There are many ancient temples in China, but we will focus on the most famous shrines. An interesting story is connected with each of them, going back centuries. Almost every building experienced difficult times and that is why it is of interest to modern people. Who founded these complexes and ensembles? What are the temples in China called? We will try to answer these and other questions in our article.
Sky Temple
This is the largest, most beautiful and best-preserved temple in China. The temple is surrounded by two walls. The first of them - square - symbolizes the earth. The second - round - represents the sky. The temple complex, whose total area is 273 hectares, is distinguished by the splendor of its architecture and striking with a solemn appearance. The whole complex is divided into internal and external parts. The main buildings are located in the interior. These include the Hall of Heaven, where memorial tablets of the Spirit of Heaven are located. Here is the Hall of Prayers for the harvest of grain. The wall of sound returned abroad is known as the construction of architectural acoustics. The architectural ensemble of the Temple of Heaven in China, which has been repeatedly restored and rebuilt, is distinguished by a variety of styles and forms and is recognized as the largest ensemble in the world to conduct rituals of sacrifice to the sky. The Temple of Heaven is the most representative example of Chinese ritual architecture. It is known for its strict symbolic layout, peculiar structure and magnificent decor.
The design of the Temple of Heaven complex, true to its sacred purpose, reflects the mystical cosmological laws that are believed to be central to the work of the universe. Both the general arrangement and the buildings themselves reflect the existing relationship between the sky and the earth core in the Chinese cosmology of that time. Numerous numerology, symbolizing Chinese beliefs and religion, is present in the design of the Temple of Heaven. For example, since the number nine was considered the strongest (representing eternity), the slabs forming the altar of the Round Barrow were stacked in multiples of nine. Similarly, in the Prayer Hall for Good Harvest, the inner twenty-eight columns are divided into four central columns to represent the seasons, twelve inner columns to represent the months, and twelve outer columns to represent twelve two-hour periods. Another interesting fact is that the Prayer Hall for a good harvest is one of the largest medieval wooden structures: 38 meters (125 feet) high and 36 meters (118 feet) wide, built entirely without nails.
The ceremony in the Temple of Heaven
Chinese emperors were considered the "sons of heaven", revered as representatives of heaven on earth. The emperors regarded the winter solstice sacrifice ceremony for a good harvest as the most important religious and political activity.
Three days before the ceremony, the emperor with his officials and guards moved from the Forbidden City to the camp in the Temple of Heaven. The emperor wore ceremonial robes and refrained from consuming meat and alcohol.
The day before, livestock was prepared as a sacrifice.
The ceremony was held in compliance with important details. It was believed that even a slight deviation could cause heaven to displease China. Since the 19th year of the Ming Yongle dynasty, 27 emperors have been worshiped in the Temple of Heaven. Ordinary people were not allowed to watch the ceremony.
Temple of Heaven today
Although in imperial times, the public was not allowed to enter a huge park, now for a minimal fee everyone can enjoy it all day.
Early morning is the best time to visit the Temple of Heaven. It’s worth it to wake up: you will get an interesting experience by watching how the locals do morning exercises.
Next to an older person practicing slow and smooth tai chi movements, there may be a young person performing vigorous kung fu strikes. One group can learn the ancient martial art of sword fighting, and the other can learn traditional dance.
Shaolin Monastery
Among the Buddhist temples in China, the Shaolin Temple, founded in 495, stands out. e. at the western foot of Songshan Mountain, 13 kilometers northwest of Dengfeng City, Henan Province. The then emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-557) built a temple to house the Indian master Batuo (Buddhabdadra). Shaolin Temple literally means "a temple in the dense forests of Mount Shaoshi." As the first rector of Shaolin, Batuo (Buddhabdhadra) devoted himself to translating Buddhist scriptures and preaching to hundreds of his followers. Later, another Indian monk, Bodhidharma, arrived at the Shaolin Temple, who was said to cross the Yangtze River on the reeds. He spent nine years meditating in the cave of Vuru Peak and ushered in the tradition of the Chinese vat in the Shaolin Temple. After that, Bodhidharma was awarded the title of the first Patriarch of Chan Buddhism. Since Chinese kung fu also originated from the Shaolin Temple, it was recognized as the source of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of kung fu. The Shaolin Temple includes many interesting sights such as the Kingdom of Heaven (Tianvandian) Hall, Mahavir Hall, Forest Pagoda, Dharma Cave and the Martial Arts Training Center.
Chanman Hall
At the top there was a sign with the inscription "Shaolin Temple." The tablet was signed by Emperor Kangxi (1622-1723) during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Two stone lions, made during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), are seated under the staircase of the hall. In the hall Buddha Maitreya is kept. The two sides of the corridor outside the hall gates are inscribed on stone steles made during the reign of several different dynasties.
Hall of Heavenly Kings
The gates of the hall are guarded by two figures depicting Vajra (the servant of Buddhist warriors). Inside the hall are the figures of the Four Heavenly Kings, who are responsible for the pious behavior of people and their blessings.
Mahavira Hall
Important holidays and regular prayers are held here. 18 Buddhist arhats stand along the eastern and southern walls of the hall. In this room are the Buddhas of the Middle, East and West, respectively, Buddha Shakyamuni, Buddha-pharmacist and Buddha Amitabha. The figures of Kingnaro (founder of the Shaolin club) and Dharma (founder of Chinese Zen Buddhism) stand next to these three Buddhas, the arrangement of which is very different from other Halls of Mahavira. At the foot of the columns in this Mahavira Hall are stone lions more than one meter high (about 3.33 feet). On the ground there are about 50 small pits with a depth of 20 centimeters (about 7.87 inches).
