Zhangye Dafo Temple

The Dafo Temple was built in the Western Xia Dynasty. It has gone through many ups and downs for more than 900 years. The Dafo Temple was first built in the first year of the Yong'an Period of the Western Xia Dynasty. It was originally named Kasyapa Tathagata Temple. It was renamed Baojue Temple in the ninth year of the Yongle Period of the Ming Dynasty. It was renamed Hongren Temple in the seventeenth year of the Kangxi Period of the Qing Dynasty. Because there is a huge reclining Buddha statue in the temple, it is named Dafo Temple, also known as Sleeping Buddha Temple. The largest indoor reclining Buddha in China is placed in the Dafo Hall. Entering the Dafo Hall, the Buddha Sakyamuni is sleeping on the 1.2-meter-high altar in the middle of the hall. The Buddha is 34.5 meters long, 7.5 meters wide at the shoulders, and 5.2 meters long at the feet. One of its middle fingers can accommodate a person lying flat, and its huge ears can even accommodate eight adults sitting side by side. The most amazing thing is the eyes of the sleeping Buddha. Standing opposite the eyes of the sleeping Buddha, Buddha Shakyamuni will be looking at you with his bright eyes; standing at the heels of the sleeping Buddha, Buddha Shakyamuni will be sleeping with his eyes closed.

Zhangye Dafo Temple was first built during the Western Xia period more than 900 years ago. It was the royal temple of Western Xia. Legend has it that Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, was born here.

As usual, there is a memorial archway in front of the entrance of the Big Buddha Temple, and behind it is an old wooden hall. This is the Big Buddha Hall, the largest Buddhist building in the country during the Western Xia Dynasty. From a distance, the color of the hall has faded, revealing the original color of the wood, but when you get closer, the exquisite wood carvings and paintings give people a great shock. In the Big Buddha Hall, there is a huge statue of Sakyamuni's nirvana. Sakyamuni Buddha rests his head on a lotus, his eyes slightly open, and his expression is peaceful. He is 34.5 meters long and 7.5 meters wide at the shoulders. It is the largest wooden clay reclining Buddha in Asia. The "Big Buddha Temple" got its name from this. The Big Buddha Hall is 22 meters high, with nine entrances and eleven bays. The four walls are covered with murals, and there are eighteen Arhat colored sculptures on the corridors on both sides. The "Scripture Pavilion" behind the Big Buddha Temple also preserves 6,800 volumes of Tang and Song Dynasty scriptures, which are very precious.

The Dafo Temple was built in the Western Xia Dynasty and has a history of more than 900 years. It integrates Han culture and Western Xia culture. There is the largest indoor reclining Buddha in China in the temple, the Nirvana statue of Sakyamuni, with a body length of 34.5 meters and a shoulder width of 7.5 meters. I knew it when I was making a guide before going there, but it was still quite shocking when I actually saw it. In addition to this reclining Buddha, the buildings inside are also very simple and quaint. It is worth seeing and will not disappoint you. There are also earthen towers and Shanxi Guild Hall in the scenic area. Tickets are 40 yuan.

I only give Zhangye Big Buddha Temple three stars. This Big Buddha Temple was first built during the Western Xia period. The current main hall is basically a building from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The whole temple is not big. The only thing to see is the huge Nirvana Buddha.

If you come to Zhangye, I think it would be a pity if you don't visit the Big Buddha Temple. From a cultural point of view, just as the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is the symbol of Xi'an, the Big Buddha Temple is the symbol of Zhangye.

Enshrined in the temple is a clay sculpture of a sleeping Buddha. Observing the Buddha's head and feet from different angles, we can notice that the Buddha's eyes gradually change from half-open to closed.

If you are interested in history and culture and have plenty of time, you can go in and take a walk. The ticket is only 20 or 30 yuan. It is like a small museum. Zhangye opens its arms to the Western Regions and tells the history of the city of Zhangye. The Big Buddha Temple was once glorious during the Western Xia Dynasty. It is precisely because many parts have not been renovated that traces of history have been left behind.

