RELIGIOUS SITES IN CHINA

   Beijing Religious Sites

1) TEMPLE OF CONFUCIUS IN BEIJING

Located on Guozijian Street inside Anding Gate, the Temple of Confucius in Beijing is the place where people paid homage to Confucius during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Its neighbor in the west is Beijing Imperial Academy (Guozijian), which was the institute of the highest education well preserved in China. 

History

The temple was built in 1302, and officials used it to pay their respects to Confucius until 1911. The compound was enlarged twice, during the Ming and Qing dynasties and now occupies some 20,000 square meters. From 1981 until 2005, the Temple of Confucius also housed part of the art collection of the Capital Museum. It stands on Guozijian Street near the Imperial Academy.

Architecture

This temple consists of four courtyards. The main structures include Xianshi Gate (Gate of the First Teacher), Dacheng Gate (Gate of Great Accomplishment), Dacheng Hall (Hall of Great Accomplishment) and Chongshengci (Worship Hall). Dacheng Hall is the main building in the temple, where the memorial ceremony for Confucius was often held. Inside the temple one can see that 198 stone tablets are positioned on either side of the front courtyard, containing 51,624 names of Jinshi (the advanced scholars) of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Also 14 stone stele pavilions of the Ming and Qing dynasties hold the precious historical information of ancient China.

One item of note is the 700-year-old Chujian Bai (Touch Evil Cypress) in the temple. Its name is associated with an ancient legend. During the Ming Dynasty, one day the superior official-Yan Song came to worship Confucius on behalf of the emperor. When he was passing by the cypress, one of the branches of the tree took his hat off. Since Yan Song was a treacherous official, people have thought the old tree could distinguish between good and evil people. In the temple, you can also find remarkable pictures like two flying dragons playing a pearl among clouds, which are believed to be used only in the imperial palaces because dragon stands for emperor in ancient China. From those, it is easy to imagine the importance of the Confucius Temple in the feudal society of China.

2) TEMPLE OF HEAVEN

When talk about temple in Beijing, one place that you should never miss is temple of heaven. Temple of Heaven is one of the real highlights of Beijing. It is situated in the southern Beijing City. It has been one of the most sacred sites for the whole country for the past five centuries. It worked as sacrificial compound buildings for the Ming and Qing emperors. It boasts of the largest sacrificial place in Beijing among a few imperial altars to Heaven, Earth, the Sun, the Moon super natures.  The Temple of Heaven Park is located in the Chongwen District, Beijing. Covering an area of 2,700,000 square meters (3,529,412 square yards), the Temple of Heaven is larger than the Forbidden City. As the "Sons of Heaven", Chinese emperors were precluded from building a dwelling for themselves that was greater than the earthly residence dedicated to Heaven hence the difference in overall size of the two complexes.

History

Originally, this was the place where emperors of the  Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) held the Heaven Worship Ceremony. It is China's largest and most representative existing masterpiece among China’s ancient sacrificial buildings. First built in 1420, the 18th year of the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), it was enlarged and rebuilt during the reigns of the Ming emperor Jiajing and the Qing emperor Qianlong. In 1988, the Temple of Heaven was opened to the public as a park, showing ancient philosophy, history and religion. Its grand architectural style and profound cultural connotation give an insight into the practices of the ancient Eastern civilization.

Architecture

The temple is enclosed by a long wall. The Temple is divided by two encircling walls into an inner part and outer part. The main buildings lie at the south and north ends of the middle axis of the inner part. The northern part within the wall is semicircular symbolizing the heavens and the southern part is square symbolizing the earth. The northern part is higher than the southern part. This design shows that the heaven is high and the earth is low and the design reflected an ancient Chinese thought of 'the heaven is round and the earth is square'. The most magnificent buildings are the Circular Mound Altar (Huanqiutan), the Imperial Vault of Heaven (Huangqiongyu) and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest (Qiniandian) from south to north

3)YONGHE LAMASERY TEMPLE (HARMONY AND PEACE PALACE LAMASERY)

Lama Temple is Beijing's most frequented religious place. It is comprised of five main halls and many galleries. This temple was first the palace offered to a prince. When he gained the throne, he offered it to the Tibetan Buddhists as the religious sacred place. The Lama Temple is dedicated to the Yellow Sect of Buddhism. It is actually an active temple, with Lama Templemany faithful belivers with burning armloads of incense. The temple has a valuable relic: the biggest Buddha statue carved from a single tree. The statue is huge with three stories up and about nine feet across. It is quite easy to get to the temple for it is the only temple in the downtown Beijing which has its own subway stop. It is located at the northeast corner of the city, considered as the largest and most perfectly preserved lamasery in present day China.

