Yuantong Temple
圆通寺
Kunming's oldest and largest Buddhist temple, with over 1,200 years of history. Built into the hillside, with halls surrounding a pond for releasing animals, it houses Han, Tibetan, and Theravada Buddhist halls under one roof.
Yuantong Temple lies at the foot of Yuantong Hill, in the northern part of the old city. It was founded during the Nanzhao period of the Tang dynasty (around the 8th to 9th centuries) under the name Butuoluo Temple, rebuilt during the Dade era of the Yuan dynasty, and renamed. It is Kunming's oldest and largest Buddhist temple and the seat of the Yunnan Buddhist Association. Its layout is unusual: rather than rising from low to high, it descends the slope from the mountain gate, and the first thing inside is a large pond for releasing living creatures. An octagonal pavilion stands in the middle of the water in front of Yuantong Hall, surrounded by covered walkways, like a garden. Highlights include Yuantong Hall, a Qing-era building whose interior has Ming-era clay sculptures of the 500 arhats and two dragons coiling around pillars; the octagonal pavilion and the pond; the Copper Buddha Hall, which houses a bronze Shakyamuni statue donated by Thai Buddhist circles in 1985, in Theravada style; the Tibetan Buddhist hall, which enshrines Shakyamuni and Tsongkhapa, a rare case in Kunming of three Buddhist traditions sharing one temple; and the cliff carvings behind the temple, along with Yuantong Hill itself. Admission is about 6 yuan, one of the cheapest sights in Kunming. A visit takes 45 minutes to an hour. Combine it with Green Lake, Yuantong Hill Zoo (cherry blossoms in March), and Yunnan University for a half-day outing. Getting there: Metro Line 2 or 3 to Dongfeng Square station, or Line 3 to Panjiawan station, then a 15-minute walk; buses 4, 59, and 74 stop at Yuantong Hill station. Note: the temple is busy with worshippers. Don't bring your own incense or candles, since they're provided on site. Photography is not allowed inside the halls. The old snack shops on Yuantong Street and Green Lake North Road are nearby.
Opening hours
08:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Yuantong Hill (Kunming Zoo)
- Green Lake Park (Cuihu)
- Yunnan University (Donglu Campus)
- Yunnan Railway Museum
- Yunnan Military Academy
- Wenlin Street & Wenhua Lane
- Kunming Old Street (Wenming Street)
- Jingxing Flower and Bird Market