Luohou Temple is one of the earliest sites of Chinese esoteric Buddhism. It dates from the Tang dynasty and underwent restoration in the Ming and Qing eras; it was also during the Qing period that it went from a monk to a lama temple. The Sutra Pavilion (藏经阁, Zàngjīng Gé) has a mechanical 3m-tall wooden lotus that blooms to reveal seated Amitabhas. Also note the pair of original Tang dynasty stone lions before the Hall of the Heavenly Kings (天王殿, Tiānwáng Diàn).
The name Luohou is a Chinese transliteration of Rāhula, the son of Sakyamuni in his pre-monk days and who went on to become one of his top students. The name means 'a place where all living creatures can avoid torment'. The layout and architecture of the 16,000-sq-metre temple complex look Han Chinese, but you'll detect Tibetan and Mongolian features in the decorative details and the relics.
Luohou Temple is separated from Guangren Temple by a wall.
