With a history of over 1000 years, this temple is one of the primary Buddhist sites in Kunming. It was built at a time when all of Yunnan belonged to a vast Thai empire, the Nanzhao Kingdom. The Nanzhao King Yimou Xun had it built from the years 780 to 807 and named it the Putuoluo Temple. During the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), after the Nanzhao Kingdom had fallen and Yunnan was under the jurisdiction of China, the temple's name was changed to Yuantong. It has undergone a series of renovations since then.
Today, the temple sits on the street of the same name, surrounded by shops selling such Buddhist wares as incense and porcelain figurines. The grounds open onto a pond populated by goldfish and turtles, bordered by more shops. At the back of the complex, tucked between the main building and Yuantong Hill, is a hall to the Buddha Sakyamuni, a gift from the king of Thailand. This hall displays the features of traditional Thai architecture, and the entrance is flanked by two marble guardians. It's common to see pilgrims rub these guardians, then their own corresponding body parts as a way to protect themselves against illness.
In a room to the left of the temple's main entrance is an exhibit of pictures taken by the French photographer Auguste Francois, who was in Kunming at the end of the Qing Dynasty. These pictures show what the temple looked like at that time; modern renovation is strikingly in keeping with what the pictures show.
Address: No.2, Wuyi Road, Kunming
Ticket price: 2 yuan (US$0.3)
Open Time: 8:00 ? 17:00
Tel: 0871-5154552
Transportation: Take bus either 85 or 101 bus to the temple. Bus 4, 5, 26 are accessible by get off at Yishu Juyuan too.
(china.org.cn April 2, 2003)
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