Fawang Temple, Buddhist temple at Mount Song, Dengfeng, China.

Fawang Temple is a Buddhist monastery on Mount Song in Dengfeng, made up of several halls, Tang dynasty pagodas, and a wide stone staircase. The complex sits within a natural basin on the southern slopes and follows a classic layout with gate halls, main shrines, and a walled courtyard.

The temple was founded in 71 CE, shortly after Emperor Ming of Han brought Buddhism from India to China, making it the second Buddhist monastery built in the country. It was rebuilt and expanded under several dynasties, and the Tang period left behind the pagodas that still stand today.

The temple holds special meaning as a place where Buddhist monastic life continues to this day, with ceremonies and daily practices visible to visitors. People come here to understand how monastic communities maintain their traditions in a modern setting.

The temple is on the southern slope of Mount Song, a few kilometers outside Dengfeng, and is easy to reach from the town. The path through the complex involves stairs and uneven ground, so sturdy shoes are a good idea.

The hexagonal windows belong to the temple's southern gate, not to the Tang pagodas. That gate also has a Roman-style arch doorway built without Western influence, an ornate roof and a grand staircase flanked by stone mythical creatures; its resemblance to a gate at the nearby Shaolin Monastery suggests a shared architecture and founding period.