Dule Temple: Tianjin's 1000-Year-Old Masterpiece

A fascinating few hours exploring Dule Temple in the Jizhou District of Tianjin. Dule Temple (独乐寺) means Temple of Solitary Joy, and it has housed a 16 meter tall statue of Shiyimian Guanyin since the Liao dynasty (907–1125). To learn more about the design of the temple buildings, there is a Chinese Architectural Society Museum a few minutes walk to the east of Dule Temple, along the Jizhou ancient street. The museum has exhibits on traditional woodworking techniques and examples of the rooftops and columns found in the temple.