Luohan Temple

This is a 1,000-year old Buddhist temple built during the Song dynasty. The word Luohan is equivalent to “arhat,” a Sanskrit word that means a holy man living in peace without earthly desires to attain total happiness or nirvana. The temple, which was rebuilt twice in 1752 and 1945, is popular in China as a place for worship and penance. It also serves as a home to small community of monks in Chongqing.

Luohan Temple is one of the very few temples that survived the bombings in 1940. It serves as a silent, peaceful oasis in the middle of the city were tall buildings can be found everywhere.

Currently, it stands proudly in the middle of the area that was cleared for more constructions. Travelers and worshippers can grab a dash of tranquility there amidst the bustling city.

Attractions

One of the popular attractions there is the 500 life-sized figures of Buddhist holy men made of clay. They can be found in the Arhat Temple. These figures are exquisitely made. Many devotees go to pray. When visiting the temple, you will need to abide by strict rules about photography.
Other art treasure that you can expect to see are 16 Mahakasyapa Statues, the statue of the holy triad, several tripitaka, and Tibetan and Sanskrit sutra found in the scriptorium. There are also old paintings from Ming and Tang Dynasties and ancient books.

The temple has over 10 places for worship where you can find devotees praying. Taking pictures on these places is allowed. The only place where photography is strictly prohibited is the place for the Arhat statues.

Other attractions include the Stele Kiosk of the Ming Dynasty, Four Guardians of the World, and Buddhist inscriptions from the Song Dynasty. Once inside the temple, visitors can quickly find the imposing Sakyamuni Hall, Depository of Buddhist text, and the Meditation room where they can pray.

On the temple grounds, visitors can find shops offering inexpensive tea and vegetarian dishes. There are also shops selling candles and incense.

To allow visitors to experience serenity and tranquility, they have the option to stay at the parlor within the temple grounds. This will allow them to experience different but peaceful life.

Address: No.7 Luohansi Street, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400011, China
Phone number: 023-63700786
Entrance fee: CNY10/person
Hours: Daily 08:00-17:00
How to get there: Take the CRT Line 1 to the Xiaoshenzi Station or take bus 103、104, 105, 112, 122