As an important town of the ancient Silk Road and an important hub of Chinese and Western culture, some of the well-known Senior monks such as Kumarajiva and Xuanzang had left their traces here. In the Tang Dynasty, they had a good reputation as “the sacred land of good Kingdom and the holy land of Buddhism”.
Brief introduction & Location
Leiyin Temple is situated at the foot of Mingsha Mountain, 4 kilometers south of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. It has been the important hub between East and West communication since ancient times, and also the junction and transit station of Chinese and Western cultures.
The history of Leiyin Temple
Leiyin Monastery is the only place for the eminent monks, from the Central Plains to the western regions to seek the Dharma, the eminent monks such as Dharmaraka, Fa Xian, Kumarajiva, and Xuanzang who has once left their indelible traces here. Therefore, this auspicious and tranquil resort had the reputation of “the sacred land of good Kingdom and the holy land of Buddhism” in the Tang Dynasty.
The structure and the Figures of Buddhas in Leiyin Temple
The whole temple is composed of the main hall, accompanying hall, monk’s dormitory, and donor’s guest rooms, and there are more than 100 Palace houses with 37 statues of Buddha, Bodhisattva, Arhat, and disciples. Among them, the main hall is the Daxiong Treasure Hall and the center of the hall is a white jade Buddha statue of the Han Dynasty.it was donated by the overseas Chinese of Myanmar. On both sides of the Buddha statues are a body of Bodhisattvas plus 18 colored statues of Arhats which is quite vivid and lifelike.
Ticket: Free
Opening time:
From 8.00 AM to 6.00 PM.
Traffic Information:
You can take Bus No. 3 and get off at Leiyin Temple Station.
