Quan Thanh Temple

Standing near West Lake, this Taoist temple dates in origin to the eleventh century and is dedicated to a deity regarded as a guardian of the northern approaches to the city. Its best-known feature is a massive black bronze statue of the guardian, cast in the seventeenth century and standing several metres tall, a remarkable feat of early metalworking. The shaded courtyard, ancient banyan trees and gilded altars create a contemplative atmosphere, pairing naturally with a stroll around the lakeside district.