Our answer
China’s first Buddhist temple, by tradition 白马寺
A working monastery east of Luoyang whose grounds now include Indian, Thai and Myanmar-style shrines
The short answer
The White Horse Temple (白马寺, Báimǎ Sì) is a Buddhist monastery about 12–13 km east of Luoyang, Henan, held by tradition to be China’s first Buddhist temple, founded in 68 CE. Visit for its halls and stone horses, the Jin-dynasty Qiyun Pagoda, and shrines built in Indian, Thai and Myanmar styles.
| In Chinese | 白马寺 (Báimǎ Sì), ‘White Horse Temple’ |
|---|---|
| Where | About 12–13 km east of Luoyang, Henan province, just outside the walls of the old Eastern Han capital |
| Founded | 68 CE according to tradition, under Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han |
| Known for | The founding legend of Chinese Buddhism, its stone horses, and shrines in Indian, Thai and Myanmar styles |
| Size | About 13 hectares (200 mu), facing south |
| Getting there | City bus or taxi from central Luoyang; Wikipedia gives bus No. 56 from Luoyang railway station, about 40 minutes |
The founding story, and what historians say
Our guide to Chinese temples tells the short version: Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han dreamed of a tall golden man, was told it was the Buddha, and sent envoys west. They came back with two Indian monks, Kasyapa Matanga and Dharmaratna (摄摩腾 Shè Móténg and 竺法兰 Zhú Fǎlán in Chinese), and with scriptures, relics and statues carried on white horses. The temple built to house them took its name from the horses.
Tradition says Kasyapa Matanga translated the Sutra of Forty-two Chapters (四十二章经) here, which is held to be the first Buddhist sutra in Chinese. The two monks died at the temple and are buried in its first courtyard. Most modern scholars treat the story as a pious legend: the temple does not appear in contemporary records before 289. Its present buildings date mostly from the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1912) dynasties, with major restoration in the 16th century.[1]
What to see in the old temple
The main halls stand on a north–south axis, separated by courtyards and gardens.
- The stone horses: two green stone horses facing each other at the entrance gate date from the Song dynasty (960–1279); the horses in front of the temple are in Ming style. They recall the white horses of the legend.
- Hall of Heavenly Kings: Maitreya as the Laughing Buddha at the front, the Four Heavenly Kings around him and the guardian Weituo behind.
- Main Hall: Shakyamuni flanked by the bodhisattvas Manjushri and Samantabhadra, and a large bell from the Jiajing reign of the Ming dynasty, weighing more than a tonne.
- Mahavira Hall: Shakyamuni with the Medicine Buddha and Amitabha, and statues of the Eighteen Arhats made of ramie cloth in the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368).
- Hall of Greetings (接引殿): the smallest hall, rebuilt after a fire, with Amitabha between Guanyin and Mahasthamaprapta.
- Qingliang Terrace (清凉台): the ‘Cool and Clear Terrace’ behind the main hall, where tradition says the first sutras were translated. On it stands the Ming-dynasty Vairocana Pavilion, with statues of Vairocana, Manjushri and Samantabhadra.
- Hall of the Jade Buddha: a 1.6 m jade Shakyamuni, donated in 1988.
- Qiyun Pagoda (齐云塔): a square brick pagoda of 13 tiers, about 25 m high, built in the 15th year of the Jin dynasty’s Dading reign (1175) in a style modelled on Tang-dynasty pagodas. See our guide to Chinese pagodas.
The Indian, Thai and Myanmar-style shrines
Beside the old temple, Buddhist countries have built shrines in their own national styles, a reminder of where Chinese Buddhism came from. They make the White Horse Temple unlike any other temple in China.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Shrine | Built | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Thai-style Buddha Hall | 1992 | A hall built slightly west of the old temple with Thai and Chinese donors. |
| Indian-style Buddhist temple | Completed 2008; inaugurated 27 May 2010 | A circular shrine modelled on the Sanchi Stupa, set in a lotus pond inside a colonnaded enclosure, with a Buddha in the Sarnath style. India funded and designed it and supplied the statue and stone; China gave the land. It was announced during the Indian prime minister’s visit to China in 2003 and opened by President Pratibha Patil. |
| Myanmar-style (Burmese) Buddha Hall | April 2012 to June 2013 | A one-third-scale replica of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, 32.92 m tall with a base 51.71 m across, at the centre of a 7,020 m² complex. |
Dates for the Thai and Indian shrines are from Wikipedia and the Embassy of India; the Myanmar dates are from China Daily (2014).
Questions readers ask
Where is the White Horse Temple?
About 12–13 km east of Luoyang in Henan province, central China, just outside the walls of the old Eastern Han capital.
How old is the White Horse Temple?
Tradition dates it to 68 CE, under Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han dynasty. Historians note that it is not recorded in contemporary sources before 289, and most of its present buildings date from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Is the White Horse Temple the first Buddhist temple in China?
By tradition, yes: it is honoured as the first Buddhist temple in China. Many scholars treat the founding story as legend, but China Daily still calls it the place where Buddhism was first introduced to China.
Why is it called the White Horse Temple?
According to legend, the two Indian monks Kasyapa Matanga and Dharmaratna arrived in Luoyang with Buddhist scriptures and statues carried on white horses, and the temple was named after them. Stone horses at the gate recall the story.
What is the White Horse Temple famous for?
For being China’s first Buddhist temple by tradition, for the legend of the white horses, and for the shrines in Indian, Thai and Myanmar styles built beside it, including a one-third-scale replica of Yangon’s Shwedagon Pagoda.
What is the Indian temple at the White Horse Temple?
A Buddhist shrine modelled on the Sanchi Stupa in India, funded and designed by India on land given by China. It was completed in 2008 and inaugurated by Indian President Pratibha Patil on 27 May 2010.
What is the Qiyun Pagoda?
A square, 13-tiered brick pagoda about 25 m high next to the White Horse Temple, built in 1175 under the Jin dynasty in a style modelled on Tang pagodas.
How do I get to the White Horse Temple from Luoyang?
By city bus or taxi. Wikipedia gives bus No. 56 from Luoyang railway station, a ride of about 40 minutes. Check the current route locally before you travel.
Sources
- Wikipedia, White Horse Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Embassy of India, Beijing, Indian Style Buddhist Temple, Luoyang · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- China Daily, Myanmar pagoda replica given to China (1 July 2014) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- China Daily, Millennium-old White Horse Temple in Luoyang (23 May 2025) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- China Daily, Millennium-old White Horse Temple in Luoyang, page 2 (23 May 2025) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
Update log. 1 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 1 February 2027. Suggest a correction