Xiangguo Temple in Kaifeng

The Temple was built in 555 AD in the reign of Emperor Tian Bao of the Northern Qi Dynasty and rebuilt in 711AD in the reign of Emperor Jing Yun of the Tang Dynasty. One night, Emperor Rui saw in a dream the Buddha in the temple. He took this for a good omen and named the temple "Xiangguo."The Emperor had been the Prince of Xiang before ascending to the throne. The existing building was rebuilt in 1766 in the reign of Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty. There are two halls for "Celestial Emperors," the "Hall of Mahavira," the glazed tiled octagonal "Pavilion of Bodhisattva" and the "Pavilion of Dizang Buddha."The multi handed Guanyin Bodhisattva standing more than six meters high, was carved out of a ginkgo tree. Her entire body is covered with gold and there is an eyein each of the thousand hands. There used to be a bell tower. It has now been rebuilt into a pavilion, containing a bronze bell weighing hve tons cast in1768 in the Qing Dynasty."The Fros tBell of Xiangguo" is one of Kaifeng's eight tourist attractions.