Yunju Temple
A famed millennium-old temple at the foot of Baidai Mountain in Fangshan: the Sui-dynasty monk Jingwan, in a grand vow to protect the Dharma, began carving sutras in stone, an endeavor carried on for a thousand years to produce the "Buddhist canon in stone"; 14,278 stone-carved Buddhist sutras survive in the scripture caves of Shijing Mountain and the underground vault beneath the temple, earning it the name "the world's largest stone-carved library"
Visitor info
- Opening hours
- 09:00-16:30
- Ticket
- CNY 40
Price is indicative — final quote on inquiry.
A famed millennium-old temple at the foot of Baidai Mountain in Fangshan: the Sui-dynasty monk Jingwan, in a grand vow to protect the Dharma, began carving sutras in stone, an endeavor carried on for a thousand years to produce the "Buddhist canon in stone"; 14,278 stone-carved Buddhist sutras survive in the scripture caves of Shijing (Stone Sutra) Mountain and the underground vault beneath the temple, earning it the name "the world's largest stone-carved library". The temple also holds flesh relics of the Buddha and a cluster of Liao-dynasty pagodas, and the "three wonders" — stone sutras, paper sutras and wooden sutra blocks — are all present. Jingwan's votive inscription for the sutra carving is a celebrated work of calligraphy history; reached via the Fangshan Line with a bus transfer, it is a must-visit for lovers of Buddhist history, with spring mountain blossoms as an added draw.
Getting there: Fangshan Line, transfer to bus / self-drive
Photos
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