During this national vacation, I plan to visit some famous temples in Beijing with friends. For many students who want to get offers from universities or companies of top level, they will choose Temple of Reclining Buddha to worship and make wishes. Because its Chinese name sounds like OFFERS. It is interesting and reflects the best hopes of people. I am attracted by its popularity. Lots of tourists Travel to Beijing or Beijing Tours would like to visit here. I am interested by story of its name: reclining Buddha as well. So I put the temple in my vacation schedule.
Temple of Reclining Buddha is located in Haidian district of Beijing and is as far as 20 kilometers away from the city centre.
The temple was constructed in 700’s. after that time, it was fixed and expanded for many times. It owned varied names in different dynasties but the most popular name is still Temple of reclining Buddha. There was a popular story about Sakyamuni. When Sakyamuni was 80, He was walking slowly on the path in the forest. After having the lunch, he felt uncomfortable in his stomach but continued to walk forward. He realized he would die finally and chosen one flat place rounded by two Sal trees and lied there. He called his 18 disciples here and said the last words. Then he passed away in peace. Almost all temples of reclining Buddha are originated from this story.
From the tourists’ feedback, there are five major attractions of the temple. Their difference and special becomes Temple of Reclining Buddha’s character.
Rare half-mooned free live pond
When you walk from the glass decorated archway to Temple of Reclining Buddha, you will find a white bridge crossing on the half-mooned free live pond in front. There are many free live ponds in temples it is rare to put a bridge across them. Besides that, many free live ponds are square shape but it is half-mooned shape in Temple of Reclining Buddha. It is different.
Top of Beijing wintersweet
In front of the Tianwang temple, there are crowds of wintersweets. It is told that these wintersweets were planted in Tang dynasty (from 618s to 907s). They had died in the history but bloomed out sometime later till today. They are always called Second Wintersweets for their lush growth. In recent years, these one thousand years long wintersweets comes out every year. Lots of tourists come here, particularly in favor of photograghing, for its amounts of flowers and nice flavor.
Holy trees
In the west and east of the Sanshi Temple, there are two gingko trees. They are in represent of two Sal trees under which Sakyamuni passed by. They are transplanted from India and had lived as long as 800 years. That is why they are called the Holy Trees。
Emperor Qianlong and Arhats
In the Sanshi Temple, there are 18 clay colored arhats sitting on both sides of the temple. They have different and lifelike expressions and wear cassocks. But in the east the most southern arhat is wearing a hat and boots. It is told the Emperor Qianlong believed in Buddha and wanted to convert to the Buddhism but later he became the King of the Dynasty and could not accomplish the desire. So when fixing the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, he thought himself had already succeeded and ordered to replace one arhat to his statue. That is the special arhat.
Sandalwood Buddha, Copper Buddha.
In the history, there were two reclining Buddha statues which were separately made in sandalwood and copper. During the late Ming Dynasty, the Sandalwood Buddha disappeared. There is only copper reclining Buddha right now. it is constructed in Yuan dynasty (1312s) and as long as about 5.3 meters with a weigh of 90 thousand kilograms.
Do you want to know more about the Temple of Reclining Buddha? Click China Tours.
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