The Six Banyan Tree Temple is worth Temple of the Six Banyan Treesvisiting

While not the most inspiring temple you will see in China, or in Guangzhou, the Six Banyan Tree Temple is worth Temple of the Six Banyan Treesvisiting for its incredible 54 meter pagoda,which is more than 900 years old. This Buddhist temple was founded in 537 AD and rebuilt in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The octagonal, 17-storey ‘Flowery Pagoda’, so named because someone seemed to think the structure was colorful, was built in 1098. Originally called the Baozhuangyan Temple, it went through several name changes. The current name was the work of famous poet Su Dongpo (1037-1101), who was so very impressed by the six, grand banyan trees growing in the grounds (now long gone), that he had to write down the words liu rong (six banyan trees). The name of the temple was changed to this a few centuries later and Su’s inscription (or a reproduction of it) remains at the temple．

The thousand-Buddha copper pillar cast in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) is kept on the top story of the pagoda. The 184-foot pagoda appears to have nine stories; inside, however, there are 17 levels. Because of the colorful exterior carvings, it is popularly known as the Flower Pagoda.
In the temple, there is a lofty Buddha Pagoda (originally called Dagoba), and this is the famous ancient high-rise building in Guangzhou. To the west of the pagoda is the Mahavira Palace, in which three giant bronze Buddha statues are located.