Dafo Ancient Temple

The Dafo Temple is located in the Longzang community of Beijing Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City. It was originally built during the Southern Han Dynasty and was named Xinzang Temple. In the second year of Emperor Kangxi's reign, the King of Pingnan, Shang Kexi, rebuilt the Buddhist temple on the old site of Longzang Temple to appease the people, and renamed it Dafo Temple. The temple was so named because it houses three large Buddha statues in its main hall, and there was a saying, 'People pass by Dafo Temple, where the temple's Buddha is larger than the people.' The grandeur of the temple and the size of the Buddha statues were known as the crown of Lingnan. The main hall of the temple is seven bays wide with nineteen purlins, featuring a single-eave hipped-and-gable roof covered with plain tiles, tube tiles, and plain tile ridges with water-dripping edges. Facing south, the temple originally had a front gate, bell tower, drum tower, Wei Tuo Hall, Garan Hall, Heavenly King Hall, abbot's quarters, and corridors, making it one of the 'Five Great Buddhist Monasteries' in Guangzhou with a long history. The giant nanmu pillars used in the main hall were donated by the King of Annam. Its architectural art is a blend of the official temple style of the capital and Lingnan style. Dafo Temple is located at No. 21, Huixin Middle Street, Huifu East Road, west side of Beijing Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City. Dafo Temple does not charge an entrance fee, and there is incense available for free use outside the main hall. It is especially recommended to visit at night when the temple is brightly lit, highlighting the beauty of the ancient temple.