Qutan Temple
Located in a mountain valley 20 km to the south of Ledu county seat, the Qutan Temple was built during the Hongwu reign period of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and given the name by Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Ming emperor. Qutan, or Gutama, is the family name and honorific title of Sakyamuni.
Covering 1.5 hectares with a construction area of 10,000 sq. m, the temple is composed of the front, the middle and the back yards. Its main structures include the Jingang (Dharma Guardian) Hall, the Qutan Hall, the Baoguang (Treasured Light) Hall, and the Longguo (Prosperous Country) Hall—all of which are arranged in the central part. The Imperial Stele Pavilion, the Fresco Corridor, the Small Bell and Drum Tower, the Big Bell and Drum Tower, the Stupa, the Small Buddha Hall and the Sutra Hall are located on both sides symmetrically. All the structures of the temple retain the architectural features of the early Ming times.
