Dafo Temple (大佛寺), also known as the Giant Buddha Temple, is located in Zhangye, Gansu Province, China. Originally named Jiaye Rulai Temple, it was established in the first year of the Yong’an reign of the Western Xia Dynasty (1098) and completed in the third year of the Zhenguan reign (1103). The temple covers a modest area of approximately 30,000 square meters, with a depth of about 200 meters and a width of around 100 meters. The temple is renowned for housing the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha in Nirvana, which has earned it the nickname “Reclining Buddha Temple.”
The Dafo Temple complex is a treasure trove of Buddhist art and architecture, featuring the largest Buddhist hall from the Western Xia period – Dafo Hall. This hall houses the largest indoor reclining Buddha made of wood and clay in China. Additionally, the temple preserves the most complete first-edition printing of the Yongle Northern Canon, a Buddhist scripture.
In 1966, numerous precious artifacts were discovered within the temple grounds, including stone steles, bronze Buddha statues, bronze mirrors, and Buddhist scriptures. In 1970, during the excavation of the foundation of the original Jinta Hall, a stone casket from the sixth year of the Zhengtong reign of the Ming Dynasty (1441) was found. This casket contained intricately carved jade sculptures, pearls, silverware, and other treasures. Among the findings was a silver box adorned with Bagua (Eight Trigrams) patterns, containing coral, amber, agate, cinnabar, quartz, ancient Chinese coins, and Persian silver coins.
Table of Contents
- Basic Information
- Location and Transportation
- Highlights of Dafo Temple
- Other Attractions in Zhangye Urban Area
Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 1 – 2 hours |
| Ticket Price | 20 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 8.30 – 17.30 |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0936-8682622 0086-0936-8589955 |
Location and Transportation
Dafo Temple is located at Dafo Temple Lane, Minzhu West Street, Ganzhou District, Zhangye City, Gansu Province, China. To get there, you can take bus 1, 5, 11, 13, 18, 23 Inner Loop Line, or 23 Outer Loop Line and get off at Dafo Temple Stop (大佛寺站).
Highlights of Dafo Temple
Dafo Temple Main Hall
The main hall of Dafo Temple is a magnificent two-story structure with a double-eaved hip roof, standing 33 meters tall. The hall is rectangular in shape, with nine bays in width and seven bays in depth, covering a total area of 1,770 square meters. The roof is covered with green cylindrical tiles, and a corridor surrounds the hall.
Inside, the hall houses the largest indoor reclining Buddha statue made of clay in China, representing Sakyamuni Buddha in Nirvana. This statue is 34.5 meters long and 7.5 meters wide at the shoulders. To illustrate its immense size, one finger of the statue is large enough to accommodate a person lying down, and one ear can seat ten people side by side. The statue is constructed from a wooden frame covered in clay, and it is decorated with gold paint, with the face adorned in gold leaf. The Buddha is depicted lying on his side, with his head resting on a lotus platform, eyes half-closed, and lips slightly parted. His right hand is placed under his face, while the left hand rests alongside his thigh. A large swastika symbol, representing the Sanskrit term “Auspicious Sea Cloud,” is drawn on his chest.
Flanking the reclining Buddha are statues of a male and female disciple, each representing a lay devotee, and behind the Buddha are ten statues of his mourning disciples. On the north and south sides of the hall, there are statues of the Eighteen Arhats, each with distinct and vivid expressions. The doors of the hall are adorned with large, intricate brick carvings, each 6 square meters in size, depicting various scenes of the Buddha’s teachings and different Buddha figures with expressive details.
Maitreya Thousand Buddha Pagoda
The Maitreya Thousand Buddha Pagoda, commonly referred to as the Earth Pagoda, stands 33.37 meters tall and is believed to enshrine the sacred relics of Shakyamuni Buddha. The pagoda is composed of three main parts: the base, the body, and the finial. The base is 23 meters on each side and gradually narrows as it ascends through 13 tiers. The finial features a canopy with a diameter of over 4 meters, adorned with 36 bronze tiles and 36 tasselled wind chimes. The unique design of the pagoda resembles that of the White Dagoba in Beijing’s Miaoying Temple.
The hall housing the Earth Pagoda has been converted into a small museum, showcasing a collection of valuable artifacts unearthed from Dafo Temple. These include ancient scriptures, stone steles, bronze mirrors, jade carvings, pearls, and ancient Chinese and Persian coins. Among the most prized exhibits are over 6,000 volumes of Buddhist scriptures bestowed by Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, many of which are written in pure gold, representing the temple’s most treasured possessions.
Journey to the West Story Mural
One of the most captivating highlights of Dafo Temple is the Journey to the West story mural, located on the wall behind the reclining Buddha in the main hall. This mural, spanning approximately 15 square meters, is a classic piece of the temple’s wall art, depicting various episodes from the famous Chinese novel Journey to the West. The mural, though aged, still retains vibrant colors and intricate details, portraying dangerous mountains, ancient trees, rushing streams, swirling clouds, and fiery landscapes.
The mural illustrates key scenes such as “Fetching Water from the Mother River,” “Subduing the Heart of the Monkey,” “Baby Playing with Chan Mind,” “The Battle with the Red Boy,” “Reviving the Ginseng Fruit Tree,” “Blocked by the Flaming Mountain,” “Worshipping Guanyin,” “The Havoc in Heaven,” “Guanyin Subduing the Monster Xiong,” and “The Great Battle in the Golden Girdle Cave.” Characters such as Sun Wukong (the Monkey King), Tang Sanzang (the monk), Zhu Bajie (Pigsy), Sha Wujing (Sandy), Guanyin Bodhisattva, and the Red Boy are vividly depicted. The mural uses a “scattered perspective” technique, where people, gods, demons, beasts, trees, clouds, water, fire, mountains, and rocks are interspersed throughout the scene, creating a dynamic and lifelike composition.
Associated Legends
Several legends are associated with Dafo Temple, adding to its mystical allure. During the Western Xia period, a national teacher named Weimie reportedly heard the sound of musical instruments while meditating. He dug three to four feet into the ground and discovered a jade reclining Buddha covered with green tiles and gold bricks. This discovery led to the construction of the east-facing Buddha hall.
Historical records suggest that the empress dowager of the Western Xia dynasty frequently visited and resided in the temple. It is also believed that Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, was born here, and his mother, Empress Biege, lived at the temple for an extended period. Empress Biege’s coffin was also temporarily placed in the temple. In the late Southern Song Dynasty, Emperor Zhao Xian sought refuge in the temple after being captured. The Italian traveler Marco Polo was so enchanted by the grand architecture of Dafo Temple and the prosperity of Zhangye that he stayed for a year. In the 16th century, Dafo Temple was large enough to accommodate four to five thousand people simultaneously for worship.