History

Built initially in 1694 during the Qing Dynasty, this building was the residence of Emperor Yongzheng when he was just a prince. After Yongzheng's death in 1735, his coffin was placed in the temple. The Qianlong Emperor, Yongzheng's successor, gave the temple imperial status signified by having its turquoise tiles replaced with yellow tiles which were reserved for the emperor. Subsequently, the monastery became a residence for large numbers of Tibetan Buddhist monks from Mongolia and Tibet and so the Yonghe Lamasery became the national centre of Lama Administration.

Architecture

On arrival at the south end, the visitor will enter a yard which contains a screen wall and three Paifangs (Gateways), and will observe the red walls and stone lions, symbols which show that it was originally the dwelling of an Imperial Family member. Entering north from the Gateways, the visitor will be confronted by a wide straight road which was used for the carriages of the emperors and their wives during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). At the northern end of this road is Zhaotaimen (Gate of Peace Declaration), which comprises three large archways, the central one of which was for the exclusive use of the emperors.

Passing through Zhaotai Gate the visitor will enter the second yard which contains a Drum Tower on the western side and a Bell tower on the eastern side, and in front of these towers are two octagonal Stele Pavilions. Words by Emperor Qianlong were carved in the stele explaining the traditional and historical reasons that dwellings formerly used by Imperial Family must later be changed to temples.

Yonghe Gate, originally the main entrance to it is now called Devaraja Hall (Hall of the Heavenly Kings). The Hall of the Heavenly Kings is actually no more than an entrance to the other four main halls. The corners of the hall are hung with Sanskrit bells and mantras are written on the lintels of the doors, which lends a religious atmosphere to the hall. The Hall of the Heavenly Kings is so called because Four Heavenly Kings are enshrined in the hall. At the center is a statue of Maitreya who is beaming with a kindly smile and sitting with his legs crossed. On departing Devaraja Hall the visitor will immediately observe an ancient copper cooking vessel made in 1747 during the Qing Dynasty. This vessel, which appears to be black with white marble stone as its seat, has high artistic value and is among 'the three rarest things in Beijing'. Six doors are inset into the upper part of the vessel, with two dragons playing with a ball cast on the doors, and there are three lions playing with a ball engraved on the seat. On the northern side of the vessel is the Great Stele Pavilion with the doors open on each of its four sides. Words by Emperor Qianlong of Qing in the stele inform of the origin and meaning of Lamaism. To the north of this Pavilion is an odd-shaped hill called Xuyu Hill, a sacred place of rich religious meaning which was built in the middle of a pool, and represents a place to which all Buddhists are eager to go.

The Hall of Harmony and Peace is the main building of the temple. It houses three bronze statues of the Buddhas of the Three Ages, the statue of the Gautama Buddha (Buddha of the Present) is in the center, it is flanked by the statue of Kasyapa Matanga (Buddha of the Past, right) and the Maitreya Buddha (Buddha of the Future, left). Along the sides of the hall, the statues of the 18 Arhats are placed. A mural in the hall shows the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.

North of the Hall of Harmony and Peace is Yongyoudian (Hall of Everlasting Protection), which was Emperor Yongzheng's living room when he lived there as a young prince and, at the time of his death his coffin was placed there. Now, a statue of Bhaisajya-guru is located there and sacrificial offerings are made to it.

4)BEIJING FIVE PAGODA TEMPLE 

Situated to the north of Beijing Zoo in Haidian District, it is an ideal place to appreciate the splendid history of Buddhism and architecture in China as well as to enjoy the pleasant scene and special tranquility of it. It is a respite from crowdd tourist attractions in the city. 

 

It is located in the east of Baishi Qiao, north bank of the Changhe River, close to the north gate of Beijing Zoo, the Capital Indoor Stadium, Dazhong Temple, Zizhuyuan Park, Exhibition Center. It has the oldest and most beautiful Vajrasana Pagoda (diamond throne pagoda) among the total six in China. Art Museum of Stone Carvings is established within it. It has nice exhibition halls to the east, west and north of the Vajrasana Pagoda. 

History

With its original name of 'Zhenjue Temple' (as the name engraved in the entrance), it was first constructed during the Yongle years (1403 - 1424) of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) and completed in 1473. At that time, an Indian monk came to China to present Emperor Chengzu, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, five golden statues of Buddha and a draft of an Indian diamond throne pagoda. Using this draft, it with the special architecture of five pagodas was built backing on the West Hill and facing the rippling Long River.During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), it twice underwent extensive renovations and was renamed 'Da Zhengjue Temple'. In succeeding years until modern times, it has been totally renovated. In 1982, it opened to the public. Today, it is popularly referred to as the Five-Pagoda Temple.

Architecture

While visiting the Temple of Five Pagodas, I discovered many rooms like this with large statues of Buddha surrounded by burning incense and offerings of food. There's also a rare Mongolian cosmological map carved into stone.  The architectural style of the temple is no mere imitation of its Indian prototype, but displays bold innovations: the height of the throne foundation was raised, the height of the pagodas was reduced, and typical Chinese glazed tiles were added.

