The Hanging Temple
I was sent a forwarded email by Jamie Khoo (liaison and senior editor of KMP). It had a Powerpoint presentation attached to it about The Hanging Temple…
In the Shanxi province of China, within the county of Hunyuan, there is a temple that has been built INTO the cliff on the Jinlong Valley!
Called the Hanging Temple or Hanging Monastery (悬空寺), the structure is situated 246 feet above the ground. This is about a third of the way up a vertical cliff in the Golden Dragon Gorge (Jinlong Guan).
According to the Chinese local legend, it was at the end of the Northern Wei Dynasty when a monk named Liao Ran (了然) started constructing the temple. With the idea of having a sanctuary for silent meditation, he later got help from some Taoist builders.
Over the years, a lot of people thought that it would fall, or that the foundation would crumble away… but it has been intact for 1,500 years!
This structure is no small feat… It has 40 caves (rooms) which includes 6 main halls. The hall that sits on the highest point of the structure is called the Sanjiao Dian or Three Religions Hall. Inside, there is a statue of Buddha Shakyamuni in the middle, a statue of Laozi (an ancient Chinese scholar) on the right and a statue of Confucius on the left. They all have different expressions and they represent the 3 religions/beliefs that the people of China follow: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. All three are in perfect harmony with each other.
Not only is the structure architecturally ground-breaking and aesthetically-astounding… but a lot of care and thought went into the design. The building holds approximately 100,000 relics, 78 statues of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism (made of copper, iron, clay and stone) and many other inscriptions and poems.
I have added the slides from the Powerpoint presentation that Jamie sent me. Do take a look at it.
A plank on the road leading to the cliff reads, “People are more creative than nature.” Do you agree with this?? Have any of you visited this spectacular site? Anyone interested to go? What would you do there besides view and admire?
Tsem Rinpoche
Or view the video on the server at: http://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/Datong-China-Hanging-Temple.flv
This video is of a temple that is similar to The Hanging Temple. It is found within the same region of China.
Photos from the slideshow
Photos from one of my students who went to The Hanging Temple
This is amazing! I am afraid of heights and looking at the pictures already makes me weak in the knees!
Indeed, how in the world did they build it? It’s remarkable! I love how the temple wraps around the mountains like as if it is embracing the mountains.
Whether we look up or down, or sideways, every view is breathtaking and beautiful. A spiritual architectural masterpiece! It seems we have to take a leap of faith just to get to the waterfalls too! Those narrow steps are sure a test of faith!
Thank you, Rinpoche and Jamie for sharing all these beautiful amazing spiritual places. Asia is filled with wonderful surprises!
Wah, on my Buddha!!! This is so nice… i love this temple so much. It’s so mystery. Wish one day can pay a visit to this place… How nice if we have a retreat centre like this? Hehe.. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article.
Beautiful. I hope to visit some day, and walk up the path that clings to the cliffside. I know I will be hanging on to the handrail with both hands!
Just think, if it is scary walking up the path now, imagine what it must have been like to build it! And all for the love of Dharma and spreading the teachings of Lord Buddha. When we build Kechara World Peace Center, we will need to have the same kind of determination and strength!
Amazingly huge & beautiful
Wow ! How they built this, took how long to build? Wish one day i will visit this wonder place! Just imagine, To climb up to the path with hands cling to the side. Exciting! Besides admire the place, i will pay homage to the buddhas and the masters up there….
This is a historical site, i not really agree on PEOPLE is more creative than NATURE. Nowadays human destroyed nature more than protect nature!
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this post with us, thank you Jamie for the effort.
I’m definitely going. Who’s with me?
Let’s not choose a busy day, though. The pictures looks fantastic, but check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMFBPaVnwWc
Nice video..think I will blog it..thanks…TR
“People are more creative than nature.” Do you agree with this?? Answer: I agree.
Liao Ran would have been motivated to want to preserve all the 3 teachings that the temple is dedicated to .. the philosophies that embodies Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism at their best. He respected the values in these teachings so much that he want to uphold it forever.
By using his creativity and own vision and the help of the Taoist builders, he built this structure that required a lot of time, effort, skill and financial support from many to achieve this amazing temple that still stand after 1,500 years later. He may even have to wrestle with the Emperors and politics at that time just to build on that spot which is scenic and beautiful. The temple faces clouds and mist.
