Built in Tang Dynasty (around 713-741 AD), Guangde Temple was firstly given the name of Chanlin Temple by the Emperor, in the 13th year of Dali in Tang Dynasty （788）, and then was renamed as Guangde Temple during the reign of the Emperor Zheng De in Ming Dynasty (1506-1521). Guangde Temple has been granted with honorable title of “the first Buddhist temple in the West” eleven times by Emperors in the history, and has cultivated many renowned masters of Buddhism. In its prime time, there were more than thousand of monks in the temple, presiding temples on more than 300 mountains in Sichuan, Yunnan, and the South of Guizhou.
The existing Ming styled temple was rebuilt in the first year of Emperor Hongwu’s reign in Ming Dynasty, and was enlarged several times in Qing Dynasty, covering an area of 25,729 ㎡ with a construction area of 8,350 ㎡ and a forest area of twenty two hectares. The temple is famous for its large construction size and the origin construction area of Ming Dynasty which is the top in Sichuan Province. The temple was built on the top of Wolong Mountain, including the main buildings of Hengha Hall, Shengzhi Monument, Tianwang Hall, Daxiongbaodian Hall and Fuding Pavilion, etc. From the piedmont to the peak, there are seven halls arranged on an axle wire. The halls on the east and west sides of the main halls are all individual courtyards. There are 25 halls, pavilions, towers and monuments in all, most of which are featured with Ming style. However, the architectural style in Song Dynasty can also be found in the structured and symmetric layout of the buildings. The existing valuable cultural relics include Shengzhi Monument of wooden structure in Ming Dynasty, Yougu Tower built in the 3rd year of Emperor Dezong’ reign in Tang Dynasty, Shanji Tower built in North Song Dynasty (also named Dagoba Tower and Flesh Body Tower), and the stone steles built in Song Dynasty, Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty.