Quanzhou Kaiyuan Temple: Key points and local experience

The explanation of Kaiyuan Temple focuses on five things: the customization of the Hundred Pillars Hall of the Main Hall, the legend of the East-West Pagoda and the Mulberry Dharma Realm, the later years of Master Hongyi, the pagan stone carvings remaining in the temple, and the community relationship between the temple and West Street.

The free opening hours of the temple are subject to the announcement; the flow of people on West Street is the highest at noon, and the team enters and exits through the branch alley.

5 key points to explain about Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou

These 5 items are things that tourists usually cannot remember after walking, but can take away after listening to them:

1. The Main Hall is the "Hundred Pillars Hall"——Nearly a hundred stone pillars in the hall support the huge hall. The scale of the large wooden works in southern Fujian is written on the mountain flowers and brackets. It is not a common Jiangnan style.
2. The East-West Tower is an image textbook——Zhenguo Pagoda and Renshou Pagoda are octagonal five-story pavilion-style stone towers. The relief stories are progressively layered. Looking at the towers is equivalent to reading a set of image narrative systems.
3. The legend of Sanglian Dharma Realm——The narrative of "Mulberry trees blooming with lotus" connects the temple with the real estate of the mulberry garden, which is a local sample of the temple economy.
4. Master Hongyi’s later years——The master spent his last years in Quanzhou. The temple and the city together constituted the end point of his preaching. Japanese and Korean tourists particularly resonated with this.
5. Remaining pagan stone carvings——The Hindu and Islamic stone carvings scattered around the temple are the physical source of the "Museum of World Religions" statement

When is the best time to talk about this place?

There are few people before 9 a.m. or before the park closes in the evening; the main street is most crowded at noon, and you can enter and exit from branch lanes such as Taikui Lane.

Tips from locals

• The temple is free but some halls have different opening hours. Please specify the list of halls that can be entered in the plan.
• To take panoramic photos from the East and West Towers, go back inside the mountain gate. The best wide-angle position is 15 meters in front of the tower.
• The branch lanes of West Street have more content than the main street: Taikui Lane, Tongzheng Lane, and Jiuguanyi Lane are arranged in sequence.

Frequently asked questions about Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou

Does Kaiyuan Temple require tickets?

Admission to the temple is free, but some halls and exhibition halls are charged separately. The reservation policy is subject to the announcement of the temple, and we will verify it one day in advance.

Can I climb the East and West Towers?

It will be opened on a rotating basis depending on the need for protection, and access is not guaranteed; the explanation of the reliefs under the tower and inside the tower will not be affected.

Data source

The data on this page is verified as of 2026-10. The types and calibers are as follows.

• Culture and Tourism BureauQuanzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau