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The Hanging Temple at Heng Shan
Entry 20 of 32 | show all | print this entry |
You might well have seen photos of this :Xuankong Si, which literally means temple hanging in the void.
Clinging periously half way up the side of a sheer cliff face,with wooden beams set into the rock, is this dramatic, gravity defying temple.It's impressive from below and very photographic. To begin with it is necessary to climb tall, narrow stairs and then edge along plank walkways. They connect a series of halls, also natural caves and ledges with wooden facades, in which there are shrines to all 3 of China's main religions. In the top hall, Confucius, Buddha and Lao Zi are seated happily together!
It is said that the river below used to flood so the monks built the temple higher and higher. To me, it has slightly lost its mystique since there is now a Dam, higher up the valley and out of sight but neverless the magic of the place has been encroached upon.The mountain's history as a religious centre goes back more than 2000 years.
I was a little reassured as to the feeling one experiences at these heights when Alex (22) came rushing along saying "I must hang on to that rock " In fact, the answer was not to look over the sides! We only spent a short while taking photos and were pleased that it is low season for tourists, so few people. Did not like to imagine what it must be like to have to squeeze past the hoards on these narrow walkways.The wooden poles which seemingly connect one storey to another are split and bendy so we assumed that the weight is taken by the rocks. Wonderful to have been there but even better to admire from a distance ! One can't help wondering what it must have been like for the monks to have lived there.
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| 20. | The Hanging Temple at Heng Shan - Datong, China Nov 13, 2006 |
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