Yunmen Temple

Updated 2026-05-27

The birthplace of one of the Five Major Schools of Chinese Chan Buddhism.

Hidden in the Yunmen Mountain in Shaoguan, Yunmen Temple is one of Guangdong’s key Buddhist temples. With a history of more than 1,000 years, it is best known as the birthplace of the Yunmen School of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, one of the five major schools of Chinese Chan Buddhism.
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The temple complex is arranged along a southwest axis and consists of the Front Hall, the Main Hall, and the Guanyin Hall. Grand yet elegant, the architecture reflects the refined and delicate style of traditional Lingnan temple design.

The entrance hall serves as the Mountain Gate, flanked by the Dragon King Temple on the right and the Earth God Temple on the left. Inside the Main Hall, in front of the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni, stand two treasured white jade Buddha statues (one standing and one reclining.) Both were carved from pure Burmese white jade, smooth texture and lifelike appearance.
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One of the temple’s most remarkable artistic features is the large-scale colored porcelain Buddhist mural surrounding three sides of the Main Hall. Measuring 24 meters long and 4 meters high, it is currently regarded as the only large-scale colored porcelain Buddhist mural of its kind in a Chinese temple.

Yunmen Temple is not only an important religious site, but also a place where visitors can appreciate the spiritual heritage, artistry, and architectural beauty of Lingnan Buddhism.

#### Photo by 云门山大觉禅寺 Yunmen Website
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