Octagon Temple in Jingzhen, typical buddhism temple in xishuangbanan

Transport information:
Jingzhen is in the west of Xishuangbanna. It is takes almost 2 hours to get there.Need change public bus at Menghai.

Octagon Temple in Jingzhen lies in Jingzhen Village, Menhai county. The temple gets name from the place and its shape, and it is on the top of Xiaotun Hill of Jingzhen Plain.

The temple is a Buddhist architecture. It is recorded by Jingzhen historical book " Bogang" in Dai that it was built by Ting Bangjiao, a buddhist monk, under the help of He Mengmian( Han people in Puer county). The temple is a crystallization of two nationalities' wisdom.

The temple, with a history of about 300 years, was built in 1701 and renovated four times. Local Dai people call it "BoSu Jingzhen","BoSu" means lotus flower on top of the crown, "BoSu Jingzhen" means lotus flower on top of the crown(Buddha octagon temple) of Jingzhen. It is now national protected cultural monument.

It is said the local people wanted to pay honour to the Budda, so that they built the temple according to the shape of his golden cap. The temple is comlosed of three parts; the base made of brick, the body made of wood, and the top. It is more than 20 metres in height with 31 sides and 32 angles. There are many delicate golden pictures and patterns in and out the temple. On the wall, there are elephants, lions, tigers, cows, horses and other animals relief. The temple house, made of 24 walls, enshrines a copper figure of Buddha. The top structure of the temple is novel and beautiful . The fantastic eight-sectioned, ten-tiered roof rises steeply to a round cupola, topped by a 4-metre high iron pole.There is a small banner on the top of the iron pole and many dangling copper bells are around the roof. when the breeze pass , these copper bells are singing beautifully.

The main room with East, South, West and North four doors, were painted ethnic characteristics of the pattern on the surface. The main entrance is arch. On the arch top with volume shrine dedicated a copper buddha statue. On 2 red doors, carved a Dai-style Sunflower and a dragons twisted tail pattern. In front of the door,there is wooden ladder attached to stone steps, each side of the steps with a lion and a dragon.

The Dai people living around come to the Octagon Temple to spend close-door-festival every year. They will stay 2 days in the temple and do praying and chantting "Amitabha" sometimes.

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