The square throne foundation is 17 meters high. The five pagodas rise from their rectangular bases on top of this foundation, one in each of the four corners and the fifth in the center. The central pagoda is slightly higher than the others, with 13 eaves, two more than those in the corners. The entire structure is made of white marble. Today, after more than 500 years of oxidation, the flecks of iron in the stone have given the entire structure a pale orange cast.

The four walls of the foundation are carved with rows of Buddhas (the One Thousand Sagacious Buddhas) as well as bas-reliefs of Buddhist symbols, floral designs and Sanskrit letters. The five pagodas are also covered with similar carvings on a small scale. The other part is the five pagodas rising from their square bases on top of the throne foundation. One pagoda is in the center and the others in the four corners of the foundation respectively. The central one of 26 feet in height is a little higher than the others and has 13 stories, two more than the others in the corners. All of them are dainty in appearance and artistic in design. They are all engraved with delicate images of Buddha, bodhi trees, Sanskrit letters and Buddhist symbols as well as lions, elephants, horses and other animal figures. The images of Buddha on them represent Buddha in five directions according to the sutra. In addition, it is interesting that the south wall of the base story of the central pagoda is carved with a pair of footprints of Buddha, meaning that the spirit of Buddha spreads everywhere.

The complex, with the diamond throne pagoda as its essence, is an outstanding accomplishment of Buddhist art. The carvings in Sanskrit also provide priceless material for research of the ancient Indian language and Tibetan Buddhism. Today, bearing a history of over 500 years, it is not only a solemn religious relic, but also the location of the Art Museum of Stone Carvings which displays more than 2000 pieces of stone artworks for tourists.

 5) WHITE CLOUD TEMPLE

I finally got out of the main crowd and entered the actual temple area. Being one of the three "ancestral courts" of the Quanzhen Sect of Taoism, it is located on the east side of Baiyun Road, Fuxingmenwai Street, Xicheng District.

History

It was built in 739 and went through three big renovations–in 1706, 1714 and 1886. The architecture seen today is mainly from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. The Center of the Chinese Taoist Association, founded in 1958, is also located in the temple. Nowadays, it attracts pilgrims and tourists from all over the world. The Spring Festival Fair and celebration at it is also a wonderful place to find out about Chinese culture and tradition.

Architecture

It has various halls which house the gods of Taoism. The buildings complex, arranged generally in a straight line, can be divided into three groups, the middle section, the east section and the west section. At the back you will find a beautiful garden.

The middle section includes the main buildings which contain over 50 halls, spanning an area of about 2 hectares. You enter the grounds through a gate in the outside wall and then walk through the large gateway that leads to the gate. Beyond the gate are Wofeng Bridge, Lingguan Hall, Yuhuang Hall, Qiuzu Hall, and other buildings.

The stone gate has three portals, delicately engraved with clouds, cranes, and flowers. The monkey hidden in reliefs beside the middle portal deserves a mention here: it is said that the monkey is the incarnation of a god; thus, visitors to it always touch the monkey for good luck. There are three stone monkeys located at different places in it. If you are interested, go and search for them. It is believed that if you have touched all three monkeys your wishes will come true.

You will find Sanxing Hall, Cihang Hall, Zhenwu Hall and Leizu Hall in the east section of the grounds. Sanxing Hall is the hall dedicated to the great doctor Hua Tuo who lived during the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220); Cihang Hall is the place of worship for the God of Fire; Zhenwu Hall is where God Zhenwu is housed; and Leizu Hall is where the gods who master the changing of the weather are worshiped. Yunji Garden is at the back. In the center of the garden are the altar, where commandments and rules are taught, and Yunji Hall where Taoist sutras are preached.

Shanxi Religious Sites

Buddhist Temple in Shanxi, China

Get Around In Shanxi

• The capital city, Taiyuan, is in the centre of Shanxi, Datong is most well-known city in Shanxi in the north of the province.
• The main sites in Shanxi are clustered around the main provincial highway, an impressive modern toll way which runs from Datong in the north to Yuncheng in the south.
• The main airports are in Taiyuan and in Datong.
• There are many local and long distance bus lines in Shanxi. In general the buses get to destinations more quickly than the train. Taxis are freely available for local trips or for daily hire.

1) The Incredible Hanging Temple  

The Hanging Temple also known as Hanging Monastery or XuanKong Temple is a temple built into a cliff which is 72 meter above the ground near Mount Heng in Datong City, Shanxi province, China.

The Hanging Temple is one of the main tourist attractions and historical sites in the Datong area. The construction was built during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-557) which more than 1,500 years ago and notable not only for its location on a sheer precipice but also because it is the only existing temple with the combination of three Chinese traditional religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. There are over 40 halls in the temple and more than 80 Buddhist sculptures made of bronze, iron, stone and mud.

