Nanhai Guanyin Temple locates in Foshan’s Nanhai District. Nanhai Guanyin Temple was built in 990 AD of Song Dynasty, and has a history of over a thousand years. The temple is backed by Phoenix Mountain in a premium and quiet environment. After several reconstructions, Nanhai Guanyin Temple is now very magnificent and majestic. Every year, there are tens of thousands of pilgrims coming to the temple for worship and praying. The temple has gradually become the largest Buddhist shrine in Foshan.
History of Nanhai Guanyin Temple
In 990 AD, the Nanhai Guanyin Temple was built on the Niutonggang, a ridge with lush vegetation and appealing scenery in Taoyuan of Southern Country. At that time, the local people believed in Guanyin and respected the temple very much.
As time going on, wars and disasters caused the Guanyin Temple destroyed several times. In the Qing Dynasty, there were only the ruins with broken walls. After the late Qing Dynasty and the Anti-Japanese War, the temple was completely destroyed.
The temple was rebuilt on the original location Niugugang in the 1990s. Mr. Zhao Puchu, President of the National Buddhist Association, inscribed a plaque for Nanhai Guanyin Temple. With an area of over 5 acres, the new Nanhai Guanyin Temple was opened to the public since 1996.
Features of Guanyin Temple
The buildings in Nanhai Guanyin temple were designed by the Ancient Architecture Department of Tianjin University. It is a palace-style temple. The whole constructions follow the architectural style of the imperial palaces in the Ming and Qing dynasties, especially the Forbidden City.
The temple faces to south with great views. The main buildings inside the temple include Tianwang Temple, Grand Hall, Liuzu Temple, Jialan Temple and Guanyin Hall.
There is a Free Lives Pond in front of the temple, covering an area of more than 30 acres, planted with beautiful lotus. In summer, it turns to the heaven of flowers, fragrant and colorful. The lotuses could perfume the whole temple.