Guiyuan Temple in Wuhan

Built at the junction of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, this temple has 28 halls and pavilions. The main structures-the Hall of Mahavira, the Repository of Buddhist Scriptures, and the Hall of Arhats-are known for their magnificent style and exquisite workmanship, all characteristic of the Buddhist buildings in south China. The 500 statues in the Hall of Arhats are all life-like, each assuming a stature of its own. The Repository of Buddhist Scriptures contains one of the few complete sutras found in China, the Qing Dynasty edition of the Chinese Tripitaka stored in 48 big cabinets.