Dule Temple is located in Jizhou District, Tianjin. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction and one of the famous existing ancient Buddhist temples in China. The scenic spot is renowned for its long history, unique architectural style of the Liao Dynasty, and profound cultural heritage, serving as an important material relic for the study of ancient Chinese architectural history and Buddhist culture. Dule Temple covers an area of approximately 16,000 square meters. The existing Mountain Gate and Guanyin Pavilion in the temple are buildings from the Liao Dynasty, with a history of nearly a thousand years. Among them, the Guanyin Pavilion is one of the oldest existing wooden pavilion-style buildings in China, and the Mountain Gate is the earliest existing hip-and-gable roof mountain gate in China. Both demonstrate superb ancient architectural techniques and possess extremely high historical and artistic value.
History and Culture
The history of Dule Temple can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. According to historical records, it was first built in the 10th year of Zhenguan of Emperor Taizong of Tang (636 AD). However, the existing main buildings, Shanmen and Guanyin Pavilion, were rebuilt in the 2nd year of Tonghe of Emperor Shengzong of Liao (984 AD), presided over by Han Kuangsi of Jizhou. There are different opinions on the origin of the temple's name "Dule". One says it was named because An Lushan rebelled against the Tang Dynasty here and wanted to "enjoy alone". Another view holds that it means "enjoying one's own joy", which is related to Buddhist practice.
During the long historical process, Dule Temple has undergone many renovations. There were renovations to varying degrees in the Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty, and modern times, but the main buildings still retain the architectural style of the Liao Dynasty. In 1961, Dule Temple was announced by the State Council as one of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units. Its architectural layout and structure play an irreplaceable role in the study of Liao Dynasty architectural technology, Buddhist art, and the history and culture of northern China. The sculptures and murals in the temple also reflect the artistic standards and religious beliefs of that time.
Main Attractions
Shanmen (Mountain Gate)
Shanmen is the entrance of Dule Temple, a building from the Liao Dynasty. It has three bays in width, two bays in depth, and is about 10 meters high, with a hùdiàndǐng (hip-and-gable roof) design, making it the earliest existing hùdiàndǐng mountain gate in China. The roof is covered with blue tiles, and both ends of the main ridge are decorated with chiwen (mythical animal ornaments), with a simple and heavy shape. Inside Shanmen, there stand two tall statues of Heavenly Kings on both sides, known as "Heng and Ha Erjiang" (the two vajras). They are both colored sculptures from the Liao Dynasty, about 4.5 meters high, with a majestic and imposing manner, and are among the earlier existing Heavenly King statues in China. The architectural structure of Shanmen adopts a beam-lifting frame, with large and sparsely arranged brackets, embodying the typical characteristics of Liao Dynasty architecture.
Guanyin Pavilion
Guanyin Pavilion is the core building of Dule Temple, a wooden pavilion-style building from the Liao Dynasty. It is 23 meters high, with five bays in width and four bays in depth. It has two floors in appearance but actually three floors inside, adopting the "two floors in appearance, three floors in interior" structure. The pavilion houses a 16.08-meter-high clay sculpture of the Eleven-faced Guanyin, one of the largest existing clay sculptures in China. The Guanyin statue has ten small heads on its head, totaling eleven faces together with its own, hence the name. The interior of the statue is a wooden frame, and the exterior is covered with clay, with an elegant shape and a solemn manner. The architectural structure of Guanyin Pavilion is exquisite, using a variety of bracket combinations, totaling 24 types, which are stacked layer by layer. They are not only beautiful but also play a load-bearing role. Having survived many earthquakes intact, it demonstrates the extraordinary wisdom and skills of ancient architects and is a model of ancient Chinese wooden architecture.
Weituo Pavilion
Weituo Pavilion is located to the north of Guanyin Pavilion, a building from the Ming Dynasty. It is a small pavilion with a four-cornered pyramidal roof, about 8 meters high. The pavilion enshrines a statue of Weituo, who is a Dharma protector in Buddhism, holding a vajra pestle with a solemn manner. The architectural style of Weituo Pavilion is simple and bright, forming a contrast with the simple and heavy style of Shanmen and Guanyin Pavilion, enriching the architectural layout of the temple.
Bao'en Courtyard
Bao'en Courtyard is located in the northeast of Dule Temple. It was an expansion of the original temple during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, consisting of buildings such as a screen wall, a mountain gate, a front hall, and a back hall, with a quadrangle layout. Most of the buildings in the courtyard have a yingshanding (gable roof), reflecting the stylistic characteristics of Qing Dynasty architecture. Bao'en Courtyard was once a place where monks in the temple lived and carried out activities, and now it is also open to tourists as part of the display of Dule Temple's history and culture.
