Chengtian Temple is a Tang-dynasty Buddhist temple in the heart of Quanzhou's old town, famous for its preserved Song-dynasty architecture and for the ancient banyan tree in its courtyard whose roots have grown to cover a large section of the outer wall. The main hall retains original timber framing, and the stone pavement of the courtyard shows the patina of a thousand years of use.
The temple is quieter than Kaiyuan and gives a more intimate sense of daily Buddhist practice in the city. The surrounding old town streets — narrow lanes with stone-paved surfaces and traditional shophouses — are some of the best preserved in southern Fujian. The temple is five minutes on foot from the Qingjing Mosque, making the two an easy combination.