Temple of Solitary Joy
| Dule Temple | |
|---|---|
Guanyin Pavilion
|
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Ji County, Tianjin |
| Geographic coordinates | 40°02′39″N 117°23′48″E / 40.04417°N 117.39667°ECoordinates: 40°02′39″N 117°23′48″E / 40.04417°N 117.39667°E |
| Affiliation | Buddhist |
| Province | Municipality of Tianjin |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Completed | 984 CE Liao Dynasty |
| Height (max) | 23 meters |
The Dule Temple (Chinese: ; pinyin: Dúlè Sì; literally: "Temple of Solitary Joy") is a Buddhist temple located in Jizhou District of suburban Tianjin, China. The temple is of historical as well as architectural significance. Its oldest surviving buildings are two timber-frame structures, the front gate and the central hall (pavilion) that houses a colossal clay statue of the goddess Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara). Both structures date back to the Liao Dynasty and are among the oldest surviving wooden buildings in China.
The origins of the Dule Temple date back at least to the early Tang Dynasty. However, no buildings from the Tang Dynasty era have survived on the site. The oldest buildings still in existence, the Shan Gate and the Guanyin Pavilion, were constructed during a renovation of the temple in the second year of Tonghe Emperor of the Liao Dynasty (984 AD). These buildings, both central features of the temple, were designed and constructed by local architects and craftsmen on the basis of the Tang architectural technology and carving techniques.
In 755, An Lushan held a rally in the Dule Temple at the onset of his rebellion against the Tang emperor. The name of the temple could be a reference to An Lushan, who was also known as An Dule. However, the name could also have originated from the Dule River that flows to northwest of the city, although it is not clear if the river's name predates that of the temple.
In 1928, a unit of soldiers commanded by warlord Sun Dianying was stationed in the Dule Temple and used the main hall as barracks. Sun Dianying and his troops were responsible for the looting of the nearby Eastern Qing Tombs. A leftover from the military occupation of the temple are bullet holes in the timber frames that were inflicted during target practice.
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