No. 104: Qingyun Temple, Zhaoqing, Guangdong

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on August 25, 2014.)

The Main Hall (大雄宝殿) at Qingyun Temple (庆云寺), Zhaoqing, Guangdong
(广东, 肇庆市), is mostly unrestored and therefore beautiful.

July 28, 2012 - Looking at the map, I often feel a certain hesitation about traveling to a remote temple. How close can I get? How far will I have to climb?

No. 105: Guiyuan Temple, Wuhan, Hubei

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on September 8, 2014.)

The Library (经堂) at Guiyuan Temple (归元寺), Wuhan, Hubei (湖北, 武汉市), is imposing.

August 4, 2012 - With today's temple, we start another trip, one that took me through the provinces of Hubei, Jiangxi, and Hunan.

EXTRA: Xuankong Temple, Datong, Shanxi

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on January 12, 2015.)

The halls cling to the cliff (岩) at Xuankong Temple (悬空寺), Datong, Shanxi (山西, 大同市).

August 23, 2012 - The next day took me far from Datong--about 60 kilometers to the south. I had two goals, and this time I'll talk about the first.

No. 123: Dailuo Peak, Wutai Shan, Shanxi

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on March 9, 2015.)

The main hall is in a shady courtyard at Dailuo Peak (黛螺顶), Wutai Shan, Shanxi (山西, 五台山).

August 26, 2012 - Dailuo Ding ("Black Snail Peak") is the name both of a mountain height and of a temple located on its side. The place is also sometimes called Daluo ("Big Snail") as one part of the peak resembles a snail's shell (they say).

EXTRA: Yuanzhao Temple, Wutai Shan, Shanxi

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on March 30, 2015.)

Summer flowers in front of the first hall, Yuanzhao Temple (圆照寺), Wutai Shan, Shanxi (山西, 五台山)

August 27, 2012 - After toiling up numerous stairs from Luohou Temple, I reached the grounds of Yuanzhao (perhaps something like "Full Illumination") Temple. Though it was not on my list, it was between two temples that were, and it was charming in its own right.

No. 126: Guangzong Temple, Wutai Shan, Shanxi

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on April 6, 2015.)

The pretty little main hall at Guangzong Temple (广宗寺), Wutai Shan, Shanxi (山西, 五台山)

August 27, 2012 - The next stopping-place reached on my ascent was Guangzong ("Wide Sect" or perhaps "Spreading the Teachings") Temple. Passing between the stone lions and through the usual heavenly Kings' Hall, I enter a courtyard which was fairly small by Wutai's standards.

No. 128: Xiantong Temple, Wutai Shan, Shanxi

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on April 20, 2015.)

The Bronze Hall is near the rear of Xiantong Temple (显通寺), Wutai Shan,
Shanxi (山西, 五台山). The inside is lined with small bronze Buddhas.

August 27, 2012 - It had been a long day already, with visits to five temples finished but two to go, both of them down the hill from Pusa Ding.

No. 86: Lingshan Temple, Shantou, Guangdong

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on January 27, 2014.)

An unusual, newly-built Black Hall (黑殿) at Lingshan Temple (灵山寺), Shantou, Guangdong (广东, 汕头市).

January 21, 2012 - I took a highway bus from Xiamen to Shantou, from which I visited two major temples.

The first, Lingshan Temple in the Chaoyang District of Shantou, was much harder to reach than expected. Once in the area, I finally gave in and took a taxi--but found the proper bus information on the way out.

No. 77: Nangshan Cishou Temple, Putian, Fujian

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on October 28, 2013.)

This new hall (殿) at Nangshan Cishou Temple (囊山慈寿寺) in Putian, Fujian (福建, 莆田市), shows a very
high standard of workmanship. Note the open doorways, where the doors haven't yet been installed.

October 28, 2011 - My only full day in the city of Putian, across the straits from Taiwan, would be a busy one. I hoped to see three temples in the day; but as all were located in or near the city (none were in the far-off mountains) I was pretty sure I could do it.

