Hualin Temple

The Hualin Temple, which dates back more than 1,400 years, is considered the cradle of Buddhism in China. It is located in the southwestern part of the city.

The temple was founded in 526 by Bodhidharma, who arrived by ship to preach the "word of the Buddha", but in the Qing era was rebuilt and expanded. It was one of the five largest Buddhist temples in Guangzhou and was of great importance for cultural exchange between China and India.

In front of the entrance to the temple are two stone lions and drums. Inside the temple you can see the hall with the image of 500 saints - arhats. Near the altar is a figure of a man in a wide-brimmed hat. According to some sources, it is believed that this is the prototype of Marco Polo, who, on the orders of the emperor, inspected various cities in China.