Founded in the 4C by a Buddhist monk from India, the Temple of the Soul’s Retreat has been destroyed and rebuilt on no fewer than 16 occasions, either as a result of war or earthquake. The present building is a restoration of the temple built during the Qing period. An important place of worship, the temple once housed up to 3 000 monks; since 1954, it has been home to the largest seated Buddha in China (20m), which occupies one of the ceremonial pavilions. Also of interest are the 300 statues of Buddha which stand on the mountainside, the oldest of which date from the 14C.