Hanging Monastery
About Hanging Monastery
Perched precariously halfway up a cliff some 50 meters above a river, the Hanging Monastery is one of the most remarkable sites in China . Consisting of a complex of 40 rooms linked together by mid-air corridors and walkways, this remarkable monastery appears to be glued to the side of a sheer precipice.
Just as remarkable is the fact that this architectural wonder has been hanging here for over 1400 years. Known as Xuankong Si in Chinese—“ Temple Suspended in the Void”—this architectural wonder was build in 491 during the Northern Wei period. It has been renovated a number of times over the years, most recently in 1900, and much of the current structure dates from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
This unique monastery is located along the traditional route between the sacred Wutai Shan mountains to the south and Datong City to the north, making it convenient for passing pilgrims. This temple was suspended above a cliff to protect it from the frequently flooding waters of the river below (now controlled by a dam upstream) and from the snow, rain, and sunshine above. It is also said that the original planners located in this unusual location based on a Taoist concept; they desired that the monastery be as silent as possible, and this location shelters it from the ground-level sounds of the area.
Although the Hanging Monastery is located at the base of Hengshan, one of the most sacred mountains in Daoism (Taoism), it is in fact a Buddhist temple. At the same time, this unusual structure has shrines devoted to all of China ’s main religions—Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Sanjiao Dian (“Three Teachings Hall”), where a Buddhist Sakyamuni statue is flanked by Confucius on the left and Laozi on the right.
Just as remarkable is the fact that this architectural wonder has been hanging here for over 1400 years. Known as Xuankong Si in Chinese—“ Temple Suspended in the Void”—this architectural wonder was build in 491 during the Northern Wei period. It has been renovated a number of times over the years, most recently in 1900, and much of the current structure dates from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
This unique monastery is located along the traditional route between the sacred Wutai Shan mountains to the south and Datong City to the north, making it convenient for passing pilgrims. This temple was suspended above a cliff to protect it from the frequently flooding waters of the river below (now controlled by a dam upstream) and from the snow, rain, and sunshine above. It is also said that the original planners located in this unusual location based on a Taoist concept; they desired that the monastery be as silent as possible, and this location shelters it from the ground-level sounds of the area.
Although the Hanging Monastery is located at the base of Hengshan, one of the most sacred mountains in Daoism (Taoism), it is in fact a Buddhist temple. At the same time, this unusual structure has shrines devoted to all of China ’s main religions—Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Sanjiao Dian (“Three Teachings Hall”), where a Buddhist Sakyamuni statue is flanked by Confucius on the left and Laozi on the right.
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The Hanging Monastery is located 65 km to the southeast of Datong , the largest city in northern Shanxi and the location of the nearest major airport and train station.
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First To Review:
Nov 2, 2009
This amazing temple is perched on the edge of a sheer precipice, hanging over a river below. Even more amazingly, this wooden temple has been hanging here for over 1400 years. Also unusually, this unusual structure contains shrines devoted to all of China's main religions--Buddhism, Taoism, and Confuciansim.
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