You have no items in your shopping cart.
Subtotal: $0.00
Get Immediate Response of Your Queries, ADD US ON
+86-18309280878
+86-18309280878
Compare Products
You have no items to compare.
Yuantong Temple
Introducing Yuantong Temple
Yuantong Temple is the largest and most active Buddhist temple in Kunming which dates back 1,200 years to the Tang Dynasty. The temple is located in a protected natural depression and in recent years, Yuantong Temple has been expanded with funding from Thailand. In the 1950s, Yuantong Temple hosted a grand ceremony to greet and send on the sacred teeth of the Buddha and so became important in Southeast Asia.
Yuantong Temple Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Yuan Tong Si 圆通寺
• Best Time to Visit: All year around
• Recommended Visiting Hours: About 1 to 2 hours
• Things to Do: Photography, Buddhism, Architecture
• Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00
• Entrance Fee: CNY 6
• Address: No. 30 Yuantong Street, Wuhua District, Kunming, Yunnan Province
What to expect at Yuantong Temple
Yuantong Temple was first built in the late 8th and early 9th century, the time of the Nanzhao Kingdom in the Tang dynasty. After two major restorations and expansion in the Chenghua period (1465-1487) of the Ming dynasty and in 1686 during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor in the Qing dynasty, the temple took on its present design, with covered corridors, bridges and grand halls.
This old temple is noted for its unusual structure which is high at the front and low at the back, From the front archway named "Yuantong Shengjing" (Wonderland), one can behold the entire garden. To the north is the splendid Yuantong main hall. At both sides of the hall are covered corridors running beside clear pools. This structure of a Buddhist hall surrounded by water is unique in China. The main hall maintains the style of the Yuan dynasty architecture. Circling the two central pillars inside the hall are two giant dragons carved during the Ming dynasty. The blue and yellow dragons face each other, as if they are ready to fight.
The stone staircases on both sides of the main hall are carved out of the cliff and are known as the "Caizhilu." From here one can climb to the top of the mountain. Beside the path are the most ancient inscriptions in Kunming. Weathering in the wind and rain for centuries, the characters are still clear today, and they are one of the most important historical relics in the city.
Yuantong Temple enjoys a wide fame in Southeast Asia, and is where one can experience Mahayana, Hinayana, and Tibet Buddhism for its uniqueness.
How to get to Yuantong Temple
• By Metro: take Metro Line 1 and get off at Chuanxin Gulou Station, and then talk around 800 meters to get the temple.
• By Bus: take bus No. 85, 92, 95, 100, 101, 119, 187, 235 or Z5 and get off at Yuantongjie Station; take bus No. 4, 59, 74, 83, 129, 234 or A2 and get off at Yuantongshan Station.
• Rent a car/bus from GGC to enjoy a hassle free private transfer from hotels in Kunming to Yuantong Temple.
Additional travel advice on Yuantong Temple
• Please keep quiet at the temple.
• The temple offers incense for free after visitors buying the entrance ticket.
• The vegetarian lunch at the temple is popular among locals and visitors.