Yuantong Temple

Yuantong Temple (simplified Chinese: 圆通寺; traditional Chinese: 圓通寺; pinyin: Yuántōng Sì) is the most famous Buddhist temple in Kunming City, China with a history of more than 1200 years.Located in the north of Kunming, close to Green Lake Park, this large Buddhist temple was built over 1,000 years ago.
 

Unique Architecture of the Yuantong temple
The architecture of the temple buildings is rather typical. Differing from most other temples that were built with an ascending entrance, visitors enter the Yuantong Temple from above. The temple's great hall is at the lowest point of the temple. The temple's layout, along with the Buddhist scriptures inside, follows the Yuan and Ming styles.
 

Buddhist Ceremonies in the Yuantong Temple
Yuantong Temple is one of the most important sites in the region for Buddhist ceremonies. Along with the patronage of the local people of Kunming and Yunnan in general, Buddhists from around the world come here on pilgrimages to pay homage. On the 1st and 15th of each lunar month, people gather here to take part in all kinds of Buddhist services. There is also a good vegetarian restaurant on the premises serving lunch and dinner.
 

History of the Yuantong Temple
It 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 the 24th year of Emperor Kangxi's rule (1686) of 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.

Behind the main hall are two caves, the "Yougu" and "Chaoying". The caves wind far into the mysterious depths of the mountain, and, according to local legend, were once the home of dragons. In the NanZhao Kingdom, a monk built a temple beside the cliff to entice the dragons. When the temple was destroyed, he built a terrace on which to perform magic on the dragons. Sun Ranweng, author and writer of the long antithetical couplet hung on the Daguan Belvedere, used to make a living by predicting people's fortunes here.