Wenshu Monastery
文殊院
The “First Chan Monastery of Western Sichuan.” Its Qing-dynasty timber halls are well preserved, and the tea garden and vegetarian meals inside are favourite slow-paced spots for Chengdu locals.
Wenshu Monastery was first built during the Sui dynasty under the name Xinxiang Temple. The existing halls were rebuilt during the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty. Along the central axis are the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the Hall of the Three Great Bodhisattvas, the Mahavira Hall, the Lecture Hall and the Sutra Library. The monastery preserves the Thousand Buddhas and Peace Pagoda along with many Buddhist relics. Admission is free (ID required). The tea garden charges a dozen-odd yuan per lidded tea bowl, and the vegetarian canteen's noodles and vegetable buns are popular. Outside the gate, Wenshu Fang is a faux-antique commercial street serving Sichuan snacks. It is about a 5-minute walk from Wenshu Monastery station on Metro Line 1, and it is good to combine with Kuanzhai Alley and People's Park for a half-day outing.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:30
Nearby sights
- Sichuan Science and Technology Museum
- Jinjiang Theatre (Sichuan Opera)
- Tianfu Square
- Shaocheng Neighborhood (Kuixinglou Street & Paotongshu Street)
- Chengdu Museum
- Chunxi Road / Taikoo Li
- Kuanzhai Alley
- Daci Temple