Located in the yard of Drum Tower District, Kaiyuan Temple was built in the third year of Emperor Tai Qing of the Nan Dynasty. It was initially named Dayun temple. At the beginning of Tang, it was called Longxing temple. In the year 738, xuangzong Li longji order to built a temple in each state, take the year as the name. So it is renamed Kaiyuan temple. It is the largest Buddhist Temple in Fuzhou; now about o-ne-tenth of its former size.

It is the oldest Buddhist Temple in Fuzhou which has a history of 1500 years. It is Fujian province and Fuzhou city two level key cultural relic prisevation organ.

The Kaiyuan temple  has three claims to fame. o-ne, the Japanese revere Kaiyuan because Kukai, the founder of Japanese Buddhism, stayed here awhile before heading north in search of either enlightenment or longer lasting candles. Two, Kaiyuan has the largest cast iron Buddha in China. And three, the place is famous for its Fujian Buddhist Association Clinic, where Buddhist masters have long cured folks of everything from cancer to colic. o-ne pilgrim complained to me that the young monks aren't so good at it, and are more concerned with mobile phones than mantras.

Existing construction: Waishan gate, Neishan gate, Lingyuange, Tiefodian, Bilucangjingge, Guanyinge, Simianfoge, Mingyang library, Baosong monk commemorate building, Tirun monk commemoration building, 108luohantang, Guanyinyuan, Chanyuezai, Cengliao. It organizes the Fujian province Buddhism culture research institute, the temple abbot is the Shibenxing master.