This is a record of my sixteenth trip to visit the 142 Key Temples of China. Links lead to articles on the temple (or other site) named.
Showing posts with label Jiuhuashan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jiuhuashan. Show all posts
EXTRA: Gu Baijing Tai Temple, Jiuhuashan, Anhui
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on March 31, 2014.)
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| Gu Baijing Tai (古拜经台) Temple, where the famous reincarnation of Dizang (Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva=地藏菩萨) named Jin Qiaojue (金乔觉) meditated on Jiuhuashan, Anhui (安徽, 九华山). |
June 21, 2012 - After a week on the road, I laid over two nights at home, then headed off for another 10-day trip, this one to Anhui and the Buddhist mountain called Jiuhua Shan.
No. 91: Tiantai Temple, Jiuhuashan, Anhui
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on April 7, 2014.)
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| These small Buddhas (佛) are waiting to be placed in a reconstructed 10,000 Buddha Hall (万佛殿) at Tiantai Temple (天台寺) on Jiuhuashan, Anhui (安徽, 九华山). |
June 21, 2012 - Tourism is replete with superlatives. Sites are touted as the oldest, newest, biggest, smallest, and so on, all to attract tourist dollars.
Tiantai Peak, I learned, is not the highest on Jiuhua Shan. However, Tiantai Temple, located on the peak, is the highest temple on Jiuhua Shan. It is also the primary focus of pilgrims to this Buddhist wonderland described as being like "a thousand pearls scattered in fog."
EXTRA: The Trail Down from Tiantai Temple, Jiuhuashan, Anhui
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on April 14, 2014.)
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| A newly-carved Dizang (Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva=地藏菩萨) and his freshly primed attendants at Guanyin Feng Temple (观音峰) on Jiuhuashan, Anhui (安徽, 九华山). |
June 21, 2012 - It turned out that my struggle up to Tiantai Temple on Jiuhua Shan was the easy part. I had been informed (incorrectly, as it turned out) that the next temple on my list was somewhere between the top of the mountain and the bottom. Best to walk down, I thought.
No. 92: Huiju Temple, Jiuhuashan, Anhui
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on April 21, 2014.)
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| The trail from the top at Tiantai Temple (天台寺) led between the two main buildings at Huiju Temple (慧居寺) on Jiuhuashan, Anhui (安徽, 九华山), although a new hall has been built behind the one on the right. |
June 21, 2012 - Of course, a temple (or any other place) usually puts its front door on the side from which cars approach.
So, having come down four or five kilometers of stairs from the top of Tiantai Peak, I was approaching Huiju Temple through the "back door." Nevertheless, what joy I felt in arriving!
No. 93: Roushen Dian, Jiuhuashan, Anhui
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on April 28, 2014.)
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| The Flesh Body Pagoda (肉身塔) at Roushendian (肉身殿) on Jiuhuashan, Anhui (安徽, 九华山), is said to hold the uncorrupted body of the Korean monk named Jin Qiaojue (金乔觉), who was supposed to be the rebirth of Dizang (Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva=地藏菩萨). |
June 22, 2012 - A short climb up the hill behind my hotel brought me to Roushen Hall, one of the creepier stops on my pilgrimage.
No. 94: Shangchantang Temple, Jiuhuashan, Anhui
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on May 5, 2014.)
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| A ceremony was being conducted in the main (and only) hall (大雄宝殿) at Shangchantang Temple (上禅堂) on Jiuhuashan, Anhui (安徽, 九华山). I watched it for nearly two hours. |
June 22, 2012 - Going down the trail from Roushen Hall, I quickly reached my next destination: Shangchan ("Upper Chan [Zen]") Hall.
No. 95: Zhantanlin Temple, Jiuhuashan, Anhui
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on May 12, 2014.)
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| This elephant is a fitting symbol of the mammoth (get it?) Zhantanlin Temple. |
June 23, 2012 - The previous day, I had looked at a handful of temples before returning to my hotel. This morning, I discovered that one of the ones I had seen--which the guard had said was "Dabei Lou"--was actually Zhantan Lin, my first goal for the day.
No. 96: Baisuigong Temple, Jiuhuashan, Anhui
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on May 19, 2014.)
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| Baisuigong Temple (百岁宫) on Jiuhuashan, Anhui (安徽, 九华山), is said to have been home to a monk that lived to be 126! Hence the name "100 Year Palace." |
June 23, 2012 - Leaving Zhantan Lin, I made my way to Baisui Gong, the "One Hundred Year Palace," another ridge-top temple. (Thank goodness for another cable car!)
No. 97: Huacheng Temple, Jiuhuashan, Anhui
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on May 26, 2014.)
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| The village pond (池) stands in front of Huacheng Temple (化城寺), said to be the first one built on Jiuhuashan, Anhui (安徽, 九华山). |
June 23, 2012 - Across the road from the cable car station below Baisui Gong, there are several small plazas hemmed in by shops and temples. On the far side of one of these, across the large half-moon pond, lies Huacheng Temple, said to be the first Buddhist temple built on Jiuhua Shan.
No. 98: Zhiyuan Temple, Jiuhuashan, Anhui
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on June 2, 2014.)
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| This "Jade" (玉, but perhaps plastic) image of Dizang (Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva=地藏菩萨) sits in a rear hall at Zhiyuan Temple (祗园寺) on Jiuhuashan, Anhui (安徽, 九华山). |
June 24, 2012 - I started my last day on Jiuhua Mountain by walking down to Zhiyuan Temple, located near the entry gate to the Scenic Area in which I had been staying.
No. 99: Ganlu Temple, Jiuhuashan, Anhui
(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on June 9, 2014.)
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| This courtyard is between the aptly-named "Old Wood Building" and the main hall (大雄宝殿, shown) at Ganlu Temple (甘露寺) on Jiuhuashan, Anhui (安徽, 九华山). |
June 24, 2012 - Leaving the Jiuhua Shan Scenic Area, I took a bus halfway down the mountain to visit Ganlu ("Sweet Dew") Temple. This required checking out at the main gate, to ensure that I didn't need to buy another expensive ticket to get back to my hotel!