The Dafo Temple was first built in the first year of the Yong'an reign of the Western Xia Dynasty (1098). It was named after the huge reclining Buddha statue in the temple. The Dafo Temple faces east and west. Only the Dafo Hall, the Sutra Library, and the Earthen Pagoda on the central axis remain. The Dafo Hall is nine bays wide and seven bays deep, 20.2 meters high, and has a two-story double-eaved hip roof. There are 31 painted clay sculptures in the hall, which are relics of the Western Xia Dynasty. Among them, the reclining Buddha is 34.5 meters long and is the largest indoor reclining Buddha statue in China. The Dafo Temple scenic area is located in the southwest corner of Zhangye City, Gansu Province. It is an important scenic spot and historical site group on the Silk Road. It is also a landmark building of the historical and cultural city of Jin Zhangye.

In terms of visibility, the Big Buddha Temple is limited and almost ruined. In terms of checking in, you still have to go. In terms of ticket price, the cost performance is low. Friends who are interested in related content can go and have a look~~

The Dafo Temple was first built in the first year of Yong'an in the Western Xia Dynasty (1098). It was originally named Jiaye Tathagata Temple. It was called Baojue Temple and Hongren Temple in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Because there is a huge reclining Buddha statue in the temple, it is named Dafo Temple, also known as Sleeping Buddha Temple. It is the fourth batch of national key cultural relics protection units and an important scenic spot on the Silk Road. Anyone who comes to Zhangye generally has to come here to see it.

The temple was first built in the Western Xia Dynasty and was originally named Kasyapa Tathagata Temple. It was named Dafo Temple because there is a 30-meter-long statue of Sakyamuni in the temple. There is also a huge reclining Buddha in Cave 158 of Mogao Grottoes, which is more than half smaller than this one.

The famous ancient building is well-deserved. The Buddha is huge and particularly precious. There is also a Tuta, one of the Five Elements Pagodas in Zhangye, and the Shanxi Guild Hall in the courtyard. People who prefer ancient buildings should not miss it!

The most impressive thing is the reclining Buddha. It is said that during wars or special times, saints would hide important scriptures, food, and even people in the berths. This is the real blessing of the Buddha, and these things would be protected from the harm of war, natural disasters, and man-made disasters. Then Sister Jiang also said that if you look at the Buddha's feet, that is, the reclining Buddha's feet, when you look at his face, you will find that his eyes are closed. If you look at his head, his eyes are open. This is also a unique place, and you must not miss it. There are also 18 Arhats in it, including a dragon-subduing and tiger-subduing Arhat. It is also specifically mentioned that because at that time, the emperor was a true dragon emperor, you could not draw an Arhat in the shape of a gliding dragon, so the dragon was painted on the wall, and the corresponding tiger of the tiger-subduing Arhat was also painted on the wall, not a sculpture.

The huge reclining Buddha is worth seeing, and the collection of Buddhist scriptures is also worth seeing.

The Big Buddha Temple is a Xixia national temple. Many things inside are authentic and worth seeing. From the head of the reclining Buddha, the Buddha's eyes are open, and from the feet, the reclining Buddha is asleep. The local guide sister took us there. The Big Buddha Temple is in the urban area of Zhangye, so there is no need for a car. If friends who go to other places want to find the sister, just look at the picture.

The Dafo Temple houses the largest indoor reclining Buddha statue in China, which is the Buddha Sakyamuni's nirvana statue. One of the Buddha's middle fingers can accommodate a person lying flat, and eight people can sit side by side on his ears.

It is called a temple, but it is actually a museum. Most of the main buildings here are exhibition halls that display scriptures, Buddha statues, Buddhist paintings, etc.

The main purpose is to go to the colorful Danxia in Zhangye, and come to Jieli for a stroll

The only reclining Buddha worth seeing in the Big Buddha Temple is the reclining Buddha, but the light in the temple is dim and it is difficult to see clearly.

The most classic feature of this temple is the partition wall built in the past to preserve Buddhist scriptures, which has preserved a large number of cultural relics worthy of praise.

The Dafo Temple faces west and sits east, which is very strange! The gates of the Han Buddhist temples I have seen all face south, and the temples from the Liao Dynasty I have seen all face east. Only this one faces west. This is why my friend suggested that I come here in the afternoon so that the sun will shine on the front and the photos will be better.

