You will find Ling Yin Temple in a long, narrow valley between Fei Lai Feng (Peak flown from Afar) and North Peak to the northwest of the West Lake at Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province. The temple is without doubt a premier showpiece in the West Lake environs and is notable also as one of the ten most famous Buddhist temples of China. In 1961 the temple was listed for protection as a key provincial historical and cultural site and is considered a leading centre for research relative to Chinese Buddhist culture.
The
presence of a temple on this site can be traced back to the
Eastern Jin Dynasty (317 - 420AD) when, according to local
legend, Huili an Indian monk came to the area where he was
inspired by the spiritual nature of the scenery to be found
here. To his mind this had to be a dwelling of the
Immortals and so he gave the temple a name "Ling Yin
(Temple of the Soul's Retreat). The Chinese name is
translated into English as either "Temple of the Soul's
Retreat' or 'Temple of Inspired Seclusion' for the setting
has a quiet and beautiful grandeur that encourages a
feeling of peace and for contemplation.
The temple was to gain in importance during the Five
Dynasties (907-960 AD) when the King of the Wu Yue State
initiated a large-scale development of the temple as a sign
of his devotion to Buddha. In its heyday, the temple
comprised nine buildings, eighteen pavilions, seventy-seven
palaces and halls with over thirteen hundred rooms
providing accommodation for around three thousand monks. A
monastery on this scale is difficult to imagine and
needless to say over the centuries it has been subjected to
many changes of fortune due to wars, religious repression
and other calamities. The main temple that can be seen
today is a result of the restoration that was carried out
in 1974 following the ten-year Chinese Cultural Revolution.
Upon entering the first hall of the temple, you will see a
tablet inscribed with words penned by Emperor Kangxi of the
Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). He was inspired by the sight of
the temple shrouded in mist amongst the trees that surround
it and gave it the title 'Cloud Forest Buddhist Temple'.
This first great hall, with its double eaves and some sixty
feet in height, is the 'Hall of the Heavenly Kings.' Upon
the door is a couplet that says 'Let us sit and wait upon
the threshold, where we shall see another peak flying from
afar. Let us welcome spring with a smile as the snow melts
and the brook starts to flow once more.'
Upon
entering the Hall your eyes will be drawn to the delicately
painted ceiling decorated with phoenixes and dragons.
Images of the Four Heavenly Kings stand upon either side of
the Maitreya, a laughing Buddha with a huge belly who is
said to be able to 'endure all intolerance and laugh at
every laughable person in the world,' as he welcomes those
who enter the hall. On passing through this hall and
crossing the courtyard beyond, you then enter the Da Xiong
Bao Dian. This is the Hall of the Great Hero. It is seven
rooms wide, five rooms deep and single storey construction.
The double eaved roof soars to a pinnacle of 33.6 metres
(110 feet) making it probably the highest single storey
buildings to be found in China. The hall houses a statue of
Sakyamuni carved from 24 sections of camphor wood with an
overall height of 24.8 metres (82 feet). This is one of the
largest wooden statues in China and is covered with gold
leaf. The statue is flanked on either side by twenty
saints. These are said to be protectors of justice. Twelve
disciples who serve as guards are seated along the rear
wall. The figures are a very imposing and impressionable
sight to behold.
Continuing
through the temple complex, you will come in turn to the
Pharmaceutical Master Hall, Great Mercy Hall and the Cool
Spring Pavilion. This latter pavilion was erected a
thousand years ago during the Tang Dynasty. It is very
pleasant place to linger during the heat of summer when the
softly murmuring spring has a cooling effect upon its
surroundings.
The Temple contains an important collection of Buddhist
literature together with many other treasures. As a
consequence it is a great centre of information for those
who wish to study aspects of Chinese Buddhism in detail.
The palaces, pavilions and halls together with their many
figures of Buddhist deities represent in total a splendid
and unique collection of architectural and artistic
cultural relics. The various buildings and pagodas date
from the Southern Song, Ming and Tang Dynasties. Among the
ancient writings are scriptures written on pattra leaves,
the Diamond Sutra copied by Dong Qichang in the Ming
Dynasty and a wood cut edition published during the Qing
Dynasty.
To add a
final memorable touch to your visit, it is very pleasant to
dine at the Ling Yin Vegetarian Restaurant located near to
the Temple. The vegetarian dishes on offer are typical of
the Chinese culinary style and it is little wonder that in
such a setting the excellent repast is frequently regarded
as 'food for the gods'.
content from Travel China Guide