This is a record of my eighteenth trip to visit the 142 Key Temples of China. Links lead to articles on the temple (or other site) named.
Showing posts with label Jiangxi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jiangxi. Show all posts
No. 109: Nengren Temple, Jiujiang, Jiangxi
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on October 13, 2014.)
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| The Stone Boat at Nengren Temple (能仁寺) in Jiujiang, Jiangxi (江西, 九江市), is said once to have carried a celestial being down the Yangtze from the West. |
August 8, 2012 - One of my favorite things about visiting temples is seeing objects with stories attached. Nengren (perhaps "Benevolence") Temple in Jiujiang had several that made my visit more illuminating. I had first read about these in Carl F. Kupfer's Sacred Places in China (1911).
No. 110: Donglin Temple, Jiujiang, Jiangxi
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on October 20, 2014.)
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| This Amitabha Buddha (弥陀佛) is one of numerous new statues at Donglin Temple (东林寺), Jiujiang, Jiangxi (江西, 九江市). |
August 8, 2012 - Although Donglin Temple's address is in Jiujiang, it lies around 20 kilometers from the city center. Fortunately there was local transport available to the gate, and I rushed out there in mid-afternoon after visiting Nengren Temple.
EXTRA: Youmin Temple, Nanchang, Jiangxi
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on October 27, 2014.)
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| Courtyard (院) at Youmin Temple (佑民寺) in Nanchang, Jiangxi (江西, 南昌市), the final home of Mazu Daoyi (马祖道一) |
August 9, 2012 - No temples from my list were located in Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province; but it was a good staging point for trips to two more remote temples: Zhenru, which I visited the next day, and Jingju, where I went the day after. Besides, there was a temple of historical significance located there.
No. 111: Zhenru Temple, Jiujiang, Jiangxi
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on November 3, 2014.)
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| This memorial to Master Xuyun (虚云大师) is located next to Zhenru Temple (真如寺), Yongxiu (Jiujiang), Jiangxi (江西, 九江市永修县), where he passed away. |
August 10, 2012 - Using my new "base" in Nanchang, where I stopped in at Youmin Temple, I visited two more remote temples over the next two days. First, I took a train to rural Yongxiu, and a long bus from there to the base of Yunju (Cloud Residence) Mountain. A local driver took me another 10 or 15 kilometers up a windy mountain road to Zhenru ("True Suchness") Temple.
No. 112: Jingju Temple, Ji'an, Jiangxi
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on November 10, 2014.)
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| This stone lion (石狮) looked amazing in "golden hour" light at Jingju Temple (净居寺), Ji'an, Jiangxi (江西, 吉安市青原山). |
August 11, 2012 - My next temple was not remote, like Zhenru had been, but it was far from my base, and required quite a journey--complicated by a late start. After 4-1/2 hours by bus, I arrived at the temple at 5 pm--and it had closed at 4! However, I talked my way in and was able to spend some time inside and around the compound.