Fascinating Buddhist temples in China

In May 2019 we made a four-week study trip to China. On that occasion we visited three famous and extraordinary Buddhist temples. Whenever we are in Asia we visit the local temples, not only to admire the great art there, but also for contemplation. In Beijing we saw the Yonghe Temple, a temple and monastery of Tibetan Buddhism. It was built at the beginning of the 18th century. It is said that the temple owes its survival during the Cultural Revolution to the intervention of Premier Zhou Enlai. These are some typical Tibetan elements. So it's made out of sand? A typical Chinese Buddhist temple is a building complex consisting of several courtyards. A large front gate is followed by a bell tower and a drum tower. In the next courtyard is the Hall of Celestial Kings, paying tribute to the most powerful figures of the universe. Then comes the centerpiece of the temple, the Great Treasure Hall. Here you find the most prominent Buddha sculptures. Beyond that again there are lecture rooms and a library. Visitors other than tourists pray, burn incense and give donations. Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism are the three foundations of Chinese civilization. Interestingly there are no clear boundaries between these three intertwined religions or philosophies. For 2,000 years Buddhism, which came to China later than the other two philosophies, has profoundly shaped Chinese culture. Like Confucianism and Taoism, Chinese Buddhism is not based on blind faith and requires no absolute submission. On the contrary, it urges you to seek out who you are, where you came from and what you will become beyond this life. The Lingyun Temple, northwest of Hangzhou, is one of the wealthiest Buddhist temples in China. The monastery was founded in the 4th century AD. Today the temple is thriving as a destination for both pilgrims and tourists. Throwing small coins is supposed to bring luck. The red band represents a good wish, for example for a happy marriage or a successful career. In front of the temple is the so-called Flying Peak with 360 limestone Buddha statues, showing mainly the happy Buddha. It may be confusing that there is a fat Buddha, but it can be explained. The skinny Buddha is the historical Buddha i.e. Siddhartha Gautama. He lived around 600 BC and was a spiritual leader on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. Historical Buddha wasn't fat. Prince Siddhartha Gautama was fasting and meditating, so he was an ascetic person. By contrast, the laughing Buddha or the fat Buddha was a Zen monk who lived in China around the 10th century, i.e. about 1,600 years after historical Buddha. He was remembered as a good-hearted, happy and contented man with a massive belly and a big smile. His jolly spirit and laughter made people around him laugh too. Over time he became a famous character in Chinese folk tales. Near Chengdu we visited a giant Buddha statue at the confluence of three rivers. The Lixian giant Buddha was built in the 8th century AD. It took 90 years to carve it. Some 71 meters in height, the stone statue is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a major tourist attraction. Fuo is the Chinese character for Buddha. This is what the giant Buddha looked like six months earlier when friends of us were there. Over the years the Lixian Buddha has been damaged by weathering and pollution. Prior to restoration, trials were undertaken, mixing different materials together to find the best color. This is a sculpture of a lotus flower. In Buddhism, the lotus flower is a symbol of purification, as the lotus grows unstained from muddy water, rising into pure beauty. On top of the hill there is also a Buddhist temple that is visited by many believers.