Guiyuan Temple

A historic Buddhist temple in Wuhan's Hanyang district, founded in the seventeenth century during the transition from the Ming to the Qing dynasty and belonging to the Chan tradition. It is especially famous for its Hall of Five Hundred Arhats, where lifelike gilded statues of Buddhist saints, each with a distinct expression, line the galleries in long ranks. A large scripture library preserves rare texts and relics. Visitors count arhats by local custom to divine their fortune, burn incense in the busy courtyards and admire the carved halls.