This is one of the spectacular China pilgrimage site that is on my Wish List and would be very interested to go to in the future.
Besides admiring the fantastic view from the highest point at the temple, I would love to spend a few days there doing retreat in the mountain caves beside the river to give thanks to the Three Jewels for the vision of this humble monk who left a legacy for all generations to visit, admire and pay homage to.
Thank-you for posting this Rinpoche. .what an extraordinary place, looks like something you could imagine as a child. that last picture ~ looks like you could start off on some sort of adventure or journey – or something like that
How protected it must be, to have survived for 1600 years – maybe because of the people who practiced there, the influence of the deities, although it really seems like (the elements themselves) maybe protect the place – that’s just a couple of things that popped into my head. who knows.
OMB, this temple is an amazing architectural piece and the landscape in which it is set in is simply breathtaking. At such a high altitude, no doubt the temple will be exposed to very strong wind and extreme weather conditions and it can survive intact for the past 1,500 years! It reminds me of how much a human mind is capable of if focus and effort is applied correctly. The architectural challenges of today’s modern buildings become pale in comparison, more so when we think of the modern technology available today. Even then, today’s modern buildings are plagued with many defects after construction is completed.
I would definitely love to visit this temple one day if I have the opportunity. I would love to witness, admire and feel for myself the ingenuity of mankind that has ever existed and be awed and blown away by it.
Considering all the wonderful and beautiful Buddhist places Rinpoche brings to us in this blog, who wouldn’t want to become a Buddhist! This blog is becoming a Buddhist lonely Planet guide with wisdom thrown in. I definitely would want to go before I am too old to do all the climbing.
Buddha taught that mind is the ultimate creator of all things, including what we refer to as nature. Because of this, we can also destroy nature. Therefore, we have to take responsibility for having the power of creation.If not for the monk’s ideas and wishes the temple complex could not have manifested.I would make offerings of light and make prayers for harmony before Sakyamuni and Kuan Yin and for dharma to flourish in the region. Also pay respect to the sages who had contributed much to Chinese ethical living and rich culture.
The temple’s continued existence is a celebration of goodness and holiness.
Human’s works and nature when in union can be an awesome stunning piece of art.
Liao Ran’s dedication and committment to preserve all the 3 teachings and philosophies of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism propelled him to build this temple to uphold the teachings forever. With the determination of one humble monk, so much could be achieved and the legacy stays on for all future generations to pay homage to.
I can’t imagine the number of hours and man power required to construct this temple some 1500 years ago.It definitely looked impossible then to many. But there it stands strong and manificiant now that takes every breath away from pilgrims all over the world.
I would love to visit this holy site one day and sooner. I would do a lot of prayers up there and dedicate to our KWPC project in Malaysia , thanking my Guru who brought me the Dharma and to his long life and to all the Dharma practitioner, may their spiritual journey be smooth and be freed of obstacles.
Thank you Rinpoche and Jamie for sharing all these wonderful and beautiful pictures!!!
In the Shanxi province of China a temple was uniquely built onto a cliff, known as the Golden Dragon Gorge or “Jinlong Guan” in chinese. Situated more than 246 feet above ground, it really depicts the wonderment of China olden days architectural building techniques! Though many people may have some whatexpressed a non-confidence attitude to its Hanging foundation struture, yet this temple had stood its test for 1,500 years steadily and solidly till today. Every nook and corner reflected careful expertised thought and planning, before final execution been finalised. It also displayed a smooth, peaceful and tranquil flow of spirituality and morality of a traditional shaolin stereotyped version of an ancient chinese temple that had silently and harmoniously served the 3 religions of Buddhism, Taosim and confusianism for 1,500 long peaceful years!
Thank you Rinpoche and Jamie for sharing beautiful pictures of this wonderful temple. I can’t imagine what triggered the idea of building the temple this way and in such difficult site!?
I wish I have the chance to visit this temple while I could still travel the distant
What an amazing temple! The architecture is detail and well plan. It takes a lot of effort, determination and sacrifices to build this temple. I just love stairways where there is a river flowing below it. Another magnificent is that the nature of the surrounding is kept and the temples blends so well with the nature. The architect or the builders, have also takes opportunity and the advantages of the beauty of the nature to make this temple so unique. The appreciation and conservation of the nature is taken into consideration.