Daci Temple Chengdu: A Complete Guide to Visiting the Historic Buddhist Temple of Daci'en

Chengdu, a city that blends a thousand years of bustling life with modern vitality, hides an "urban Zen heart" amid the hustle and bustle — Daci Temple (also known as Daci'en Temple). As one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the urban area of Chengdu, Daci Temple is not only an important carrier of Buddhist culture, but also a must-visit destination for tourists to experience the "ancient temple with new charm" due to its connection with the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang, its unique architectural style, and its location adjacent to the Chunxi Road business district. 

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Overview
Daci Temple, also known as Daci’en Temple, is one of Chengdu's oldest and most significant Buddhist temples. With its deep historical and cultural roots, the temple offers a serene escape in the bustling city, making it a must-visit for history lovers and spiritual seekers.

Architectural Layout and Key Attractions
1. Overall Layout
Daci Temple follows the "central axis symmetry" principle of traditional Chinese Buddhist temples. The central axis from south to north is distributed with the Mountain Gate, Heavenly King Hall, Guanyin Hall, Main Buddha Hall, and Scripture Repository in sequence. On both sides are auxiliary buildings such as Manjusri Hall, Meditation Hall, and Guest Hall, forming a complete pattern of "front hall and back bedroom, left and right auxiliary halls".

2. Key Attraction 1: Mountain Gate
The main entrance of the temple, with a golden plaque of "Daci Temple" hanging on the lintel, the font is vigorous and powerful; stone lions stand on both sides of the Mountain Gate, with a majestic shape, symbolizing the protection of Buddhism.

3. Key Attraction 2: Guanyin Hall
Located in the center of Daci Temple, it is a traditional gable-and-hip roof building with overhanging eaves, upturned corners, and carved beams and painted pillars, whose overall style is in the same vein as the architectural form of the Tang Dynasty; in the center of the hall stands a gilded statue of the Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Guanyin Bodhisattva, about 4 meters high, with thousands of hands holding magic artifacts and a solemn appearance. On both sides stand the attendant statues of Sudhana and the Dragon Girl with vivid expressions; the walls of the hall are painted with murals of "Thirty-Two Manifestations of Guanyin", with simple colors and delicate lines, reproducing the classic allusions of Guanyin Bodhisattva saving the suffering; two century-old ginkgo trees are planted in the courtyard outside the hall, with luxuriant branches and leaves. Every autumn, the courtyard is covered with golden yellow, which contrasts beautifully with the red walls and ancient halls, creating a quiet and peaceful atmosphere.

4. Key Attraction 3: Main Buddha Hall
The main building of the temple, adopting the Tang Dynasty gable and hip roof style, the roof is covered with yellow glazed tiles. Three gilded Buddha statues (Sakyamuni Buddha, Medicine Buddha, Amitabha Buddha) are enshrined in the hall, each about 5 meters high, with a solemn expression. Eighteen Arhat statues are arranged on both sides, with exquisite craftsmanship.

5. Key Attraction 4: Scripture Repository
Located at the northernmost end of the temple's central axis, it is a place for storing Buddhist classics. The building houses many precious Buddhist scriptures (including some engraved editions from the Ming and Qing Dynasties). The square in front of the building offers a panoramic view of the temple, making it an excellent location for shooting ancient temple buildings.

Historical Origin of Daci'en Temple
1. Founding and Evolution
Daci Temple (Daci'en Temple) was founded in the Wei and Jin Dynasties (around the 3rd century AD), originally named "Zhendan First Zen Forest". It reached its peak in the Tang Dynasty, and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang gave it the name "Imperially Built Dashengci Temple", abbreviated as "Daci Temple". It was renovated in the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, and most of the existing buildings were reconstructed in the Tang Dynasty style on the original site in 2003.

2. Deep Connection with Xuanzang
During the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, the eminent monk Xuanzang once gave lectures and promoted Buddhism in Daci Temple for about a year before his westward journey to seek Buddhist scriptures. The "Xuanzang Lecture Platform" site is still preserved in the temple, which is an important place to commemorate this Buddhist master.

3. Historical Status
In history, Daci Temple was not only a Buddhist sacred place but also one of the cultural centers of Chengdu. In the Song Dynasty, there were more than a thousand murals in the temple, created by famous artists of that time, known as "Dunhuang in Sichuan". Unfortunately, most of the murals were damaged in the course of historical changes, and only some records remain.

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Basic Information of Daci Temple
1. Location: No. 1 Daci Temple Road, Jinjiang District, Chengdu, located on the east side of the Chunxi Road business district. It takes only 5-8 minutes to walk to Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street, with convenient transportation.

2. Opening Hours: 9:00 AM-5:00 PM daily (admission stops at 4:30 PM; opening hours may be adjusted slightly on legal holidays, so it is recommended to check the official notice before traveling).

3. Ticket Policy: Free admission (some temporary cultural exhibitions or experience activities may charge separately, subject to on-site notice).

Practical Tips for Visiting
1. Travel Preparation
· Clothing: The temple is a Buddhist place, so it is recommended to dress appropriately, avoiding overly exposed clothing such as shorts, miniskirts, and camisoles. If dressed inappropriately, you can borrow an apron at the Mountain Gate (free of charge).
· Time: The best visiting time is 9:00-11:00 A (fewer tourists, suitable light for taking photos, and you can catch the end of the temple's morning class). Avoid weekends afternoons (tourists from the Chunxi Road business district overflow, and the temple has a large flow of people).
· Items: You can carry a small camera (using flash to take photos of Buddha statues is prohibited), drinking water (there are also free direct drinking water points in the temple), and avoid carrying large luggage (there is no storage place in the temple).

2. Visiting Etiquette
· Incense Offering: Incense can only be offered in the "incense burner area" designated by the temple. Each person is limited to 3 sticks of incense (free to collect at the temple entrance, no need to buy by yourself). Keep quiet when offering incense and do not jump the queue randomly.
· Taking Photos: Randomly taking photos of Buddha statues, scriptures, and monks is prohibited. If you need to take photos of buildings or landscapes, you need to confirm that there is no "no photography" sign; you need to get consent before taking photos of other tourists.
· Words and Behaviors: Shouting loudly and running around are prohibited in the temple. Do not touch cultural relics and Buddha statues randomly, and do not eat food not provided by the vegetarian restaurant (avoid bringing non-vegetarian food into the temple).

3. Surrounding Linkage
· Shopping and Dining: After the visit, you can walk to the Chunxi Road business district (5-minute walk) to taste Chengdu snacks (such as Zhong Dumplings, Long Chao Shou), or go to IFS International Finance Center to check in the "panda climbing the building" sculpture.
· Cultural Extension: If you are interested in Buddhist culture, you can go to Chengdu Wenshu Courtyard (known as "the two major ancient temples in Chengdu" together with Daci Temple)

From the "Zhendan First Zen Forest" in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, to the "Imperially Built Dashengci Temple" in the Tang Dynasty, and now to the urban Zen space that is quiet amid the hustle and bustle, Daci Temple (Daci'en Temple) not only carries the thousand-year-old Buddhist cultural memory of Chengdu but also becomes an excellent window for tourists to experience the collision between Chengdu's "slow life" and "fast pace" with its unique positioning of "ancient temple + business district". Whether it is to trace Xuanzang's footprints, appreciate the Tang Dynasty style architecture, or simply want to find a quiet place in the hustle and bustle, Daci Temple is worth your while to stop and savor carefully. It is hoped that this guide can help you better plan your itinerary and gain your own Zen and touch in this thousand-year-old ancient temple.

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