Western Mountains - Temple of the Sleeping Buddha / Temple of Universal Spiritual Awakening

(Local Name: Wofo Si / Shifangqujue Si) The Temple of the Sleeping Buddha (situated to the northeast of the Fragrant Mountain on the Shouanshan Mountain), dates back to the first half of the 7th C, it was enlarged between 1320 and 1331. From 1734 the temple was officially named Temple of Universal Spiritual Awakening (Shifangqujue Si) although it is unofficially named after the great bronze statue of the sleeping Buddha. When visiting this temple the first things to be seen are an 18th C decorated gate, then a small pool, the bell tower on the left, and the drum tower on the right. To be seen on the second floor of the Hall of the Kings of Heaven (Tianwang Dian) are statues of Maitreya and the four Kings of Heaven. In the third courtyard is the Hall of the Three Saints (Sansheng Dian), where the Buddhas of the three Eras are kept.

The Wofo Dian Hall houses the figure of the sleeping Buddha on his way to Nirvana. The statue is surrounded by twelve statues of his pupils. The monumental sculpture, 5.2m/17ft long and weighing 25 tonnes, was supposed to have been created by 7000 craftsmen in 1321.