Expansion of Guangzhou Buddha Temple Undertaken

Source: english.gz.gov.cn

Recently religious personages proposed to the 3rd Session of the 13th Yuexiu District Committee of CPPCC (Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) that, given the fact that athletes and government officials from various countries holding religious beliefs would attend the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, Guangzhou should speed up the planning of the restoration of the Guangzhou Buddha Temple (Da Fo Si, in Chinese) in order to satisfy their needs for religious practices.

Shi Yaozhi, Abbot of Guangzhou Buddha Temple, told deputies present at the conference that the resettlement project (50% of which has already been done) would be completed within the year and the expansion would be scheduled for completion before the 2010 Asian Games. In all, the projects will cost about RMB 300 million which is composed of government financial support, bank loans and money collected by the temple.

The Guangzhou Buddha Temple, one of Guangzhou's great historic relics, was built over one thousand years ago. In its prime, the temple covered a large area from Beijing Lu in the east to Longcang Street in the west, and from Huifu Dong Lu in the south to Xihu Lu in the north.

The abbot said that, as a result of the expansion, the Guangzhou Buddha Temple would be twice as large as it was, covering about 12,000 square meters. Besides, the newly-built scenic spots around the Guangzhou Buddha Temple, the temple itself will open to visitors free of charge.

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Editor: Carrot Chan