The archway after entering the temple is a five-layer colorful bracket, which is particularly beautiful. The bell and drum towers on both sides complement it, a kind of symmetrical beauty. Then, a hall with its back facing the rising sun surprised me. I really couldn't help but exclaim; "Great" It is simple and has a heavy sense of history. The original colors are matched with layers of eaves and carvings, which is definitely a royal momentum.

There are Zhangye tourist maps for sale at the entrance of the Big Buddha Temple. You can take a look at them.

The Dacheng Hall is now a Buddhist art exhibition hall. This is also my favorite hall. The Buddha statues inside are so exquisite. There are Buddhist scripture engravings, fine cultural relics, copper seals, copper mirrors, copper pots, silver coins, which fully demonstrate the charm of Buddhist art.

Many of the scriptures in the Sutra Library are covered with gold and silver writing and dragon and phoenix embroidery. The wisdom of the ancients is really amazing.

Ancient buildings, Xixia minority temples, China's largest indoor reclining Buddha, and several exhibition halls introducing scriptures and Buddha statues, which are well done and suitable for worshiping Buddha and visiting. I joined several tour groups and listened to the explanations, but still didn't take pictures of the Buddha statues. If you come to Zhangye, you might as well come and see it, it's worth the ticket price.

This Buddha has a long history, but it is worth seeing. We went there at noon, and basically we didn't have to queue up to buy tickets. The tickets were 40 yuan each, which were not available online. I spent 1 yuan to buy a guide's explanation online, but it was not worth it at all. It was better to listen to other guides' explanations. There are many original scriptures in it, and the legendary treasures of the temple.

The Big Buddha Temple is really old. It is the first time I have seen such an old temple. There is the largest reclining Buddha inside. The color of the temple is peeling off... But it is magnificent. Its tickets can also be used as postcards, with their own postmarks ~ There is a mailbox outside the door ~

The ticket is 40 yuan. I brought a baby under 120cm, but the baby didn't charge. It was worth seeing. The baby was very enthusiastic in worshipping Buddha. The ancient buildings are well protected, and the ecology is very good. There are all kinds of flowers and plants and many bees. A big reclining Buddha has its eyes open. There are stories behind the ancient pagoda. There is also a Shanxi Guild Hall inside, which is also a one or two hundred year old building. I just don't know why the Guandi Temple and the stage are so close.

The Dafo Temple was first built in the first year of the Yong'an reign of the Western Xia Dynasty (1098). It is named Dafo Temple because of the huge reclining Buddha statue in the temple. It is also called Sleeping Buddha Temple. It covers an area of about 23,000 square meters and is an important scenic spot and historical site group on the Silk Road. The Dafo Temple built in the Western Xia Dynasty, the Wanshou Wooden Pagoda of the Sui Dynasty, the Amituo Thousand Buddha Pagoda of the Ming Dynasty, the Bell and Drum Tower, and the Shanxi Guild Hall of the Qing Dynasty, which is famous in the northwest, are open to the public. It is very similar to the Reclining Buddha Temple in Beijing and the White Pagoda in Beihai. It is a combination of Central Plains Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism. Those who have been to the Reclining Buddha Temple in Beijing will feel the same. No photography is allowed in the Dafo Hall.

The temple is full of ancient buildings, towering old trees, shady green grass, and beautiful environment. From time to time, there are large groups of swallows flying around the Great Buddha Hall...

There is a mural of Journey to the West in the hall, in which Zhu Bajie changed his lazy image and became a hardworking model worker. In addition, the exhibits in the Art Hall and the Scripture Hall are also worth seeing. The most impressive one is the "Zhangye Golden Sutra" Prajna Sutra written in gold and silver mud in the Ming Dynasty and a complete replica of the Ma Ti Temple Grottoes. There is also a door in the temple leading to the Shanxi Guild Hall next door, which has a stage and performances are still held from time to time.

Although it has been around for nearly a thousand years, the exquisite brick and wood carvings of the Great Buddha Hall are still visible.

