Photo: Anette
With a history stretching back more than 1000 years, the Wenshu Yuan Monastery (文殊院) is known as the best preserved ancient monastery in Chengdu. It also boasts of being Chengdu's largest temple complex, and if you're looking for things to do while visiting the capital of the Chinese Sichuan province you can easily spend a few hours here. During a recent layover in Chengdu my darling and I spent the night at BuddhaZen Hotel, and with only 2-3 minutes walk away from the monastery it was a natural place for us to spend the day.
Above: One of the entrance gates to Wenshu Yuan
Above: Statues inside the room of the monastery entrance gate
Above: Statues inside the room of the monastery entrance gate
One of the things that make Wenshu Yuan Monastery interesting for visitors is that it is still an active Buddhist temple where you can see both practicing monks and worshiping locals. The soothing smell of the burning incense fills the air, and the green lush park surrounding the temple grounds helps create a serene mood.
The huge complex is said to have around 190 rooms and no less than 300 Buddhist statues. But even if you don't have enough time to see all of it, a little stroll around the temple grounds will sure provide a memorable experience.
Above: A monk strolling through a temple alley
The monastery is also home to over 80 monks, and as you walk around you can get a glimpse into their daily life with some monks praying, others walking around with their cellphones and others again even playing table tennis.
Above: Praying monk
Above: High-tech monk
Above: Monks off duty in action playing table tennis
Above: Monks off duty in action playing table tennis
The Tea House
Above: Maccha latte served at the teahouse inside the Wenshu Yuan temple area
Inside the monastery, you can also find a popular tea house that I personally felt made the visit worth it in itself. Surrounded by the green garden you can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in silent surroundings while meditating about your China adventure.
A visit to Wenshu Yuan can be combined with some light sightseeing in the area. Within 15 minutes away from the monastery on foot, you can find the world's first Mapo Tofu restaurant Chen Ma Po Dou Fu if you're looking for a unique dining experience. Also, if you want to pamper yourself the hotel where we stayed, BuddhaZen Hotel was situated only 2-3 minutes on foot from the monastery and offered relaxing massages also available for non-staying visitors.
Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below
- Anette
- Type: Religious Sites, Sights & LandmarksOpen Hours: 09:00 ~ 17:00Admission: ¥5/personAddress: No.66 Wenshuyuan Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu 610017, China
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About Anette
Anette came to Japan as an exchange student in 2010, met the love of her life and got stuck. From her base in Tokyo she writes about her experiences as a full-time worker in Tokyo and about her travels in Japan and abroad. She's a free-spirited adventurer who enjoys both the great outdoors and her urban lifestyle.
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