Located in the northern part of Tianjin, Jizhou district is 90 kilometers from Beijing and has been an important military town guarding the capital since ancient times. It has a long history and numerous historical relics; Dule Temple is one of them, attracting many domestic and overseas scholars to come here for research.

Chen Chen, an associate professor of the School of History and Culture of Tianjin Normal University, is writing a book on the murals of Dule Temple. [Photo/WeChat account: zhangshangjizhou]

Dule Temple is a thousand-year-old temple that is well-known domestically and worldwide. Its murals, architecture, and historical stories all attract tourists and enthusiasts to the area.

In 1961, it was recognized as a national key cultural relic protection unit. The existing buildings of the temple include the front gate and Guanyin Pavilion. The temple is of great historical, scientific and artistic significance, and is a unique treasure in China.

"The architecture, statues and murals of Dule Temple are three miracles. Entering Guanyin Pavilion, the murals on the inner wall, which date back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), are vivid and colorful," said Cai Xijun, deputy director of the Jizhou Culture and Tourism Bureau.

According to the calculations of experts, the mural is 3.15 meters high and 45 meters long, with a total area of 142.85 square meters. The mural mainly depicts Buddhist figures, such as the statue of the Sixteen Arhats, as well as mythical figures and historical events, all of which make Dule Temple more mysterious.

Dule Temple [Photo/WeChat account: zhangshangjizhou]

"Based on existing evidence, we only know that Dule Temple was rebuilt in the second year of the Liao Dynasty (984), but the time of its first construction remains unknown," said Zhang Wei, associate Professor of the School of Architecture at Tianjin University.

Dule Temple Pagoda [Photo/WeChat account: zhangshangjizhou]