It should be said that the 40 yuan ticket is all for this Xixia Buddha, but the Buddha is indeed qualified. It is indeed the largest reclining Buddha in the country (the two statues 148 and 158 in Mogao Grottoes cannot compare). But except for the Great Buddha Hall, the others are not very good. The earthen pagoda is very ordinary, the guild hall is not necessary to go, and the Buddhist scriptures of the Ming Dynasty are just so-so (after all, the museums along the way are all Buddhist scriptures of the Northern Dynasties, Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the Ming Dynasty is relatively ordinary). But entering the Great Buddha Hall is still quite spectacular. The strange thing is that the Great Buddha Hall rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty looks very old, probably refurbished in an ordinary way. Of course, the temple is rebuilt, and the Buddha is still the original Xixia. No photos are allowed in the temple. In fact, I don’t think it’s necessary. Taking photos of wooden Buddha statues will not cause too much damage. You see, there are wooden cultural relics in the National Museum and the Shanghai Museum, and there is no regulation that no photos can be taken. Of course, the author still abided by the regulations and did not take photos. The four stars here are all for the Buddha, which is worth seeing.

The Dafo Temple has a thousand-year history, and the exhibits and the architecture of the temple show a sense of history. The peeling paint, the simple hall, and the solid exhibits make it my favorite temple I have ever visited.

Very nice temple. The reclining Buddha in the main hall and the wood carvings around it are very beautiful.

The most worthwhile place to visit in Zhangye is the reclining Buddha, which is awe-inspiring, and the Buddhist scriptures collected behind it are extremely exquisite.

It has a history of more than nine hundred years.

The temple houses the largest indoor clay reclining Buddha in China.

From Xixia to the Qing Dynasty. Things with history are worth savoring

Big, very big, very big. It was dark inside and I couldn't see clearly, but it felt big. The Sutra Library at the back is definitely worth a visit. I have never seen so many sutras, and they are so well preserved. It's really informative.

The shock that the Big Buddha Temple brought to me was no less than that of the Mogao Grottoes.

The most famous attraction in the city is Zhangye Dafo Temple. However, I think all the temples in China are very similar, except for the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple in Dali, so this attraction is optional. The only attraction is that there is a reclining clay Buddha statue that is said to be the largest in the country, but I personally think it is very similar to the Mogao Grottoes, so those who have been to the Mogao Grottoes don't have to go. Of course, if you have some free time to walk around the city, you can also go shopping. The scenic area is not big and the tickets are not expensive. It can be used as a check-in. When sorting out the photos, I found that I didn't take a photo of the reclining Buddha. It should be because taking photos indoors was not allowed at that time, so I inserted a picture from the Internet.

Uniqueness of the landscape: ★★ Core selling point: Indoor reclining Buddha statue

Tiredness of sightseeing: ★ Why is it tiring to visit temples?

Time required for the landscape: ★ One or two hours

Special small courtyard

Authentic roasted whole lamb

18093697987

Zhangye Dafo Temple is located on Dafo Temple Pedestrian Street in Ganzhou District, Zhangye City.

Zhangye Dafo Temple has a history of more than 900 years and was first built during the Yong'an period of the Western Xia Dynasty. There is a statue of Sakyamuni at the time of his nirvana in the temple. It is 34.5 meters long and 7.5 meters wide at the shoulders. A person can lie flat on one finger.

The Ten Great Disciples, Eighteen Arhats, Great Buddha Hall, All Saints Hall, Sutra Hall, Earth Pagoda and Shanxi Guild Hall are all attractions not to be missed.

The brick carvings on the walls outside the hall have almost faded, but the fine lines and shapes are breathtaking. The Buddha statue inside the hall is 34.5 meters long, and a person can lie flat on the middle finger alone. Walking around the hall, the reclining Buddha's eyes change depending on the angle of view. The ten disciples beside the reclining Buddha have different expressions of mourning, and the exquisite clothes of the two guardians, Indra and Brahma, are said to be carved based on the clothes of the Queen of Western Xia.

No photography is allowed inside the temple.

