The Temple of the Six Banyan Trees in Guangzhou is the ancient heart of the city, where history, poetry, and Buddhist faith intertwine. This complex, resembling a secluded garden in the center of a metropolis, is famous for its unique pagoda and its unusual name, gifted by one of China`s most famous poets.
Origin of the Name: Poetry over Botany
The temple`s name is a poetic metaphor, not a botanical fact. It was given not by a monk or an emperor, but by one of China`s greatest poets, Su Shi (Su Dongpo). Visiting the temple in 1100 during his exile to the south, he was captivated by six mighty banyan trees growing on its grounds. Their lush canopies, intertwined aerial roots, and evergreen foliage reminded him of immortality and vitality. Impressed, he wrote two calligraphic inscriptions: "Liu Rong" (Six Banyans). Since then, the temple, originally called the Temple of Auspicious Omens (Baozhuangyan), has been known by this poetic name, though today only three ancient banyans, planted in later times, can be seen on the grounds.
Foundation and Sacred Geography of the Site
The temple was founded in 537 AD, during the Liang Dynasty, by order of the powerful Emperor Wu, a fervent patron of Buddhism. The location was not chosen by chance: it is situated in the historic heart of the old city, west of the ancient city walls. This area was a sacred space long before the temple appeared.
Although there is no direct archaeological evidence that structures from the ancient Nanyue Kingdom (204–111 BC) stood on this exact spot, the Guangzhou area (then Panyu) was the capital of that kingdom. Thus, the temple stands on land steeped in ancient history, symbolically inheriting the role of a regional spiritual center that has existed here for over two millennia.
The Architectural Ensemble of the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees
1. At the Entrance: The Smiling Buddha and the Pagoda
Passing through the main gate, visitors are greeted not by traditional guardian figures but by a sculpture of Maitreya (the Future Buddha). This is a fat figure with a huge smiling face and a bare belly—a popular image in Chinese folk tradition representing joy, prosperity, and heartfelt simplicity. Behind his broad back soars the main treasure of the complex.
2. The Flower Pagoda (Hua Ta)
This architectural masterpiece, built in 1097 (Song Dynasty) on the site of an older pagoda, is a symbol of Guangzhou. Its uniqueness lies in its ephemeral beauty:
• Appearance: The pagoda, 57 meters high, appears not as stone but as if carved from ivory or sculpted from lace. Its octagonal form symbolizes the eight directions of celestial space in Buddhist cosmology.
• Structure: It is one of the few pagodas in China built on the principle of a "pagoda within a pagoda"—a brick inner core supports a wooden gallery with nine tiers of eaves. Each tier is adorned with carved brackets in the shape of lotus flowers and thousands of miniature Buddha figurines.
• Color and Symbolism: The pagoda shimmers with white and red glaze, resembling a giant flower stem, crowned with a gilded bronze column-spire and nine celestial disks—a symbol of ascension to nirvana. It embodies the concept of a Buddhist mandala and the axis of the world.
3. The Hall of the Three Buddhas (Da Xiong Bao Dian)
Located behind the pagoda, this is the spiritual center of the complex. Inside are three colossal statues of the Buddhas of the past, present, and future, covered in gold leaf. Their distinctive feature is a swastika (卍) on their chests. This is an ancient Indo-Buddhist symbol of well-being, eternity, happiness, and the boundless compassion of the Buddha. The symbol is oriented clockwise and is an integral attribute of the sacred image, having nothing to do with later negative connotations.
4. Other Key Pavilions and Sculptures
• Hall of the Sixth Patriarch: Dedicated to Huineng, the legendary Sixth Patriarch of the Chan (Zen) school, who was closely associated with Guangdong province. His bronze statue is kept here.
• Guanyin Pavilion: Dedicated to the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin), where believers pray for help.
• Stele with Su Shi`s Calligraphy: A stone slab with the carved characters of the poet that gave the temple its name.
• Banyan Garden and Pavilion: A quiet place for contemplation under the shade of modern banyan trees, planted in memory of the six legendary trees.
5. The Six Banyans: Symbolic Trees
In Buddhism and Chinese culture, the banyan is a symbol of vitality, shelter (the Buddha preached under its shade), longevity, and spiritual knowledge. The six trees seen by Su Shi became a living embodiment of these ideas. Although the original trees have not survived, their image, preserved in calligraphy and the name, continues to personify the temple`s unfading spiritual vitality, its ability to endure through the centuries, like an evergreen banyan. The temple is named not after specific plants, but after the poetic ideal of eternal wisdom and rootedness in truth that they symbolize.
The Temple of the Six Banyan Trees in Guangzhou is a historical and spiritual site of the city that has been active for almost 1500 years. The temple is a quiet oasis in the center of a modern metropolis where one can learn about ancient Buddhist culture and the history of Guangzhou.