Local Cuisine
Jizhou Wantuo
Jizhou Wantuo is a local specialty snack, with buckwheat flour as the main ingredient. When making it, buckwheat flour is mixed into a paste, put into a bowl, steamed, cooled, demoulded, and cut into small pieces. It can be eaten cold or fried. When eaten cold, it is mixed with seasonings such as mashed garlic, vinegar, and chili oil, with a smooth and chewy texture; when fried, it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a rich aroma. It is one of the delicacies that tourists often taste around Dule Temple.
Gezhehe
Gezhehe is a traditional flavor snack in Jizhou, Tianjin, with a long history of production. It mainly uses mung bean flour, mixed with an appropriate amount of wheat flour. The batter is made into a thin pancake, which is then cut into rhombus-shaped pieces and fried in oil until golden and crispy. Gezhehe can be eaten directly or used in stir-fries. It has a crispy texture and a rich flavor, and is deeply loved by locals and tourists.
Tiebingzi (Sticky Pancakes)
Tiebingzi is a common farmhouse food in northern China, and it is also popular in Jizhou area. It is mainly made of corn flour, with an appropriate amount of water and salt added, kneaded into dough, and then stuck to the inner wall of an iron pot. Usually, there are dishes or porridge cooked at the bottom of the pot, and the pancakes are steamed by the heat in the pot. The bottom of Tiebingzi is crispy, the top is soft, with the fragrance of corn, and it tastes very authentic when eaten with local stews.
Tickets
The ticket price is 33 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "天津市蓟州区文化遗产保护中心" to get the latest updates or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours will be adjusted according to the season. In summer (April 1st - October 31st), the opening hours are 8:00 - 18:00; in winter (November 1st - March 31st of the next year), the opening hours are 8:30 - 17:00. The ticket sales stop one hour before closing. Tourists need to arrange their time reasonably to visit.
Tour Route
After entering Dule Temple, tourists can first enter through Shanmen, appreciate the Liao Dynasty architectural style of Shanmen and the statues of "Heng and Ha Erjiang", and stay for about 20 minutes; then go to the core building Guanyin Pavilion, carefully admire the Eleven-faced Guanyin statue and the exquisite architectural structure inside the pavilion, and it is recommended to stay for 40-60 minutes; after leaving Guanyin Pavilion, you can go to Weituo Pavilion to the north to visit the Weituo statue, which takes about 10 minutes; then go to Bao'en Courtyard in the northeast to feel the architectural style of the Qing Dynasty and learn about the living scenes of monks in the temple, staying for about 30 minutes. The entire tour takes about 2-3 hours, and tourists can adjust the staying time at each attraction according to their own interests.
Transportation
- Bus: In Jizhou District, you can take bus lines such as Jizhou Line 1 and Jizhou Line 2, get off at "Dule Temple" station, and walk to the scenic spot.
- Self-driving: Starting from downtown Tianjin, you can drive along Jinji Expressway, get off at Jizhou Urban Area Exit, follow the navigation instructions to Dule Temple, and there are parking lots around the scenic spot for parking.
- Train: After arriving at Jizhou Station by lines such as Jingqin Railway, you can transfer to local buses or taxis to Dule Temple, which is about 5 kilometers away, and the taxi ride takes about 15 minutes.
Must-visit Attractions
- Guanyin Pavilion: One of the oldest existing wooden pavilion-style buildings in China, 23 meters high, with a 16.08-meter-high Eleven-faced Guanyin statue inside. It has an exquisite architectural structure and a variety of brackets, being the core attraction of Dule Temple, demonstrating the superb architectural and sculptural art of the Liao Dynasty.
- Shanmen: The earliest existing hùdiàndǐng (hip-and-gable roof) mountain gate in China, a building from the Liao Dynasty, with three bays in width, two bays in depth, and about 10 meters high. There are 4.5-meter-high Liao Dynasty colored sculptures of "Heng and Ha Erjiang" inside, with important historical and artistic value.
Tour Suggestions
- It is recommended to arrange the tour time in the morning, when the light is suitable for viewing architectural details and taking photos.
- Before visiting, you can check relevant materials to learn about the historical background and architectural knowledge of Dule Temple, so as to better understand the connotation of the scenic spot.
- There is a guide service in the scenic spot, which can be chosen according to needs. The guide fee is about 50 yuan per time, allowing you to have an in-depth understanding of the stories of various buildings and cultural relics.
- There are also attractions such as Jizhou Confucian Temple and White Pagoda Temple nearby. You can plan a one-day tour to visit them together to enrich your itinerary.
Notes
- Smoking, spitting, and littering are prohibited in the scenic spot. It is necessary to protect cultural relics and buildings, and not touch or carve statues and murals.
- Entering the temple, you should keep quiet, respect religious beliefs and customs, and not make noise or play around.
- Pay attention to sun protection when visiting in summer and keep warm in winter. Comfortable shoes are helpful for better visiting the scenic spot.
- Abide by the opening hours of the scenic spot, plan your itinerary in advance, and avoid missing the visiting time.
- Some areas in the scenic spot may be narrow. When there are many tourists, pay attention to safety and visit in order.