It was first built during the Yong'an period of the Western Xia Dynasty and has a history of more than 900 years. The temple houses the largest indoor clay reclining Buddha in the country, which is quite shocking to see in person.

The murals outside the Big Buddha Temple are very beautiful, but there are no protective measures. The Big Buddha Temple is a popular tourist attraction in the city with many tourists. The Buddhist temple architecture is a combination of Han and Tibetan styles.

The Big Buddha Temple is in the city of Zhangye. If you are not interested in temples, you don’t have to go there. You can take a quick tour of the temple in about half an hour. Out of respect for the temple, I only took some photos of the flowers and plants that were influenced by Buddhism.

The Xixia National Temple is very impressive in terms of both its grandeur and specifications. The reclining Buddha has slept for a thousand years, but it is still peaceful and calm despite the vicissitudes of life. More importantly, it is significantly different from the Buddhism in the Central Plains. The architecture is more surprising and more ambitious. Legend has it that Genghis Khan was born here.

At that time, I met the staff who were repairing the cultural relics. There were very few people in this attraction. The ticket was basically just to see the reclining Buddha, and it was a bit expensive.

Zhangye Dafo Temple is also a revisit to an old place. The last time I went to Dunhuang, I passed through Zhangye and I remember that I only visited the Dafo Temple. It was early winter when I came. The temple was bleak and the buildings were so old that I couldn't bear to look at them. But I still remember the excitement of seeing the largest reclining Buddha in China. When I came to Zhangye, I came here again. It was full of green. Even in early autumn, it was still full of vitality.

We hired a tour guide, a gold medalist, who gave us a detailed introduction to the history of the Big Buddha Temple over the past 900 years.

The green all around cannot conceal the poor protection of the Big Buddha Temple. The main building housing the reclining Buddha is the only 900-year-old original Xixia building in the temple, but it looks dilapidated. It is unknown whether it was intentional to preserve the sense of historical vicissitudes or because there is no ability or technology to restore it to its original state.

The Big Buddha Temple was first built in the first year of Yong'an in Western Xia (1098), and was originally named Kasyapa Tathagata Temple. It was renamed Baojue Temple in the ninth year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty (1411), and was renamed Hongren Temple in the seventeenth year of Kangxi in Qing Dynasty (1678). It was named Big Buddha Temple because of the huge reclining Buddha statue in the temple.

Zhangye Dafo Temple, also known as Xixia National Temple, is well preserved and worth a visit.

The temple houses the country's largest indoor clay reclining Buddha and handwritten gold sutras, which are quite stunning.

The Dafo Temple is named after the largest clay reclining Buddha in China in the main hall. It was built more than a thousand years ago. But apart from that, I was amazed by the handwritten scriptures in the Ming Dynasty in the back Sutra Hall, especially the two treasures of the temple, one with black background and gold characters, and the other with blue background and gold characters, which were handwritten by officials and their families in the Ming Dynasty to please the emperor. Time was limited, so I left in a hurry. But the 40 yuan ticket was worth it to make a small contribution to maintaining the splendid culture of our country.

Located near the city center, it is said to be the birthplace of Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty. The explanation in the temple did not mention this, so it must be unconfirmed.

This place is quiet and peaceful. You will naturally slow down your pace once you enter. Compared with the temples I have visited before, the appearance of the main hall here is quite unique - the paint on the outer wall has basically faded, revealing the color of the original wood. It is not as eye-catching as the red columns and green tiles, but more ancient and solemn. It is good. Looking closely, the wood carvings are so exquisite that it is no wonder that they dare to show their original colors. The dragon head and dragon whiskers are very three-dimensional. Great. There is a very special fountain outside the gate of the Big Buddha Temple, which sprays water mist.

The Big Buddha Temple is a highlight of the trip. The Big Buddha is very spectacular, and the sutra at the end is also spectacular. It is both a temple and a small museum.

