damaged by fire during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) and was repaired both times. The present buildings date back to the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing dynasties. It was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 2006.
Facing east and built on top of a cliff, the principal buildings within the temple include the screen wall, main temple gate, bell and drum towers, stele pavilion, and the Great Hero Hall. The Houxuan North Courtyard and the Sanfeng Temple Shrine are also part of the temple.
The highly decorated main temple gate is three bays wide with an entrance in its central bay, which houses two Dharma protectors. The walls are constructed from gray bricks which are covered in stucco. The eaves turn upwards in a gentle curve. The five-by-four bay Great Hero Hall is the main building of the temple. It has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. The eaves at the front are elevated by five-tier bracket sets. The Buddhas of the Past, Present, and Future are enshrined within the hall in intricately carved wooden Buddha niches from the Qing dynasty. Delicate brick carvings can be found all over the walls of the building, something that is rarely seen in other temples in Yunnan.
The temple also contains ten wooden Bodhisattva statues carved during the Dali Kingdom (937–1253), as well as a copper reclining Buddha statue made during the Emperor Kangxi (reigned 1661–1722) of the Qing dynasty.