r/Chinesearchitecture

Dali has a quiet beauty, whether under blue skies or wrapped in mist, by day or by night.

Built during the Qing Guangxu reign as a gate for a building that no longer exists.

晚上去的，夜里风景真不错。

Yuci old city tower

CHINESE NAME: 圆通寺

OTHER NAMES: Yuantong Temple, previously known as Pu Tuoluo Temple or Potalaka Temple.

ADDRESS: No. 42 Yuantong Street, Wuhua District, Kunming, Yunnan province.

HISTORY: Yuantong Temple was built in the late 8th to early 9th Century, during the Nanzhao Kingdom of the Tang Dynasty. It has been repaired, rebuilt and restored many times, over the years, mainly due to war. In 1669, when Wu Sangui was ruler of Yunnan, he ordered the main gate (that was made in 1666) to be moved south and relocated the Yuantong Shengjing memorial archway and the Yuantong Palace to its current position.

In 1982, Thai Buddhists sent a 3.5m copper statue of Sakaymuni to Yuantong Temple as a symbol of friendship. Along with funding from Thailand, in 1985, a Thai-style temple pavilion was also added, along with two chimeras and a Siddharta Buddha inside. Since then, Yuantong Temple has become well-known throughout Southeast Asia and is part of pilgrimages with special Buddhist services held regularly.

With a history of more than 1,200 years, Yuantong Temple is not only the largest temple in Kunming, its considered as one of the grandest and most important Buddhist temples in Yunnan Province. Til this day, many people visit on the 1st and 15th of every month in the Chinese lunar calendar to pay their respects.

ARCHITECTURE: Yuantong Temple was originally built on the traditional model of Chinese Buddhist Temples but now showcases a unique mix of Yuan, Qing and Ming Dynasty styles. After serval major restorations and expansions during the Yuanyanyou Period (1314 to 1320), the reign of Emperor Chenghua (1465–1487) and in 1686, the temple took on its present design, with covered corridors, bridges and grand halls.

Yuantong Temple’s architecture also incorporates various characteristics from Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and Southern Buddhism schools from Southeast Asia. It is one of the few temples in China that is representative of unity for the three schools of Buddhism = Yuantong Pavilion Hall is of Mahayana; the Copper Buddhism Hall is of Theravada; the side halls is of Tibetan Buddhism. Yuantong Temple also showcases sculptures and pictures of Taoists immortals, such as the Eight Immortals.

Another interesting aspect of Yuantong Temple is its symmetrical layout is based on a “reversed system”. Unlike most Buddhist temples that are built on an ascendant, after going through the main gate, visitors to Yuantong Temple need to walk downhill along the central axis to visit the main hall. From the front memorial archway, visitors can see the garden areas and courtyard to the main hall, by looking down and not up, to worship Buddha.

The main hall maintains the style of Chinese architecture from the 12th century and holds two central pillars inside with two giant dragons carved during the Ming dynasty. These two dragons are facing each other, as if they are ready to fight, which is another rare sight in Chinese Buddhist temples. See photo 12.

The Yuantong Palace (or Mahavira Hall) is an octagonal-shaped building – also uncommon in Chinese Buddhist temples. This building is located in the centre and with a large pool connected to the rest of the complex by several bridges or walkways. Many consider this a unique temple layout, as the temple is presented in a garden-like design and is surrounded by water with fish and turtles.

Highly recommend a visit here. It is in the outskirts of Beijing which means it's managed much better. I only found one of those weirdly modern things that kind of ruin the whole atmosphere id they're placed everywhere like in other places, in final photo.

Highly recommend Beijing.

Chinese Name: 近日楼 , 丽正门.

Other Names: Jinri Building, Jinri Tower, Jinrilou.

Address: in between the East and West Temple Towers 东西寺塔 near South Ping Walking Street 南屏步行街, in Kunming, Yunnan province.

HISTORY: Jinri Building was built during the Ming Dynasty, in the 14th year of the Hongwu reign in 1381. Originally, it was called Chongzheng Gate 崇正门 and its tower was named Xiangming Tower 向明楼, symbolising the bright future for the southern part of the city. The building is also known as Lizhengmen 丽正门.

During the Qing Dynasty, Fan Chengxun 范承勋 believed the name was too closely tied to the Ming Dynasty and was inappropriate for the new Qing rule. The local people suggested to change the name to Jinri Building 近日楼, meaning “Building Close to the Sun”, as it was the tallest structure in Kunming (at the time).

In the 1950s, the Jinri Building was demolished to make way for the expansion of Dongfeng Road东风路, a major thoroughfare through Kunming. In 2002, the Kunming Municipal Government decided to rebuild the building and position it in a new location between the East and West Temple Towers 东西寺塔, approx 900m south of its original location.

ARCHITECTURE: Jinri Building measures approx 60m long, 40m wide and 20m tall. Back then, it was a grand and important structure standing on the south-north central axis of the old city. It was Kunming’s Southern Gate with a wall and tower. If you climb the stairs, on either side, you can wander around several long halls and peer down into the pedestrian street... you can see one of the towers in the distance!

East and West Temple Pagodas 东西寺塔

HISTORY: According to historical records, the East and West Temple Pagodas were both built during the 9^(th) Century, in the Tang Dynasty, Taihe three years (829 years), of the Nanzhao period 824-895 AD, and took 30 years to complete.

The West Pagoda, or Xisi Ta, is also known as Huiguang Temple Pagoda, stands on the west side of Dongsi Street. In 1984, the pagoda was repaired and a Nanzhao inscription “Apocalypse decade" (859) brick carving was discovered, proving when the Central Plains brick burning technology was introduced to Kunming.

The East Pagoda, or Dongsi Ta, is also known as Changle Temple Pagoda, is located on Shulin Street. It collapsed due to an earthquake in the 13th year of the Daoguang reign in the Qing Dynasty and was rebuilt in the 9th year of the Guangxu reign. In 1882, it was rebuilt on a new site hundreds of steps east of its original location.

ARCHITECTURE: each pagoda measures approx 40.5m tall and have 13-levels, square dense multi-eaves, hollow brick tower with wooden flooring and a staircase. The bricks of the pagoda are inscribed with Buddhist scriptures and incantations in Chinese and Sanskrit and the stamps of brick-makers = all invaluable relics. Each side of the pagodas also holds a Buddha niche housing stone Buddha statues.

At each of the four corners of the pagoda’s top stands a gilded copper Garuda about 2 meters high. The legend is that the roosters are enemies of dragons, so they help protect the pagodas and the city against storms. This symbolism goes all the way back to India, where Vishnu's bird-mount Garuda is often depicted as holding snakes in his beak.

In appearance and structure, the pagodas resemble the Small, Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an. The East and West Temple Pagodas are a nationally protected cultural heritage site. Unfortunately, you can no longer enter the pagodas –the door is locked...

NOTE: Photos 1, 2, 3 is of the West Temple Pagoda – I couldn’t take many photos as there was a group of woman dancing around the pagoda!

NOTE: Photos 4 to 12 are of the East Temple Pagoda.

NOTE: Photo 13, 14, 15 were found online...

NOTE: Last photo is of the Twin Pagodas of Miaozhan Temple 妙湛寺双塔, in Guandu Ancient Town, Kunming, Yunnan province. Its like a “replica”, or mini version, of the East and West Temple Pagodas.

These were first built in the fourth year of Taiding in the Yuan Dynasty (1327-1335). The West Tower was destroyed by an earthquake in the 13th year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty, that is, in 1833, leaving only the East Tower. The West Tower was rebuilt in 2001. These Twin Pagodas are approx 17.5m tall and have a square base with a side length of 5.5m.