EXTRA: Other Temples in Ningde, Fujian

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on September 30, 2013.)

The bamboo forest (竹林) behind tiny Shuiyun Temple (水云寺) at the
foot of Zhiti Mountain (支提山) in Ningde, Fujian (福建, 宁德市).

October 25, 2011 - After we visited remote Huayan Temple on Zhiti Mountain, my friend Ven. Deru wanted to take me to several other temples in northern Fujian, especially in his town of Fu'an. According to the monk, this town of 600,000 (200,000 in the city center) has over 300 Buddhist temples! Many, however, are no more than a single small hall.

No. 74: Zhiti Huayan Temple, Ningde, Fujian

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on September 23, 2013.)

The "Soul Cow" (灵牛) at Zhiti Huayan Temple (支提华严寺) in Ningde, Fujian (福建,
宁德市). It's said that the cow went down on its knees whenever anyone said "Namo
Amitofo" (南无阿弥陀佛) (the name of Amitabha Buddha) to it. It had been saved from
butchering and brought to the temple for refuge--and this was only in the 1980s!

October 25, 2011 - The Huayan Temple on Zhiti Shan in Ningde, Fujian, holds a special place in my heart. It was one of the first Chinese temples I slept in, back in 2006, when I taught about 100 young people there for a week. That's when I met one of my best monk friends, Venerable Deru.

Trip 12: Fujian North(Fuzhou, Ningde, Fuqing, Putian)(October 22-29, 2011)

This is a record of my twelfth trip to visit the 142 Key Temples of China. Links lead to articles on the temple (or other site) named.