WEST GARDEN TEMPLE

The temple was originally established under the reign of Zhiyuan (1276-1294). Under the Ming, Xu Mr, a senior official of Emperor Jiaqing (1522-1566) bought him to settle there and made it the western garden. His son actually donated to a Buddhist sect that was renamed the Disciplines des Disciplines in 1635, commonly known as the West garden temple. The whole set was burned in 1860 and its renovation lasted more than thirty years (1869-1903). The Arhats Hall, which is the current renown of the temple is part of this last reconstruction: it consists of 48 pieces arranged in eight diagrams, the centre of which is occupied by the four sacred mountains of Buddhism. The group of 500 arhats is a highly appreciated artwork in China.