Luohan Temple

Luohan Temple is a working Buddhist temple tucked into central Chongqing, just a few minutes’ walk from Jiefangbei — the kind of place where you round a corner from glass skyscrapers straight into incense smoke and carved stone. Founded during the Northern Song dynasty (1064–1067) as Zhiping Temple, it takes its present name from its collection of Arhat (Luohan) statues, and now serves as the seat of the Chongqing Buddhist Association.

The temple was largely destroyed in Japanese bombing raids in 1939 and 1940, and rebuilt afterward under Abbot Zongxian; further restoration followed in the 1980s and 2000s. Its main draw is the Arhat Hall, home to around 500 life-sized painted clay statues, each with distinct expressions and poses — an unusual and slightly eerie sight rarely found outside dedicated Buddhist sites. Just inside the main gate, a stretch of Northern Song cliff carvings depicting Buddhas and guardian figures survives along the original rock face, among the oldest artefacts on the site.

Entry costs around 20 RMB, which includes incense and a candle for those wishing to pray. It’s a quiet counterpoint to the surrounding CBD, and easy to combine with a Jiefangbei or Hongyadong visit given the short walk between them.