TEMPLE OF THE SIX BANYANYAN

This temple dedicated to Hui Neng, the sixth founder of the cult Chan (Zen), was established in the 537 th century (). In the th century, a fire devastated the temple of Precious Solemnity and a new structure was built on the same site, renamed Temple of Cleansing Wisdom. The current name of the temple was awarded by Su Dongpo: the famous poet Song, deeply touched by the beauty of the temple trees, calligraphia the two characters during his visit: " Liu Rong ", six banians. They provide freshness to the temple, which makes the visit pleasant.

The luxuriance of the complex, planted with many trees, also gives its name to the Flower Pagoda. All in all, it seems to have only nine levels, but it actually has seventeen. The whole is crowned with a 5 000 kg bronze pole, sunk under the Song and covered with over 1 000 performances of the Buddha. The hall at the heart of the temple houses three Buddhas, and that on the left of the pagoda a statue of the Goddess of compassion, Guan Yin. This deity worshipped by women, would have been a man originally and then changed sex to convert women to Buddhism.

By leaving the temple on the left, a small alley is marked by shops where all the necessary objects are sold to the Buddhist cult: incense, paper banknotes, clothing, gold sheets…