Wofo Temple (Temple of Recumbent Buddha)

Located in Wofosi Road, Haidian District and at the south foot of Shouniu Mountain east of Fragrant Hills, the Temple of Recumbent Buddha (Wofo Temple) was founded during the reign of Emperor Zhen Guan of the Tang Dynasty (627-650). After that, it was devastated and rebuilt several times in history with many names designated. As the temple had a rosewood recumbent statue of Buddha housed in as early as Tang Dynasty, and later another giant bronze nirvana statue of Sakyamuni cast in the Yuan Dynasty housed, it is commonly called the Temple of Recumbent Buddha. The temple was enlarged under the Yuan dynasty, when 50 tons of copper were melted to cast the reclining statue of Buddha, with 7,000 workmen toiling year in year out on the project. It was completed in 1331 and rebuilt again in the Qing dynasty(1734).

The essence of the temple is the Hall of Recumbent Buddha where a bronze nirvana statue of Sakyamuni is enshrined, which is 5.2 metres long, and in a sleeping pose. Around the back of the Buddha are twelve figures of perfect enlightenment Buddha. This group of Buddha statues reflects the scene that Sakyamuni was telling his disciples what to do after his nirvana ('nirvana' means the ineffable ultimate in which one has attained disinterested wisdom and compassion in Buddhism.), while all the twelve disciples appeared to be grieving. To make the setting conform to the story, the temple has a few bodhi trees, which are believed to have come from India. The bodhi tree has long, narrow, dark-green leaves, and its white flowers blossom during late spring and early sunrmer, resembling myriads of little white jade pagodas hanging upside down amidst the dark leaves, making a wonderful sight. As recorded in the History of Yuan Dynasty, 7000 workmen were employed to make this statue with 25t bronze. The Temple of Recumbent Buddha is a national cultural heritage under special protection.