Seeing the sound of the world: Guanyin Pavilion at Dule Temple in Tianjin

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Seeing the sound of the world: Guanyin Pavilion at Dule Temple in Tianjin

Published: 26 May. 2025, 00:05

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Kim Bong-ryeol

The author is an architect and professor emeritus at the Korea National University of Arts.

The Liao Dynasty (916–1125), founded by the Khitan people, ruled a vast area north of the Yellow River. Though seminomadic in origin, the Khitans were devout Buddhists who constructed many temples across their territory. Among the finest surviving examples is the Guanyin Pavilion at Dule Temple (獨樂寺) in Tianjin, one of the three greatest extant Liao structures and a representative cultural asset of China.

The Guanyin Pavilion at Dule Temple. [KIM BONG-RYEOL]

Dule Temple is in Jizhou District, Tianjin, and is believed to have been founded during the Sui Dynasty. The name Dule, meaning “solitary joy,” is associated with An Lushan, a Tang-era general whose courtesy name was An Dule. After holding gatherings at the temple, the name became fixed. In 984, the temple was largely rebuilt, and the Shanmen, or main gate, and Guanyin Pavilion from that period still stand today. During the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Xianfeng ordered the construction of a temporary palace at Dule Temple as a resting place while visiting the Eastern Qing Tombs in nearby Hebei, China.

The Guanyin Pavilion is a two-story timber structure standing 23 meters (75 feet) tall. Ingeniously designed, its second floor is opened in a hexagonal shape, forming a single vertical space. At the center stands an 11-meter statue of Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion. From the lower floor, worshippers look up at the figure; from the balcony above, they come face to face with her calm expression.

The pavilion enshrines the Eleven-Headed Guanyin, a form that symbolizes the Bodhisattva’s omnidirectional awareness of suffering. While ears can process only one sound at a time, eyes can perceive many things at once. Hence, Guanyin “sees” the world’s cries. Ten additional heads atop the original amplify her field of vision, bringing the total number of eyes to 22 — ready to witness and respond to all suffering.

The architectural detail is also notable. The wooden brackets, or gongpo, that support the roof differ in size according to their placement — larger above the columns, smaller between them — demonstrating a rational distribution of weight. The result is a structure that is both majestic and graceful. Compared to the dramatic style of Song architecture, the simplicity of Ming, and the ornateness of Qing, Liao architecture strikes a balanced and restrained tone, often resonating with Korean aesthetic tastes.

In 1780, Korean scholar Park Ji-won visited the temple while on a diplomatic mission to Beijing. His account of encountering the bodhisattva adds a personal historical link across centuries and cultures.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.