Kaiyuan Temple is a Buddhist temple in West Street, Quanzhou, It was originally built in 685 or 686 during the Tang dynasty. The temple situated in the Mulberry garden of landlord Huang Shougo who was said to dream of a monk begging land from him for building a temple. He donated his garden and changed it into a temple with the name of "Lotus Temple. In 738 in the Tang dynasty, it was renamed "Kaiyuan Temple", which is still in use now. Behind its main hall "Mahavira Hall", there are some columns with fragments as well is idol of Lord Vishnu from a Vishnu temple built in 1283 by the Tamil Ainnurruvar Valanjiyar Merchant community in Quanzhou. The carvings are dispersed across five primary sites in Quanzhou and the neighboring areas. They were made in the South Indian style, and share close similarities with 13th-century temples constructed in the Chola Nadu region in Tamil Nadu. In 1983, the Kaiyuan Temple was designated as a national temple.
The Silk trade by sea brought the South Indians to China and the Chinese to Southern Indian ports and it is very likely the Indians took the knowledge of Silk cultivation and fabrics from China back to India. China had a significant influence on South India; examples of Chinese fishing nets in Kochi and fine china pottery still referred to as “Chini chatti” or Chinese pot in Malayalam and Tamil.
The postcard shows the Zenguo Pagoda and Renshou Pagoda.
Thanks to Ms Wei Tianyi.
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