Journeying into the Sky: China’s Astonishing Hanging Monastery

China has been famous for its monasteries and gardens.

1. The Spectacular Hanging Monastery

It is also called as Hanging Temple, Xunankong Si, or Xuankong Temple. It surely is one of the world’s forgotten wonders. The Hanging Temple is located in Datong City China. It existed during the Shanxi province.

The hanging monastery was built over 1500 years ago. This hanging temple slings on the cliffs of the Hengshan mountains. Hence it is also known as Hengshan Hanging Temple. The hanging Monstery is located 50 meters above ground.

1.1 Who Built The Hanging Temple 

The Hanging Monastery is said to have been built by a Monk known as Xiao Ran. It was during the Northern Wei dynasty. The Hanging Temple was restored in the 1900s.

The Hanging Monastery has a wooden structure. It has been constructed by drilling millions of holes in the cliffs. The beams or poles were inserted into the holes so that the temple would stand on the cliff steadily. The holes are the main supportive structure. After that the pavilions were constructed out of this horizontal structure. Due to these efforts, the Hanging Temple is truly an architectural wonder.

The Times Magazine selected the Hanging Temple as one of ‘The Top 10 unique and precipitous architectures’ in the year 2010. Currently, many wooden pillars hold the temple on the cliff. The Hanging Temple was not constructed initially over these pillars but they were added later for safety.

1.2 Beautiful But Not Accessible 

As mentioned before, the Hanging Temple swings on the cliff of Hengshan Mountain. However, as beautiful as it sounds, visiting the Hanging Temple is not travel-friendly.

The pavilions of these are connected by very confused and dizzying roads. They are accompanied by cliffs and deep valleys. Even though it has such a problematic structure, it has its topographical advantage.

1.3 Topographical Advantages 

The Hanging Temple is located such that it has a natural shield of Henshang’s Cuiping peak. The peak is extended such that it functions as an umbrella for the Hanging Temple. It protects the temple from heavy rainfall and soil erosion. The peak completely blocks the rainfall.

As the temple has a wooden structure, it has a huge risk of rotting by the rainfall. The Cuipin peak blocks the rainfall and keeps the pavilions dry and stable. The temple is located above the ground. Therefore it avoids the risk of flooding and runoff erosion.

The Temple is on the cliff and experiences heavy blows of wind. However, the Hanging Monastery faced Tianfeng’s peak. Both of them make a bay-shaped valley and protect from heavy wind erosion.

2. Three Chinese Religions

Have you heard of a temple that is devoted to more than one religion? Of course not! But the Hanging Temple makes an exception. It is devoted to three different religions. These regions are Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. 

The most attractive and mesmerizing feature of the Hanging Temple is side-by-side sculptures. The sculptures are of Laozi, Shakyamuni, and Confucius. They are the founders of the three main Chinese religions mentioned above.

The whole Temple consists of eye-catching sculptures and religious statues. There are eighty sculptures overall. Some of them are clay sculptures as well and some are made out of bronze, iron, terracotta, and stone. They are remarkably true to life.

3. Travel Lodge 

The Hanging Temple is remotely located within the Hengshan mountains. Earlier it acted as a travel lodge. It was a travel stop for most of the travellers. It was considered taboo to worship more than one religion. Hence the temple is dedicated to three main Chinese philosophies so that more travelers and worshippers can gather together and live under one roof.

4. Features Of Hanging Temple 

In addition to the unique architecture the temple has much more to offer. Let us look at those features. The Hanging Monastery has two pavilions, a long bridge, and nearly forty halls. The North Pavilion and the South Pavilion are the two main pavilions of the temple.

The North Pavilion has three floors and is 26 feet long. It is 13 feet wide. This pavilion contains the tallest sculpture and largest hall of the temple. The South Pavilion is also of three floors. It is 23 feet long. The third floor consists of statues of three main Chinese religious founders. The right sculpture is of Laozi, the left one is of Confucius, and in the centre is Shakyamuni.

The long bridge is thirty feet long and connects both pavilions. There is a hall above the bridge that is used to worship the three main statues.

5. When Should We Visit? 

When we travel during the best season, then our experience hets improved. The experts say that one can visit the Hanging Temple all year round. But, it is better to take a precaution and consider the weather conditions in Datong. As it is above sea level one can experience extreme climate change.

Generally, it is feasible to travel from April to October. As mentioned above, Datong Valley experiences extreme climatic variations. It has distinct seasons. The valley has short summers and winters for longer periods. The winter spans from November to March.

There are extreme changes in the weather between morning and night. It is advisable to bring warm clothes even if it is summer when you visit the Hanging Temple.

The Temple was restored in the 1900s and hence can keep limited travellers. Up to eighty travellers are allowed to stay in the Temple at a time. Since the temple is flooded with people visiting and searching for a stay, it is advised that you arrive at Datong Valley early in the morning. The rush is huge during the travel season.

So, what are you waiting for? Pack up your bags and get ready to explore one of the lost wonders of the world. You can explore the beauty of architecture along with Chinese traditions and philosophies.

Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Icy Tales Team