Wandering Through the Temples

Religions or more like the guides for “the correct ways of living” – Confucianism and Daoism – and later Buddhism has formed the base of Chinese ways of thinking during the history. As one prove from that, there are still numerous temples around Beijing. So far I’ve visited probably two most important ones, the Temple of Heaven and the Lama Temple.

Older one from those two is the Temple of Heaven, built in the 15^th century. Huge park complex surrounded by 5 meter high stone fence, and I really mean huge: 276 hectares, so quite a walk around!! Within that area there were three main buildings: The Hall of Prayer for Good and Harvests, The Imperial Vault of Heaven and The Circular Mount Altar. The Circular Mount Altar was connected for two others by a stone bridge which was rising little bit as walking toward the main temple so it would give an effect that you would be walking towards the sky… Clever.

As I was looking the park, I just wondered how lots of work the gardeners have done because every single tree were on line with each other no matter which direction I looked. I wouldn’t have patience to do that. People just did gather in the park for traditional folk dances, music etc. so I guess that because here are so many people, the park has to big also. Yet I wasn’t brave enough to go participate on traditional dances but maybe after a while I will.

Lama Temple works as both, monastery and temple representing Tibetan Buddhism so there were still monks living there. It was built during first decades of 18^th century so it is a bit newer one than Temple of Heaven. Also this temple complex was built based on harmony and balance on North-South axis, extremely precise artwork. That could be seen from the moment I did step inside the gates, a long pathway with high trees bending over it on both sides leading to a next gate. Entering through that gate there was smoke in the air, not much and not because of fire. People were burning incenses while they were praying in front of one the many Buddha statues.

There were few larger praying halls walking forward in the temple area. Buddha statues were amazing, for example one room had three big statues: the one in the middle representing present, the one at the left side was the past and the right side statue was the future. And the last hall “The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happiness” was the world biggest Buddha statue carved from one piece of wood – 26 meter tall!! It was really unbelievable and it has made its way even in the Guinness Book of Records.