The photos showed how the 1,000-year-old hall was destroyed by the flames. On the third photo, the hall had disappeared.

"Only a few charred pillars remained standing after the fire was put out," said "Pleasant Afternoon", who took the pictures from his apartment in a high-rise overlooking the temple.

Though the fire bureau spokesman said the cause of the fire was still under investigation, Internet users widely speculated the blaze was started by fireworks.

The posting by "Pleasant Afternoon" was followed by dozens of comments bombarding fireworks. "Fireworks should be banned in downtown areas," many comments read.

The debate over whether festive explosives should be allowed has continued for at least two decades in China. Many big cities, including Beijing, banned fireworks in the mid 1990s, but were later forced to lift the ban by enthusiasts who claimed fireworks were an "inalienable part of Chinese culture."

Fuzhou's Fahai Temple was built in 945 and houses a large number of ancient Buddhist scriptures that are recognized as national treasures.