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2026.07.20 17:46 GMT+8

Zhihua Temple's sutra cabinet: A 500-year-old wooden treasure

Updated 2026.07.20 17:46 GMT+8
CGTN

The Zhihua Temple in Beijing houses the city's only surviving Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Zhuanlunzang, an exquisite wooden sutra cabinet more than 500 years old.

The intricate carvings of the sutra cabinet at Beijing's Zhihua Temple showcase the remarkable craftsmanship of Ming Dynasty artisans. /CGTN

The intricate carvings of the sutra cabinet at Beijing's Zhihua Temple showcase the remarkable craftsmanship of Ming Dynasty artisans. /CGTN

The intricate carvings of the sutra cabinet at Beijing's Zhihua Temple showcase the remarkable craftsmanship of Ming Dynasty artisans. /CGTN

Standing over four meters tall, the octagonal structure consists of a white marble base, the cabinet body and the upper section. The ingenious design and intricate carvings throughout the structure showcase the remarkable craftsmanship of Ming Dynasty artisans.

Visitors admire the Ming Dynasty wooden sutra cabinet at the Zhihua Temple in Beijing. /CGTN

The sutra cabinet at Beijing's Zhihua Temple contains 360 drawers for storing Buddhist scriptures and is decorated with intricate carvings. /CGTN

The sutra cabinet at Beijing's Zhihua Temple contains 360 drawers for storing Buddhist scriptures and is decorated with intricate carvings. /CGTN

The sutra cabinet at Beijing's Zhihua Temple contains 360 drawers for storing Buddhist scriptures and is decorated with intricate carvings. /CGTN

The cabinet contains 360 drawers for storing Buddhist scriptures. It is traditionally believed that walking a full circle clockwise around the cabinet brings the same spiritual merit as reciting the scriptures prescribed for a year.

At the top of the sutra cabinet is a statue of the Vairocana Buddha. Above it is the only remaining caisson ceiling at the Zhihua Temple in Beijing. /CGTN

At the top is a statue of the Vairocana Buddha. Above it is the temple's only remaining caisson ceiling. The other two caisson ceilings originally at the temple are now housed in two museums in the United States.

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