Temple of the Six Banyan Trees Religious Site

Address: Liurong Temple (Temple of the Six Banyan Trees), Liurong neighborhood, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

The Temple of the Six Banyan Trees, known in Chinese as Liurong Temple, is a historic Buddhist temple in Guangzhou, Guangdong, with origins traditionally dated to 537 AD. Its long history and rebuilt pagoda make it a major historic religious site in the city.

The complex’s most striking feature is the multi-storey octagonal pagoda commonly called the “Flower Pagoda”, which has been rebuilt and altered over successive dynasties and is visible across the surrounding urban area. Visitors also see halls, courtyards and traditional Buddhist statuary arranged along a central axis.

The temple was founded in the 6th century and has undergone multiple reconstructions, repairs and enlargements in later dynasties, preserving an architectural record of Chinese Buddhist temple building. It has remained an active place of worship while also serving as a heritage site.

Liurong Temple stands in the Yuexiu district of central Guangzhou, close to major city roads and public transport, and is one of the city’s principal historic temples.

• Founding date: Founded in 537 AD, making it one of Guangzhou’s oldest surviving Buddhist sites with a continuous history of rebuilding and repair.
• Location: Located in central Guangzhou and noted for its principal pagoda and a cloistered temple complex that displays Chinese Buddhist architecture across several dynastic periods.

What to See#

• Flower Pagoda: An octagonal multi-storey brick tower rebuilt in later dynasties and locally known as the “Flower Pagoda”, serving as the temple’s most visible landmark.

• Visit early in the morning on a weekday when the temple is quiet - this gives you the best chance to enjoy the Flower Pagoda (the temple's iconic multi‑storied pagoda) and the tranquil courtyard without tour‑group congestion.
• Make time to study the pagoda and interior carvings rather than only the outer courtyard; many visitors breeze past the temple halls that contain historic statues and plaques explaining the site's history.