Qiannuo Buddhist Temple

CHINA, Yunnan, Jinggu

The temple was built in 1778 during the Qing dynasty. It is the second largest Theravada Buddhist temple in China. It was listed as a Provincial Cultural Heritage Site in 1987.
The main buildings are the temple gate, Buddha hall, ordination hall, and monastic quarters. The Buddha hall is 25 m high, with triple eaves and five-tier bracket sets. The hall faces east, which is the tradition of Theravada Buddhist temples. There are carvings and decorations on the doors and windows, such as tigers, leopards, ministers, and generals. The base is made of stone and decorated with reliefs of animals and plants, which are common subjects in Dai areas. The Buddha hall houses a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha flanked by two disciples, which is different from other Dai Buddhist temples. Behind the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha there is a statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva, which is the only example found in Dai Buddhist temples. Banners illustrating sutras and Buddhist stories hang from the beams.