The Big Buddha Temple is the only scenic spot in Zhangye with the most convenient transportation, because it is in the city center, and there is no need to charter a car or take a bus to get there! The Big Buddha Temple is worth a visit, especially for those who believe in Buddhism. The exterior color of the Big Buddha Temple has peeled off seriously. You can see that this temple has gone through a long time. There is a statue of Sakyamuni Nirvana with a length of 34.5 meters and a shoulder width of 7.5 meters. It is very magnificent! The ticket to the Big Buddha Temple is 41 yuan. The ticket comes with a postcard with a postmark. There is a mailbox at the entrance to send it out. The square at the main entrance of the Big Buddha Temple is also very beautiful. It is a good place to relax! Compared with other attractions, the Big Buddha Temple does not take too long to visit. It is enough to rent a guide for 1 hour, so the time is very easy to arrange.

The Big Buddha Temple is a famous attraction in Zhangye City. The ticket is 40 yuan. It is recommended to visit. The Big Buddha Temple faces east and west. The light is more abundant in the afternoon and it is more suitable for viewing. The largest reclining Buddha in the city is the core part of the Big Buddha Temple. The brick carvings on the walls outside the store are almost faded, but the fine lines and shapes are breathtaking.

Ticket price: It seems to be 40 yuan.

Although I didn't plan to visit this attraction, the actual experience was quite good, and it felt like I had earned a lot of happiness for nothing. There were quite a few tourists, most of whom were elderly groups.

The Shanmen Archway is probably the most colorful building in the entire Dafo Temple. On the left and right are the bell and drum towers.

The main hall of the Big Buddha Temple. I don’t know why the buildings in the Big Buddha Temple are all unrenovated original wood color. If you look closely at the doors, windows, corridors and columns, you can still see a lot of mottled colors remaining.

Later, I heard a tour guide at Mogao Grottoes say that an important principle of cultural relic protection is to maintain the original appearance, repair the old as it was, and maximize the preservation of information in cultural relic protection. The traces left by history are also the reason why cultural relics become cultural relics.

Photography is not allowed in the main hall, so I took more photos of the details of the corners for you to see. Although it is dilapidated, the layers of brackets and carvings show the meticulousness of its construction.

It is an ancient Buddha with a sense of style. People with faith really need to go and see it. People without faith can also go inside and take a look to feel the moment of peace.

Xixia State Temple, with its wooden structure, is well preserved and you can feel the vicissitudes of history. There is a reclining Buddha in the main hall. I didn't know it at first, but after entering, the huge reclining Buddha came into view, which gave me a strong shock.

The transportation location is very convenient. It is in the urban area of Zhangye. If you have plenty of time, it is recommended to take a transfer. It takes about 30 minutes and the ticket price is 40 yuan, and 20 yuan for students.

The Big Buddha Temple is located in the southwest corner of Zhangye City. It is named after the largest indoor reclining Buddha statue in China.

It seems to be the city that leaves the best impression in Gansu, with the rapeseed fields in Minle, the cliff carvings in Mati Temple, the Danxia landform, the reclining Buddha and murals in the Big Buddha Temple. It has a vast terrain, fertile farmland, and healthy workers and farmers. It is not as cramped as Lanzhou, nor does it seem to rely solely on tourism like Dunhuang.

It should be okay, the main attraction is the Big Buddha Hall. The Big Buddha Hall was rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty, and the second floor is not open, which is a pity. Another pitfall is that the main entrance is in the Big Buddha Lane, but the parking lot is behind the temple, so be careful if you drive there.

The small square and fountain in front of the temple are quiet and not new, and it feels a bit cold in the gloomy sky. The Buddhist temple was first built in the Western Xia Dynasty and got its name because of the large reclining Buddha statue in the temple. It has been desolate for a long time, and now only the big Buddha hall and the earthen pagoda remain.

Zhangye's reclining Buddha is in Nirvana, peaceful and tranquil, with its eyelids half-covering its black pupils, half-open and half-closed, its eyes hazy. It is large but not overwhelming, and contains a great harmony of nature. It is clearly facing nirvana, but it seems to have countless unspeakable joys. The half-closed eyes see through the world, which is probably invisible to mortals. So the couplet in the Buddhist temple says it well: "Sleeping in the west, who knows how vast the world is in the dream; sleeping alone in the pure land, only knowing that the days and months there are long."