Pagoda Forest
A cemetery for Buddhist dignitaries for centuries. On average, pagodas are less than 15 meters high (about 49 feet). The layer and shape of the pagoda depends on many factors, such as Buddhist status, achievements and prestige in life. Forest Pagoda here is the largest of China's pagoda complexes.
Monastery of the Ancestors and the Monastery of the Second Ancestor
The first monastery was built by a Dharma disciple to honor the memory of the Dharma. It has a large hall supported by 16 stone columns, in the mines of which warriors, dancing dragons and phoenixes are gracefully carved. The second monastery is the nursing home of the second ancestor Huike, who cut his left hand to show his sincerity in studying Buddhism from the Dharma. In front of the monastery are four springs created by the Dharma to help Huika easily get water.
Dharma Cave
In this cave, Dharma patiently looked at the wall and meditated for 9 years. Finally, he reached an immortal spiritual state and created Buddhist Zen. The cave is seven meters deep (about 23 feet) and three meters high (about 9.8 feet). Many stone inscriptions are carved on both sides. There is a meditating stone in the cave. It is said that the shadow of the Dharma was reflected on the stone and built into it due to the long time of its meditation in front of the wall. Unfortunately, the stone was destroyed during the war.
Buddhist quarters
After passing the cave of Dharma, we come to a Buddhist residential quarter for temporary monks. It is located on the southern bank of the Shaoxi River opposite the temple. First built in 1512 by the Ming Dynasty, it was renovated in the Qing Dynasty. Quarters are known for their simple and distinctive design. It collapsed in 1958, and then was renovated in 1993.
Wushu Training Center (Martial Arts)
Shaolin monks have been practicing kung fu for over 1,500 years. The system was invented by the Dharma, which taught the monks the basic methods of improving their health and protection, this is a type of martial art that trains flexibility and strength.
Jade Buddha Temple
The Jade Buddha Temple in China is a famous complex located in the vibrant center of Shanghai. The temple is considered one of the 10 best attractions of the city. The history of the temple to date has more than 130 years. In 1882, from the Qing Dynasty, the Buddhist monk Huygen from Mount Utai made a pilgrimage to Mount Emei and holy Tibet, reached India and finally reached Burma to take five pieces of the Jade Buddha and prepared to go back to Mount Uta, one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains in China. In Shanghai, he left two statues: a sitting and a lying Buddha, and built a temple called the Temple of the Jade Buddha. It was later destroyed during the war and rebuilt in 1918.
Jade Buddha Temple is a Song Dynasty style architecture with a clear complex and harmonious structure. In the central axis are the Kingdom of Heaven Hall, the Great Daxiong Hall and the Jade Chamber. On the left and right side are the Bodhisattva Hall of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva Hall of Ksitigarbha, the Bodhisattva Hall of Manjushri, the Statue of the Reclining Buddha, the Hall of the Copper Buddha and so on.
Hall of Heavenly Kings
The Hall of Heavenly Kings consists of two floors. In front of the hall is Buddha Maitreya with smiling faces that will appear on Earth in the future. Behind the statue of Maitreya is a statue of Skanda with a vajra in his hands that protects the temple. On both sides of the hall are the Four Heavenly Kings, which symbolize tranquility in the east, west, north and south.
Big hall
It is the main part of the Jade Buddha Temple. Three holy Buddhas sit in the hall : Shakyamuni Buddha in the middle, Amitabha on the left and Medicine Guru Buddha on the right. They are all about four meters high with a very calm facial expression. In addition, there are gods of twenty heavens, covered with gold, lining the eastern and western sides of the Great Hall. And 18 unique gold arhats standing in nine groups outside the hall.
Won Tai Sin Temple
According to legend, this temple in China is named after Master Wong Cho Ping, a shepherd boy born in 328 AD during the Tsun dynasty in a poor family from Lan Xi city of Jin Hua county in Zhejiang province on the east coast of mainland China. He lived for 40 years in solitude, studying this art, after which he was found by his brother Wong Cho Hei, following the instructions of a Taoist master, and since then he was called Wong Tai Sin. In 1915, the father and son of Taoist priests Liang Renan and Liang Junzhuan brought a portrait of Hong Kong Tai Sin to Hong Kong from the local Sik Sik Yuen temple in Xiqiao in Guangdong province, and this portrait was exhibited in a small temple in Wang Chai, where a charity was founded, who runs the Wong Tai Sin Temple.
In 1921, following the divine guidance of Wong Tai Sin, the portrait was transferred to the site of the current temple, which is believed to have a good shung shui against the backdrop of the Lion Rock. The temple was a private shrine for the Taoists of Pu Yi Tang until 1934, when it was open to the public on Lunar New Year. The current main hall of worship was built between 1969 and 1973 and was significantly renovated from 2008 to 2011, while the Tai Sui Yuenchen Underground Palace was created in the temple.
Epiphany Temple - China Town
When the walls of the Moscow Kremlin were still wooden, the temple and the Epiphany Monastery, founded by Prince Daniel in 1298, already stood on this site. In this monastery, the future Moscow hierarch Alexei took monastic tonsure. In 1342, Prince Ivan Daniilovich Kalita laid the foundation of a stone church. It was the first stone cathedral in Moscow outside the walls of the Kremlin. At the base of the current Church of the Epiphany in Kitai Gorod, the stones of that first church have been preserved.