| Tianjin is a major city in the People’s Republic of | | | | Tianwang Hall, Xuanzang’s Memorial Hall and |
| China. It has experienced an eventful and turbulent | | | | Dabei Hall. The Main Shrine Hall, also called Daxiong |
| history, with many foreign occupations and a | | | | Temple, is the principal building of the temple. In the |
| multitude of military incidents. By the turn of the 19th | | | | centre sits a statue of Sakyamuni (Buddha) with his |
| century many western nations had established their | | | | retinue on either side. The six ton, 7 meter high |
| presence in Tianjin, establishing their individual | | | | statue rests on a ‘lotus throne’ with 9,999 |
| self-contained enclaves with their own administration. | | | | miniature Buddhas carved on it. The Great |
| Each of these nations left their mark on the city in | | | | Compassion Hall contains a 3.6 meter mud statue of |
| the form of churches and villas, giving Tianjin a rich | | | | ‘Thousand-hand Kwan-yin’. |
| architectural heritage. Tianjin also has many | | | | The monastery formerly gained fame as the resting |
| attractions of local origin, and the city has become a | | | | place of relics of Xuanzang, a monk of the Tang |
| popular destination for tourists. | | | | Dynasty. However the relics were presented to India |
| The Temple of Great Compassion is a notable | | | | in 1956, where they now rest in the Patna museum. |
| attraction in Tianjin. A Zen Buddhist temple originally | | | | Since the removal of the relics from the temple, the |
| constructed in the early Qing Dynasty, it was | | | | monastery uses the image of Xuanzang during |
| refurbished during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor in | | | | worship of the Buddha. |
| the Qing Dynasty. This early construction, consisting | | | | The temple also contains offices for the Abbot |
| of three great halls including the Abbot Hall and the | | | | Palace, Cultural Relic Palace and the Chinese Buddhism |
| Cultural Relic Hall, now makes up the old monastery | | | | Association. The Cultural Relic Palace contains artifacts |
| of the temple. | | | | from many dynasties including many Buddha statues |
| The new monastery is a more recent addition, | | | | in iron, bronze, wood and stone. |
| consisting of the entrance gate, Main Shrine Hall, | | | | |