Quanzhou Kaiyuan Monastery 泉州開元寺
edition published: 2021-04-09-04:00
language: en; zh-latn-pinyin; zh-Hant; zh-Hans; zh-latn-wadegile
availability: Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)

Quanzhou Kaiyuan Monastery; 泉州開元寺; 泉州开元寺; Quánzhōu Kāiyuánsì; Ch'üan-chou K'ai-yüan-ssu
identifier: https://architecturasinica.org/place/000300
Kaiyuan Monastery is located on West Street in the Licheng District of Quanzhou 泉州鯉城區西街. It is the largest Buddhist monastery in Fujian province, and one of the major historical and cultural sites protected at the national level (Quanguo zhongdian wenwu baohu danwei 全國重點文物保護單位). It was initially built in 685 or 686 CE during the Tang dynasty, when it was called Lotus Monastery (Lianhuasi 蓮花寺). In the twenty-sixth year of Tang Kaiyuan reign period (738), it was bestowed the name Kaiyuan Monastery. There are extant structures from the Southern Song to Qing dynasties. Along the central axis, behind the Hall of Four Celestial Kings (Tianwangdian 天王殿) is the main Mahavira Treasure Hall (Daxiong baodian 大雄寶殿), of which most scholars agree the extant buildings are relics of late Ming dynasty. Behind the main hall is the Sweet Dew Ordination Altar (Ganlu jietan 甘露戒壇). The zaojing 藻井 ceiling above the altar uses brackets made of 24 statues of flying apsaras holding musical instruments (feitian yueji 飛天樂伎). There are two stone pagodas framing the central axis. The east one, named Zhenguo Pagoda 鎮國塔, was originally built of wood during the Tang dynasty, and was rebuilt in stone during 1238-1250. The west one, named Renshou Pagoda 仁壽塔, was originally built of wood during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, and was rebuilt in stone from 1228-1237. Each story of both pagodas is carved with reliefs with vivid human figures.
Dynasty: Southern Song through Qing 1127 - 1912
Wikipedia (in Chinese)
Wikipedia (in English)
百度百科
location: China, Fujian Province 福建省 Fujian, Quanzhou City 泉州市 Quánzhōu shì, Licheng District 鯉城區 Lǐchéng qū
location: 24.916226 118.580921
Type: monastery (Buddhist), si, 寺, 寺
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