White Horse Temple

The White Horse Temple, built in the 11th year of Yongping in the Eastern Han Dynasty (68 AD), is a monastery constructed by the government after Buddhism was introduced to China. It has historically been revered as the "Ancestral Temple" and "Source of Buddhism" in China, and its name comes from the allusion of "the white horse carrying scriptures." The temple currently houses five main halls, with the Great Buddha Hall being the principal one. The third hall, the Mahavira Hall, contains 23 statues of "dry lacquer over hemp cloth" from the Yuan Dynasty, known as the "treasures of the temple." Each statue weighs only 3 to 5 kilograms, and their colors remain as vibrant as new after more than 700 years without repair. The temple preserves over 40 steles and tablets from various dynasties since the Tang Dynasty, with Zhao Mengfu's handwritten "Record of the Ancestral Temple of White Horse Temple in Luoyang" from the Yuan Dynasty being the most precious. Approximately 200 meters southeast of the mountain gate stands the Qiyun Pagoda (rebuilt in the Jin Dynasty). A new "World Buddhist Temple Expo Area" has been added, showcasing Buddhist temples in the styles of India, Thailand, Myanmar, and other countries.