Following my practice of visiting the farthest temple first, I took a taxi the 15 kilometers or so north to Cishou ("Compassionate Life") Temple. The temple was beautifully situated on a mountainside, but there was a huge amount of construction going on. I'm sure by now it's magnificent, as this was two years ago today (two-and-a-half as I edit this for the website).

No. 62: Puning Temple (and neighbors), Chengde, Hebei

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on June 24, 2013.)

The so-called Mahayana Hall (大乘之阁) at Puning Temple (普宁寺), Chengde,
Hebei (河北, 承德市), houses a colossal 22-meter-tall statue of Guanyin (观音).

August 28, 2011 - I will skip over the "joys" of a 13-hour train ride in the hard seats--not a sleeper--and start with my arrival in the glorious mountain city of Chengde in Hebei. Fortunately, my hotel (located in the temple I wanted to see) let me check in upon my 6 a.m. arrival, so I got some real sleep before heading out to see the temple itself.

No. 60: Banruo Temple, Shenyang, Liaoning

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on June 10, 2013.)

Worshippers in front of the Main Hall (大雄宝殿) at Banruo Temple (般若寺), Shenyang, Liaoning (辽宁, 沈阳市)

August 27, 2011 - I arrived in my Shenyang hotel after midnight, so I slept in a bit the next morning, then spent a while trying to find an alternative to that night's sleeper train to Chengde. No luck.

All of this caused me to arrive at my first (of three!) temples, another Banruo ("Prajna," or Wisdom) Temple, at nearly noon.

EXTRA: Haizhuang Temple, Guangzhou, Guangdong

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on December 31, 2012.)

The Memorial Hall (功德堂) is new, but Haizhuang Temple (海幢寺), Guangzhou,
Guangdong (广东,广州市), is ancient, and has been destroyed and rebuilt many times.

December 21, 2010 - Beautiful Haizhuang Temple is located on the south side of the Pearl River (as it flows east-west across Guangzhou). The park-like setting is no accident. Originally, the area was a private garden. Several hundred years ago it was given over for use as a temple.

No. 37: Lingyanshan Temple, Suzhou, Jiangsu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on September 24, 2012.)

The delicate pagoda (塔) peeks past the Main Hall (大雄宝殿) in this view
of Lingyanshan Temple (灵岩山寺) in western Suzhou, Jiangsu (江苏, 苏州市)

July 29, 2010 - Both of the temples I visited next were in the town of Suzhou, and each challenging in its own way.

First I headed across town to Lingyanshan, an awfully long bus ride, where I discovered that I'd need to climb a mountain. The effort paid off, though, as there were sights along the way, a cheap bowl of noodles to be had, and kind-hearted monks.

No. 9: Chenxiangge, Shanghai

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on February 20, 2012.)

The last hall (殿) at Chenxiangge (沉香阁) in Shanghai
(上海) has a statue of Guanyin (观音) made of an aromatic
wood called agarwood--"chenxiang" (沉香) in Chinese.

August 25, 2009 - After visiting Ningbo's Qita Temple, I spent a full day traveling to Shanghai. Then, the next morning, I visited one of the prettiest little temples I've seen, the Chenxiang Ge.

No. 8: Qita Temple, Ningbo, Zhejiang

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on February 13, 2012.)

The new halls (殿) at Qita Temple (七塔寺) in Ningbo, Zhejiang (浙江,
宁波市), are a pleasing combination of gray brick and light wood.

August 23, 2009 - After my day in the mountains outside of Ningbo, I finally entered the center of the city itself.

I had lunch at a vegetarian restaurant, then walked back east past the Catholic Church, through Tianyi Square, and across the Fenghua River to my goal, the Qita ("Seven Pagoda") Temple.

No. 5: Fayu Temple, Putuoshan, Zhejiang

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on January 9, 2012.)

The Nine Dragons Hall (九龙殿) at Fayu Temple (法雨寺) on Putuoshan in
Zhejiang (浙江, 普陀山) started its life as a Ming-Dynasty palace in
Nanjing. It is the "home" of the temple's main Guanyin (观音) statue.

August 21, 2009 - I left Puji Temple and returned to Fayu Temple, where I had been the day before.