I saw the process of shaping the reclining Buddha in the art exhibition hall behind the Great Buddha Hall. I realized that this reclining Buddha is not only long and large, but also supported by fish bones, and has a lot of secrets in its belly. The instruments, secret treasures, and scriptures unearthed in and around the Buddha's belly are all rare treasures. For example, the "Prajna Sutra" exhibited in the Sutra Exhibition Hall is written in silver mud, and the Buddhist fruition title is redrawn in gold mud. The gold and silver shine and interweave, and the iron painting and silver hook are connected. There is also a mandala painting drawn with gold lines on the front page, which is brilliant and meticulous. Sakyamuni sits in the middle of the mandala, and the other group images are numerous but not mixed, dense but not chaotic. There are also various other sutras and engravings.

There are 31 painted clay sculptures in the Great Buddha Hall of the Great Buddha Temple, which are relics of the Western Xia Dynasty. Among them, the reclining Buddha is 34.5 meters long, which is the largest indoor reclining Buddha statue in China. Behind the reclining Buddha are statues of the ten great disciples, and beside them are statues of Upāsikā, Upāsaka and the Eighteen Arhats.

The temple houses a reclining Buddha, which is the nirvana statue of Sakyamuni. It is sleeping on a 1.2-meter-high altar in the center of the main hall. The Buddha is 34.5 meters long, 7.5 meters wide at the shoulders, 4 meters wide at the ears, and 5.2 meters long at the feet. One person can lie flat on the middle finger of the Buddha, and eight people can sit side by side on the ear. This shows how huge the statue is.

The Dafo Temple Scenic Area is located in the southwest corner of Zhangye City, Gansu Province. It is an important scenic spot and historical site group on the Silk Road. It is also a landmark building of the historical and cultural city of Jin Zhangye. The scenic spots open to the public include the Dafo Temple built in the Western Xia Dynasty, the Wanshou Wooden Pagoda of the Sui Dynasty, the Amitabha Thousand Buddha Pagoda of the Ming Dynasty, the Bell and Drum Tower, and the Shanxi Guild Hall of the Qing Dynasty, which is famous in the northwest. The temple is full of ancient buildings, towering ancient trees, shady green grass, and beautiful environment. There are not too many tourists, and it is relatively quiet, suitable for quietly savoring the traces left by history.

The transportation in Zhangye City is very convenient and the scenic area is comfortable and quiet, making it a good place.

An extra arrangement during the trip, very surprising and awesome~

Zhangye Dafo Temple houses the largest reclining Buddha in China. I worked in Zhangye for half a year in 2006.

The Big Buddha Temple was first built in the first year of the Yong'an reign of the Western Xia Dynasty (1098 AD). It was originally named the Kasyapa Tathagata Temple. In the ninth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1411 AD), it was renamed the Baojue Temple. In the seventeenth year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1678 AD), it was renamed the Hongren Temple. Because there is a huge reclining Buddha statue in the temple, it is named the Big Buddha Temple. It is also known as the Sleeping Buddha Temple. In 1996, it was listed as the fourth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

The Dafo Temple covers an area of about 23,000 square meters, facing east and west. Only the Dafo Hall, Sutra Library, and Earthen Pagoda on the central axis remain. The Dafo Hall is nine bays wide (48.3 meters), seven bays deep (24.5 meters), 20.2 meters high, two-story, and has a double-eaved hip roof. There are 31 painted clay sculptures in the hall, which are relics of the Western Xia Dynasty. Among them, the reclining Buddha is 34.5 meters long, the largest indoor reclining Buddha statue in China. Behind the reclining Buddha are statues of the ten great disciples, and beside them are statues of Upāsikā, Upāsaka, and the Eighteen Arhats. The Sutra Library is 21.3 meters wide, 10.5 meters deep, and has a single-eaved hip roof. The Earthen Pagoda was originally named the Amitabha Thousand Buddha Pagoda. It is a brick-and-earth mixed Tantric stupa with a height of 33.37 meters.

