Mati Temple

Opening Hours: 08:30-18:00

Tickets: 73 RMB/person

Mati Temple, also known as Puguang Temple or Horse’s Hoof Temple in Chinese, constitutes a comprehensive Buddhist complex featuring various structures such as Shenguo Temple, Puguang Temple, Qianfo Cave (Thousand Buddha Temple), Jinta Temple, Upper Guanyin Cave, Middle Guanyin Cave, and Lower Guanyin Cave. Nestled within sheer rock cliffs, these structures are adorned with wooden pavilions that cling miraculously to the rugged terrain.

Dating back to the Northern Liang period (397-460), Mati Temple initially served as a Chinese Buddhist temple before gradually transitioning into a Tibetan Buddhist complex adorned with numerous colorful flags. Contrasting sharply with Zhangye, Mati Temple offers a distinct spiritual and cultural ambiance.

With over 70 caves and shrines, Mati Temple is steeped in legend. According to folklore, a celestial horse, akin to the Chinese Pegasus, once left its hoofprint on the ground here, bestowing the temple with its evocative name. The mythical imprint of the horse’s hoof remains preserved within the Mati Hall of Puguang Temple, revered as an invaluable treasure of the temple complex.