Canton - Temple of the Six Banyan Trees Liurong Si

The original floral pagoda, dating from 537, burned down in the 10th C and was reconstructed in its present form in 1097 from a drawing of the original building. During the restoration work of 1980 some tiles were discovered with inscriptions which probably date from the Song era. The top of the 57m/187ft high pagoda, which can ascended by a flight of steps, is crowned by a richly decorated bronze column weighing 5 tonnes.

The Hall of the Goddess of Mercy (Guanxin Dian) dates from 1663. Inside it a 4m/13ft high 5 tonne bronze sculpture is housed. It represents Guanyin, the Chinese goddess of love.

In the Hall of the Sixth Patriarch (Liuzu Tang) the visitor is able to admire a bronze statue of the monk Huineng, the founder of the Southern School of Chan (Zen) Buddhism. The statue was cast in the Song period (960-1279).