No. 69: Jiangxin Temple, Wenzhou, Zhejiang

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on August 19, 2013.)

Some of the many statues in the main hall (大雄宝殿) at
Jiangxin Temple (江心寺), Wenzhou, Zhejiang (浙江, 温州市).

September 16, 2011 - For the last temple on our trip, Mr. Deep and I took a bus to the bustling seaside city of Wenzhou. Though the city is best known as a business hub, there is an oasis located on an island in its very heart: Jiangxin ("Center of the River," or, more romantically, "River's Heart") Temple. The island it's on is known as one of China's "four famous islets," and is so beautiful it was once rumored to be the home of immortals.

No. 68: Gaoming Temple and Zhizhe Tayuan, Tiantai Shan, Zhejiang

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on August 12, 2013.)

This stunning figure of Guanyin is carved into native rock on a bluff overlooking
a valley to the east of Gaoming Temple, Tiantai Shan, Zhejiang (浙江, 天台山).

September 15, 2011 - In another expensive taxi, Mr. Deep and I took the long way around to Gaoming ("High Bright") Temple, as a road closure had eliminated the usual direct bus route.

No. 67: Fangguang Temple, Tiantai Shan, Zhejiang

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on August 5, 2013.)

Waterfalls surround Lower Fangguang Temple (下方广寺)
high up on Tiantai Shan, Zhejiang (浙江, 天台山).

September 14, 2011 - My Indian friend Mr. Deep and I booked an extremely expensive taxi to take us up to Fangguang Temple on Tiantai Mountain. When we reached there, I was embarrassed to run into a young man we had met the day before at Guoqing Temple; he had reached Fangguang by local bus for 12 renminbi!

No. 66: Guoqing Temple, Tiantai Shan, Zhejiang

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 29, 2013.)

Statue of Master Zhiyi (智顗大师), founder of the Tiantai Sect (天台宗), at
Guoqing Temple (国清寺) at the base of Tiantai Shan (天台山), Zhejiang (浙江).

September 13, 2011 - When my Indian friend Mr. Deep and I booked our hotel on Mt. Tiantai, we hadn't realized that we would be just across the road from one of the most important Buddhist temples in Chinese history.

No. 65: Dafo Temple, Xinchang, Zhejiang

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 22, 2013.)

Great Buddha (大佛) at Dafo Temple (大佛寺), Xinchang County, Zhejiang (浙江, 新昌县)

September 12, 2011 - My next trip was to several temples in Zhejiang. It was the first (and so far only) time that I traveled with anyone besides my wife. My companion on this trip was an Indian friend I'll call "Mr. Deep."

From Ningbo, we took a bus to rural Xinchang County and Dafo (Great Buddha) Temple. The temple itself is located in the Great Buddha Scenic Area, comprised of over 25 square kilometers of mountain scenery, grottoes, and historic architecture.

Trip 11: Zhejiang 2 (Mountains and Wenzhou) (September 12-17, 2011)

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