Dabei temple (simplified Chinese: 大悲寺; traditional Chinese: 大悲寺; pinyin: Dàbē Sì) is the fourth temple of the Eight Great Sites Park. Built in the Song and Liao Dynasty, it has a history of over 900 years. It is located on the sloping hill in the depths of the woods.
On the first floor is Shan men Hall. The center of the palace ridge is decorated by the brick statue of the Hundred Birds Worshipping the Phoenix. Fixed under the central eaves is the white marble plaque inscribed “Chi jian da bei si”, meaning that the Temple of Great Mercy is constructed by the order of the emperor, written by Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Below the plaque there is the white marble gate decorated from the bottom to the top in symmetric relief of elephants, lions, dragons and flying goats, and at the centre of the lintel are three statues of Gods. In the middle of Shan men Hall is the statue of Maitreya.
On the second floor lies the Great Buddha’s Hall, its ridge decorated by the brilliant brick relief of Two Dragons Playing with A Pearl. Inside the hall is the statue of Skyamuni, accompanied by the statues of Ananda and Kasyapa, the two most famous Arhats, and the statues of the Eighteen Disciples of the Buddha set on each side.
The Great Mercy Hall is behind the Great Buddha’s Hall. Inside you can see the statue of the Goddess of Mercy. On the last floor is the Hall of the Medicine Buddha which was restored in recent years. Its layout and paintings represent the official style of Qing Dynasty.
In front of the Great Mercy Hall there are two ancient maidenhair trees of more than 700 years old.
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