On my last weekend in Chengdu, I moved out of my homestay. My Chinese classes have finally wrapped up, and I have allocated a few extra days on my own before I flew back home. I had a hotel near the Wenshu Monastery, so after checking in, I decided to explore this historical area.
Wenshu Monastery is actually the best-preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu. It is a serene 13-acre sanctuary that has served as a spiritual center for over 1,400 years. Originally founded during the Sui Dynasty and later rebuilt in 1697, it is dedicated to Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. I explored its various corners and saw many interesting features.
The monastery complex follows a traditional north-south axis featuring five magnificent halls—the Hall of Heavenly Kings, Three Great Bodhisattvas Hall, Mahavira Hall, Dharma Hall, and the Sutra Library. All of these are adorned with intricate Qing Dynasty woodwork and over 300 statues. There is an open-air teahouse. Also, what surprised me was the vegetarian restaurant, which is famous for its creative meat substitutes and traditional Sichuan flavors. For me, this was surprising, as pretty much all of the restaurants I have seen in Chengdu were meat-focused, given that this is just how the cuisine orients itself. So seeing a vegetarian restaurant was a surprise. I suppose it takes monastic effort to have one.
I spent a little bit of time exploring this monastery. But eventually I made my way out and headed somewhere else.