The temple houses the largest indoor reclining Buddha in China, which is the Nirvana statue of Buddha Sakyamuni. He sleeps on a 1.2-meter-high altar in the center of the main hall. The Buddha is 34.5 meters long, 7.5 meters wide at the shoulders, about 4 meters in the ears, and 5.2 meters long on the feet. One person can lie flat on the middle finger of the Buddha, and eight people can sit side by side on the ear, which shows how huge the statue is.

The Dafo Temple was originally the national temple of the Xixia Kingdom. Yes, it was the national temple of the country where Xuzhu broke his vows and found his lifelong love, Menggu. At that time, parts of Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai belonged to the Xixia Kingdom. The Dafo Temple houses the world's largest sleeping Buddha statue, the Nirvana statue of Sakyamuni, and a large number of ancient Buddhist books. Although the Xixia Kingdom was the smallest among many countries at that time, its temples were definitely not small, but magnificent. Very exquisite wooden buildings.

The large reclining Buddha made of wood and clay looks quite impressive, and many of the buildings with a sense of age also have a sense of history. There is also a Shanxi Guild Hall in a corner of the scenic area that you can visit.

The Dafo Temple was first built in the Western Xia Dynasty. It is named Dafo Temple because it houses the largest reclining Buddha statue in China (the Buddha is 34.5 meters long). There is a stupa behind the temple that is under renovation. The Dafo Temple is connected to another historic site in Zhangye, the Shanxi Guild Hall. Tickets are 40 yuan.

Xixia State Temple, a very historic temple worth visiting

To understand the story of Xixia and recall the prosperity of the Silk Road, you need a guide to explain. It is still worth a visit, a rare relic in Zhangye City

The Xixia National Temple is known as "a famous temple on the frontier and a Buddhist paradise".

It is a pretty good Buddhist temple, but it is far inferior to the Mogao Grottoes, Maijishan Grottoes, Mati Temple, etc. in Gansu. It can be used as an alternative.

To be honest, you should avoid going to the Big Buddha Temple at noon. We were so sunburned when we went there. Zhangye is especially hot in the summer. There is the largest reclining Buddha in China in the Big Buddha Temple, which is quite cool. However, you are not allowed to take photos inside. We just walked around for a while and then left because it was too hot.

The Dafo Temple, which was built a thousand years ago, is particularly beautiful under the blue sky and green trees.

Zhangye Dafo Temple is worth a visit. It houses the largest indoor wooden clay reclining Buddha in Asia. Since taking photos is not allowed (although it is not mandatory, it is better not to take photos to protect cultural relics), it can only be left in memory. In addition to the reclining Buddha, there are murals around the Dafo Hall, even on the outside door, which are very exquisite. There is also a Buddhist art and sutra exhibition behind the Dafo Hall, which is worth the price of admission.

Tickets are 40 yuan, half price for students.

It is really ancient and has a lot of flavor. The big reclining Buddha is very shocking. There are also many scriptures and rubbings. It is worth a visit.

The scenery is quite beautiful, with Gansu characteristics, and the public services and facilities are also good.

We chartered a car to go there, and only found out when we got there that it was a real pitfall. I didn't even take any photos inside, so you can experience it for yourself...

The ticket was sold at 40 yuan on site, but the staff said it was 38 yuan on Meituan. I checked and it was not the case, but it was not a big problem. There was no one checking tickets at the Big Buddha Temple. There was a magnetic strip on the back of the ticket, so you could enter by swiping it.



The reclining Buddha is quite shocking. There are no monks here, so it seems a little deserted, and there are a lot of small animals living there.



The 19th day of the second lunar month is the birthday of Guanyin, the 19th day of the sixth lunar month is the day of Guanyin's enlightenment, and the 19th day of the ninth lunar month is the day of Guanyin's ordination. We happened to encounter Guanyin's birthday. It was a surprise and a great honor.



ps: The most cunning one is the Zhangye Museum, which is directly combined with the Big Buddha Temple. It was originally free to visit, but now you are forced to buy a 40-yuan ticket and you can’t see it.



You can go directly to the Shanxi Guild Hall inside the Big Buddha Temple.



Apart from the worship of Guandi Temple, there is nothing special about it. There is a stage directly opposite the building sign, nothing else.



But the building construction and wood carving are great.