The Hanging Temple

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Running Head: THE HANGING TEMPLE 1

THE HANGING TEMPLE 2

The Hanging Temple

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Introduction

There are very many masterpieces of art around the globe that are found in almost every continent or country present today. These ancient antiques have been there for centuries and most of them represent the culture and tradition of the people who built them while some go further than culture to represent religion and belief in the creator. Some of these marvelous pieces of art include the Taj-Mahal, the sphinx, Forbidden City, Stonehenge, and Machu Picchu in Peru, Temples of Bangan, and also those of Bali among others. Even though these creations are better they do not compare to the Hanging Temple of China. The hanging temples should be given the title of modern wonders of the world because it is the only piece of art that incorporates the history of the three empires and their religion.

Location

The hanging temple is built on a cliff around 75m above the ground and is found on one the cliffs of Mount Hengshan, in the county of Hunyuan. The temple is approximately 65 kilometers southeast of Datong City and the province of Shanxi, China (Giovanna, 2017). This modern wonder of the world was constructed during the Wei dynasty around 491 AD therefore contains a lot of history for its people. The hanging temple is also unique considering that it was the efforts of one man named Liaoran. The structure is over 1500 years old and because of weathering components in the environment, it has been experiencing several repairs along with various extensions than its original form. They are also found near the Yungang grottoes an ancient relic symbolizing the Buddhism god.

Why it was built and the Purpose of the Structure Overtime

This relic was built to serve as a worship place for the people during the Wei dynasty. The Daoist Mountain is a sacred place that had an influence on the temples. Inside the temple, there were a number of Buddhist figures made in bronze, stone, iron, and clay (Balido, 2019). The temple has a three religious hall that depicts the traditional philosophical culture and the religion of the Chinese people. The three religious halls commemorate the various stages of Chinese history from the day it was made. Buddha, Confucius, and Laozi are well represented sitting in harmony in the temple near each other (Williams, 2019). Today, this unique monastery has been made a tourism attraction site with people visiting from various parts of the globe. Even though it serves as a tourism attraction site it still tells us about the dynasties of the Chinese.

Remains of the Structure and Visitors

The hanging monastery is present until today and is in good condition because of the layout and engineering of the place was meant to last. The Ming Dynasty repaired the temples but they are still in good condition today. Yes, people can create time and visit this seventh wonder of the world and witness how the structures were formed by the ancient people of China. Throughout the years this area has been restructured and extended by the engineers and the monks after all it’s a monastery.

Features of the Hanging Temple

One of the unique features of the hanging temple is the fact that it represents the tradition and housing style of the Chinese for ages. Built on a cliff the hanging temple, includes the monetary room, the meditation room, several temples that is the Sanfo, Taiyi, Guandi, Drum, Belltower, and the Jialian temple among other temples. All of these can be found in the hanging temples. The halls are laid out in symmetrical layers with the levels structured differently (Balido, 2019). The construction characteristics of the temple are very unique as from afar the temple looks like a crystal relief from afar but upon close encounter, it seems to fly out.

Figure 1.0. The hanging Temple. (Asian Historical Architecture, 2020)

How it was built

The temple uses rocks as an invisible support layer to hold it in place and is standing at approximately 70 meters above the ground. It has holes and pillars drilled inside the rocks that hook the wooden structures into place to prevent them from being flooded away (Giovanna, 2017). The location of the temple shields it from rain and sunshine especially to those who visit the place. The hanging temple has 40 halls that are all made out of wood with the distance from east to west is longer than the distance from North to south. Wooden supports had been dipped in tung oil to prove them from moth and corrosion. The southern and northern parts are connected by the Changxian Bridge which is a wooden plank.

Historical and Contemporary Importance

The hanging temples are an important artifact to history as they describe the way in which the people of China were and are still constructing their traditional houses in style with the temple. The temple is also the only object that incorporates 3 different cultures and religions under one roof. These religions are; Buddhism, Confucius, and Taoism of the different dynasties of the Chinese people (Williams, 2019). Today this modern wonder of the world is a tourist attraction center where people get to visit and acknowledge the engineering brain behind the structure. It is also an area where many scientists and engineers from around the world visit to witness the great mechanics, aesthetics, and beauty of the hanging temple.

Figure 2.1 The Hanging Temple ( China discovery, 2020)

Reference

“Xuankongsi Hanging Temple, Hunyuan, China.”(2020). Asian Historical Architecture. https://www.orientalarchitecture.com/sid/91/china/hunyuan/xuankongsi-hanging-temple

Balido, Jose. (2019). North-Central China’s Jaw dropping “Hanging Temple.”Love 2 fly. https://love2fly.iberia.com/2019/06/north-central-chinas-astonishing-hanging-temple/

“Hanging Temple” (2020). China Discovery. https://www.chinadiscovery.com/shanxi/datong/hanging-temple.html

Giovanna Concu. (2017). Wood in Civil Engineering. Books on Demand. ISBN 9535129856, 9789535129851

Williams, Martin. (2019). Exploring Shanxi’s secrets: temples, natural beauty and Unesco ancient city of Pingyao. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3031083/exploring-shanxis-secrets-temples-natural-beauty-and

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