Kaiyuan Temple — Attraction in Chaozhou

Kaiyuan Temple (開元寺) is a Buddhist temple located in Xiangqiao District （湘橋區）of Chaozhou (潮州市）, Guangdong （廣東省）, China. After ascending the throne in 713, Emperor Xuanzong （唐玄宗）issued the decree building "Kaiyuan Temples" which was named after his reign title "Kaiyuan" (开元) in each prefecture of the Tang Empire (618–907). Through the rise and fall in the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing （唐宋元明清）dynasties, most of the present structures of Kaiyuan Temple still preserves the original appearance include several national treasures. The Buddhist temple has an original name of "Lifeng Temple" (荔峰寺). The name was changed to "Kaiyuan Wanshou Chan Temple" (开元万寿禅寺) during the Yuan dynasty (1172–1638). And then it was renamed "Kaiyuan Zhenguo Chan Temple" (开元镇国禅寺) in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). During the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), people usually called it "Kaiyuan Temple" (开元寺) which is still being used now. During the devastating Cultural Revolution, the resident monks were forced to disrobe and return to secular life, the abbot died in countryside. The temple is...

A beautiful temple with architectural and garden details not less than those in Beijing and Xian. The stone cravings you can touch and feel are exceptional. In most other tourist sites you can just see them from a distance.

Look at the eyes of those stone people, many of them have two pupils…

It is not a big site to see for most people not interested to the religion and building art works. Still it worth the effort and entrance...

This temple is located just off the central Pai Fang street in Chao Zhou. As it is in the main pedestrain street, one can expect plenty of visitors, especially closer to evening. The key temples are currently undergoing restoration works. As such you can only visit the surrounding areas. Nevertheless this is still a place...