Zhangye Dafo Temple

Dafo Temple, Giant Buddha Temple or Buddha Reclining Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple in the center of Zhangye city. Dafo Temple was built in 1098 during the first year reign of Emperor Chongzong of the Yong’an era in the Western Xia Dynasty (1038-1227). In its 900 years, it was restored many times during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The history of the temple relates that in 1098, a monk called Sineng Weimie had seen numinous lights and heard heavenly sounds coming from a nearby hill at the foot of a mountain. Investigating the area, Sineng unearthed a hoard which included a reclining Buddha statue and set out to build a great temple in honour of the image, which he believed had been revealed by divine favour. The nirvana image in the temple has a long history of patrons and visitors and has been protected for centuries by its Buddhist monks, but it has also suffered from decay and restoration. Protecting it was most difficult during the Cultural Revolution. According to history, the Dafo temple is closely related to the royal families of the Western Xia and Yuan Dynasty. It was said that the great Kublai Khan (1215-1294), the grandson of Genghis Khan was born in this very temple when his mother, the wife of Tolui Khan lived in the temple. The main buildings of the temple are The Great Buddha Hall, The Buddhist Classics Hall, and the Clay Pagoda.