Bao Guang Monastery, located in Bao Guang street north of Xin Du Country, occupying an area of 100,000 sq. m including 30,000 sq. m constructing area, is a Buddhism zen monastery with a long history, grand dimension, complete construction and numerous cultural relic. State Department list ed Bao Guang Monastery as a key relics unit under countrywide protection on June 25th, 2001.
It is said that Bao Guang Monastery was founded in East Han Dynasty. The stele of Tang dynasty unearthed in 1996 indicates that it was named as Bao Guang Monastery in 741. In January, 881, Huang Chao insurrectionary breached Chang'an, Xi-zong Li Xuan escaped to Shu and once stop over in Bao Guang Monastery and greeted hierarch Zhi Xuan to live here, reconstructed Bao Guang Monastery, Pagoda. In 1109, the 11th founder of Lin Ji Zong preached here for thousands of people. The monastery is broken in Yuan dynasty. In Ming dynasty it was reconstructed sponsored by Yang Ting-he and Yang Sheng-yan and turned to be majestic again.
In the end of Ming dynasty and the begin of Qing dynasty, Bao Guang Monastery was destroyed in the war flame. In 1670, the 35th founder of Lin Ji Zong Buddhist monk--Yin Mi reconstructed the Bao Guang Monastery. Through the reconstruction from Kang Xi to Guang Xu, Bao Guang Monastery was listed as Chengdu"Four Jing Lan"with Wen Shu Yuan, Shao Jue Monastery and Cao Tang Monastery and as Yangtze River's "Four Jungle"with Chengdu Wen Shu Yuan, Zhenjiang Jin Shan Monastery and Yangzhou Gao Wen Monastery.
The construction of Bao Guang Monastery is wood-stone. It uses 600 steles, mainly composed of a pagoda, 2 scapes, 3 floors and zen monastery. On the axes, the "Fu"screen wall, Shan Men Hall, Deva King Hall, Sarira Pogoda, 7-Buddha Hall, Da Xiong Hall, Tripitaka Building and Zi Xia Shan stand one after another and besides are Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Cunsomers Hall, Yun Shui Hall, Zhai Hall, THE Ordination Hall, the Arahat Hall and Zendo. And East Abbot symmetrically laid with West Abbot, which shows the whole view of China Buddha Hall.
Bao Guang Monastery is the only monastery preserving the typical layout of "monastery incorporates with pagoda and pagoda as the center". The Sarira Pagoda, constructed in Tang Dynasty, is a close-eaves square brick pagoda, 30 meters high with 13 stages. The Arahat Hall was constructed in 1851 with 59 Buddha, Bodhisattva and founders, 518 arhats and each 2 meters high, graceful sculpt, colored drawing £¬thousands of gestures and £¬full of humour and wit. It is the clay arahat hall with the longest history and largest dimension.
Bao Guang Monastery has a lot of relics, among these he most famous are Thousand-buddha Tablet in 540, "Tablet for Merit of Donating Clothes "in Tang Dynasty, Xanadu of Tang Xi Zong, "Hua Yan Sutra"in Yuan dynasty, "Zun Sheng Tuo Luo Ni" stone pillar of Ming dynasty, "Da Zang Sutra"of Qing dynasty, Jade buddha, stoned sarira pagoda and the three "three treasures of the monastery"--sariras, pattra-leaf scripture and utpala. There are 176 gold plaques, 24 stele embed stones, 76 couplets and 400 ancient artwares and influential calligraphy and painting which foil the ancient cultural atmosphere of Bao Guang Monastery.