On October 19, a representative from China News reported on the rich cultural heritage of Zhangye, Gansu Province, home to the renowned Dafo Temple, also known as the “Western Xia Temple.” This historical site, established during the first year of the Yong’an era of the Western Xia Dynasty, is an important landmark along the ancient Silk Road.
The Dafo Temple served as a royal Buddhist temple during the Western Xia period. Originally named “Kasyapa Tathagata Temple,” it is also referred to as the “Sleeping Buddha Temple” due to its centerpiece—a statue of the reclining Shakyamuni. In 1996, it was designated as a nationally significant cultural relic.
Visitors to the Dafo Temple often express amazement at its architecture. The temple complex is aligned along a central east-west axis, featuring a symmetrical arrangement of halls and pavilions. Among its ancient structures are the Mountain Gate, the Archway, the Reclining Buddha Hall, the Hall of All Saints, and the Sutra Pavilion.
Just behind the Mountain Gate and in front of the main hall stands the intricately designed Archway with its multi-layered roofs. Further along lies the Great Buddha Hall, featuring two stories with a hipped roof. Beautifully carved reliefs depicting Buddhist scriptures adorn both sides of the entrance.
Inside the Great Hall, visitors can find a magnificent clay figure of Shakyamuni in a reclining position, measuring 34.5 meters in length. Surrounding it are statues of the Eighteen Arhats on either side.
Wang Kang, director of the Zhangye Dafo Temple Cultural Relics Research Institute, recalls that the structures, sculptures, and murals of the temple have suffered varying degrees of damage over time, requiring multiple restorations. “In around 1987, the local government repaired the Great Buddha Hall and other buildings,” he explains. “Then from 2005 to 2007, we undertook a major restoration based on the principle of ‘repairing the old as the old.'”
Additionally, Wang mentioned an ongoing project aimed at digitizing immovable cultural relics. This involves comprehensive 3D scanning of the wooden structures, allowing for the preservation of relevant data. Once completed, this will create a digital archive of the Great Buddha Hall and other historic buildings.
“In the next phase, we plan to use the scanning and surveying data to establish a digital exhibition hall within the temple,” he elaborates. “This will enable visitors to learn about artifacts that are not easily visible, such as the Qing Dynasty murals on the second floor.”
Wang frequently encounters curious tourists who ask questions like why the reclining Buddha is hollow or what precious artifacts have been discovered within. With the advancement of digitization, many of these inquiries will soon have answers.
Today, the Dafo Temple stands as a serene and majestic structure, embodying a millennium of history. Wang emphasizes that preserving such a site is no small feat: “As cultural heritage protectors, we have a responsibility to continue our work, ensuring that China’s historical and cultural legacy is passed down for generations to come.”
