Brief information on Luoyang Ancient Art Gallery (Guanlin)  

Guanlin Temple, one of the famous attractions of Luoyang, was built in 1596, 7 kilometers (about 4.5 miles) south of Luoyang. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) it was called the General Guan’s Tomb as well.

According to the Chinese folktales  Guan Yu’s head was buried in this spot. People built a temple in remembrance of this brave and faithful hero and named Guanlin Temple. Guan Yu is not just a hero in Chinese history, but also the only person respected by Confucians, Buddhists and Taoists. Guan Yu was the general of the Shu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms Period but was murdered by the rival. People respected and considered him as the God of War.

This splendid and grandiose temple covers an area of about 16.5 acres. There are halls, tablets, small stone lions and cypress inside the temple. The Guanlin temple designed and built in traditional Chinese architecture style is symmetrical. Moving north from the Opera tower, there is the Main Gate, the Courtesy Gate, the First Hall, the Second Hall, and the Third Gate before you reach the Tomb of Guan Yu. The First Hall is the most magnificent one. At the main gate, there are a series of relics that tell of the well-known stories of Guan Yu. Both interior and exterior of the temple are equally beautiful.

An art gallery built inside the temple, displays a collection of about 2000 ancient steles, stone inscriptions and epitaphs. Over 70 stone-tablets with calligraphic inscriptions found in this gallery are astonishing. A five-meter-high stone stele with inscriptions written by the emperors from different dynasties is also an interesting piece. This art gallery is an excellent resource for people to research on ancient Chinese history.

*You can download the bilingual note to show it to a taxi driver or someone else to find your way to Luoyang Ancient Art Gallery (Guanlin) if you plan to visit Luoyang Ancient Art Gallery (Guanlin) and have language problems.

   

Hours: 08:00-17:00
Transportation: Bus No.15, 42, 55, 58, 69
Admission: CNY 30
Recommended Time for Visit: 40 minutes