Hindu Artefacts in Kaiyuan Buddhist Temple in Quanzhou China 泉州开元寺

Kaiyuan Buddhist temple in Quanzhou was built in 686 during the Tang dynasty (618 - 907). The temple ravaged by fires and the passage of time has been rebuilt many times. Most of the structures standing today date back to the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644).

The temple was built in the mulberry garden of Huang Shougong 黄守恭 who donated the land after he dreamt of a monk begging him for land to build a temple. Huang Shougong named the temple 莲花寺 Lotus Blossom but it was renamed 开元寺 Kaiyuan temple in 738.

Quanzhou city was the Chinese terminal port of the Maritime Silk Road. It was China's largest seaport, if not the world at the time. It had a significant population from overseas, which included many Arabs, Persians, and Tamils from South India. These were also the heyday of the mighty Chola dynasty (300 BC - 1279).

The Tamil Ainnurruvar Valanjiyar merchant guild in Quanzhou built a Shiva (Hindu) temple in 1281. The temple no longer exists but artefacts and fragments from the Shiva temple were distributed to various sites around Quanzhou (such as Kaiyuan temple, Quanzhou Maritime Museum, etc). These precious artefacts are testimony of the significant role Indians played in Quanzhou.

Two pillars which once adorned a Hindu temple in Quanzhou were moved here during Kaiyuan temple's restoration during the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644).

Narasingha, lion avatar of Lord Vishnu disemboweling Hiranyakashipu, the evil king.

Lord Shiva at Kaiyuan temple.

Narasingha at Kaiyuan temple.

Hanuman at the Kaiyuan temple stone West Tower built during the Song dynasty (960 - 1279)? Scholars are still debating if this is Sun Wukong instead. The Chinese monkey god character from Journey to the West 西遊記 published during the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644).

Due to these Hindu artefacts inside Kaiyuan temple, it is sometimes mistaken as an Hindu temple. Kaiyuan is more accurately a Buddhist temple with some artefacts from a Hindu temple (which no longer exists) in Quanzhou.

Artefacts at the Quanzhou Maritime Museum 泉州海外交通史博物馆