From the image above, you can see not only how some walkways were directly built into the side of the cliff, but also the way in which the builders have chiseled out narrow pathways. Here is a close-up view of this amazing temple.

Statue in the temple

2) Yungang Grottoes 

The Yungang Grottoes, in Datong city, Shanxi Province, China. The grottoes are divided into east, middle and west parts with 252 caves and 51,000 statues. It represents the outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art in China in the 5th and 6th centuries.

Five statues of Emperors Taizu, Taizong, Shizu, Gaozong, and Gaozu as Buddha express the religious theme that the Emperor is Buddha. These statues are known as the Five Tan Yao Caves created by Tan Yao with their strict unity of layout and design which constitute a classical masterpiece of the first peak of Chinese Buddhist art. For the layout of the grottoes, large caves were dug to house the giant statues, 13-15m tall. They have a U-shaped plan and arched roofs, imitating the thatched sheds in ancient India. Each cave has a door and a window. The central images have tall bodies and occupy the major part of the caves, while on the outer walls 1,000 Buddhist statues are carved, a feature rarely seen in the tradition of Chinese history of grotto carving. In 2001, the Yungang Grottoes were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 3) Wutai Mountain- one of the four most prestigious Buddhist land in China

Wutai Mountain is the least spoilt of the four mountains in China sacred to Buddhists, the others are Emei Shan (Sichuan), Jiuhua Shan (Anhui) and Putuoshan (Zhejiang).

Wutai Mountain

This mountain is the dwelling place of Manjusri Bodhisattva. 360 temples were built here dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) but now only 47 of them exist. Over the years, incalculable numbers of pilgrims and visitors have come here. Among these magnificent temples, five are the most famous: Xiantong Temple, TayuanTemple, Manjusri Temple (Summit Bodhisattva), Shuxiang Temple, and Luohou Temple.

i.  XianTong Temple

It has the longest history and is the most prestigious. Occupying an area of 80,000 square meters and it was built during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), with the additions built by succeeding dynasties. Now it plays the most important role among the temples. Therefore the Buddhist Association of Wutai Mountain is situated there. The court-styled construction of it includes seven palaces, in one of which Wenshu (Manjusri) Bodhisattva's statue was engraved and worshiped. The copper bell in front of the gate is the biggest bell on the mountain, with a weight of 9,999.5 jin (22,045.9 pounds). Its toll can be heard around the entire mountain.

 XianTong Temple

      ii.   Tayuan Temple

The 75.3-meter-high of Tayuan Temple is the symbol of Wutai Mountain, so it becomes a "must-see". Principally it possesses the white Tibetan-style dagoba also called Dabai Pagoda (Big White Pagoda). Since it stands in front of the other temples in Taihuai, it is even more eye-catching. Accompanying the graceful temple, there is also Wenshufa Pagoda where it is said that Manjusri Bodhisattva's hair is preserved and the Dacangjing Pavilion (Collecting-Lections Pavilion) where volumes of lection were collected.

 Tayuan Temple

      iii.   Manjusri Temple (Summit Bodhisattva)

Legend has it that Wenshu Bodhisattva dwelt in it, so it is also called "Zhenrong Yuan" (real appearance) or "Bodhisattva Summit". It was built originally in Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534). In the time of Emperor Yongle of Ming Dynasty (1368 -1644), Lamaists began to be stationed in Mt. Wutai, and the great Lama resided there. From then on, it became the principal temple of Lamaism. Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) both went there and left ever-lasting epigraphs.

 Manjusri Temple

   

iv. Shuxiang Temple

Shuxiang Temple is the southwest neighbor of Tayuan Temple. Built in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), it covers 6,400 square meters and encompasses over 50 palaces and halls. Among them Manjusri Pavilion is the largest  Manjusri Bodhisattva's statue in it. A clear spring flows out of the temple named "Banruo" or "Prajna", meaning "adding wisdom" whose water was used in the courts.

 ShuXiang Temple

      v. Luohou Temple

To the east of the Xiantong Temple, Luohou Temple was set up as a Lamaist temple in the Tang Dynasty. One of its wonders is a wooden lotus-shaped flower. Machinery turns it and the wooden petals open and close. Inside are carved Buddhist figures on a square platform.

For tourists who want to visit all Manjusri Bodhisattva's statues in the five temples but cannot for time constraints or other reasons, Dailuo Peak (Dark Green Snail Peak) is a wonderful place to visit, because WufangManjusri Palace (Palace of Manjusri Bodhisattvas from five directions) houses statues resembling the five Manjusri Bodhisattvas of each terrace. It is located to the east of the temple group in the center of Taihuai Town. 1,080 steps lead to the top of the snail-shaped peak and a cable car is also available for convenience.

 Luohou Temple