Our answer
Chengdu’s city-centre monastery 文殊院
Founded in the Sui dynasty, rebuilt under the Kangxi Emperor and named after Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom
The short answer
Wenshu Monastery (文殊院, Wénshū Yuàn) is a Buddhist monastery in Qingyang District, central Chengdu, Sichuan, served by Wenshu Monastery station on Metro Line 1. First built in the Sui dynasty and rebuilt from 1697, it is named after Manjushri and is known for its Qing halls, its relics and its Laba porridge.
| In Chinese | 文殊院 (Wénshū Yuàn), ‘Manjushri Monastery’; also called 空林堂 (Kōnglín Táng) |
|---|---|
| Where | Qingyang District, Chengdu, Sichuan province |
| Founded | Sui dynasty, Daye period (605–617); rebuilt 1697–1706 |
| Known for | Qing-era halls, Buddhist relics, free Laba porridge every winter |
| Getting there | Wenshu Monastery station, Chengdu Metro Line 1 |
| Main hall | Mahavira Hall, 10.56 m high, with statues cast in 1829 |
History of Wenshu Monastery
The monastery has had several names. It took its present one in the late 17th century.[1][2]
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Sui dynasty, Daye period (605–617) | The first temple, Xinxiang Temple (信相寺), is built. Tradition says a favourite consort of Yang Xiu, Prince of Shu and a son of Emperor Wen of Sui, founded it for a nun named Xinxiang. |
| Five Dynasties (907–960) | Renamed Miaoyuan Tayuan (妙圆塔院). |
| Song dynasty (960–1279) | The name Xinxiang Temple returns. |
| End of the Ming dynasty | The temple burns down. Only ten iron guardian statues and two ancient China fir trees survive. |
| 1681 | The Chan master Cidu (慈笃) builds a thatched hut on the ruins to meditate; the place becomes known as Wenshu Temple. |
| 1697–1706 | The monastery is rebuilt on the old site and named Wenshu Yuan. In 1702 the Kangxi Emperor presents a plaque reading ‘Konglin’ (空林), the source of its other name, Konglin Tang. |
| 1796–1850 | Abbot Benyuan enlarges the monastery during the Jiaqing and Daoguang reigns. |
The halls, in order
The monastery faces south, with its main halls set one behind another on a central axis, the classic plan explained in our guide to Chinese temples. The complex also has a bell tower and a drum tower.[1][2]
- 1
Hall of the Heavenly Kings
The Laughing Buddha, Maitreya, faces the entrance, with Weituo (Skanda) behind him and the Four Heavenly Kings on either side.
- 2
Hall of the Three Sages of the West (三大士殿)
Amitabha Buddha with the bodhisattvas Guanyin and Mahasthamaprapta.
- 3
Mahavira Hall (大雄宝殿)
The main hall, 10.56 m high. Shakyamuni sits flanked by his disciples Ananda and Kashyapa, in statues cast in 1829. Chinese Wikipedia notes a jade Buddha brought from Myanmar among the hall’s treasures.
- 4
Dharma Hall (说法堂)
Dedicated to the Medicine Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru, with the Twelve Heavenly Generals on either side.
- 5
Sutra Library (藏经楼)
The library of Buddhist scriptures at the rear of the axis. The monastery also has a Manjushri Pavilion, a corridor of stone steles and gardens.
Relics and treasures
Chinese tradition counts ‘eight sights of Konglin’ among the monastery’s treasures. Among the best known:
- A relic of the Buddha: a finger bone of Shakyamuni, brought from Bodh Gaya in India by the master Nenghai.
- A relic of Xuanzang: part of the skull of the Tang monk Xuanzang, the pilgrim of *Journey to the West*, which came from Bao’en Temple in Nanjing. Xuanzang himself was ordained in Chengdu, at Daci Temple, and tradition says he stayed at the old Xinxiang Temple for five years.
- Consort Tian’s kasaya: a monk’s robe embroidered, tradition says, by Consort Tian, favourite of the last Ming emperor, Chongzhen.
- Scriptures written in blood: four Buddhist sutras written with blood from the tongue, an old act of devotion.
- The iron guardians: the ten iron statues that survived the late-Ming fire.
Laba porridge at Wenshu Monastery
Wenshu Monastery’s best-known custom comes in midwinter. On Laba, the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month and a prelude to Chinese New Year, the monastery gives out free porridge, as it has done for more than 300 years. Thousands of Chengdu residents and visitors queue for it; in 2025 more than a dozen chefs started cooking early in the morning, taking turns so it would be served hot.
Laba fell on 7 January in 2025 and on 26 January in 2026. Eating Laba porridge on the day is a long-standing custom in Chengdu.[4][5]
Questions readers ask
Where is Wenshu Monastery?
In Qingyang District, in the centre of Chengdu, Sichuan province. It has its own metro stop, Wenshu Monastery station on Line 1.
How do I get to Wenshu Monastery?
By metro: take Chengdu Metro Line 1 to Wenshu Monastery station, on Renmin Road North, and walk from there.
How old is Wenshu Monastery?
The first temple on the site was built in the Sui dynasty, in the Daye period (605–617). Today’s buildings date from a rebuilding that began in 1697, after the old temple burned down at the end of the Ming dynasty.
Who is Wenshu?
Wenshu (文殊) is the Chinese name of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom, so Wenshu Yuan means Manjushri Monastery. Read more about [Buddhist gods and bodhisattvas](/culture/buddhism-in-china/buddhist-gods).
What is Wenshu Monastery famous for?
Its Qing-era halls in the middle of the city, its relics, including a finger-bone relic of the Buddha and part of the skull of the monk Xuanzang, and the free Laba porridge it has given out every winter for more than 300 years.
When does Wenshu Monastery give out Laba porridge?
On the Laba Festival, the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, usually in January. In 2026 it fell on 26 January. Expect long queues.
Is Wenshu Monastery a real working temple?
Yes. It is an active Buddhist monastery with resident monks, as well as a sight for visitors. Read more about the [daily life of Chinese monks](/culture/buddhism-in-china/monks).
Sources
- Wikipedia, Wenshu Temple (Chengdu) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Chinese Wikipedia, 文殊院 (Wenshu Monastery, in Chinese) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Wenshu Monastery station · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- China Daily, Wenshu Monastery celebrates Laba Festival with free porridge (7 January 2025) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- China Daily, Thousands enjoy freshly cooked laba porridge in Sichuan (26 January 2026) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- CGTN, Landmark alley a witness of Chengdu history (31 May 2023) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Chengdu Bendibao, Wenshu Monastery visitor guide (24 November 2012, in Chinese) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
Update log. 1 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 1 February 2027. Suggest a correction