Hanging Monastery stands at the foot of Mt.Hengshan, 5 kilometers (3miles)
south of Hunyuan County, and 65 kilometers(40 miles) from downtown Datong City.
Since it hangs on the west cliff of Jinxia Gorge more than 50 meters above the
ground, it is called Hanging Monastery.
Hanging Monastery, built in 491, has
survived more than 1400 years. The extant monastery was largely rebuilt and
maintained in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
How could a building like this withstand the winds
and storms of so many years? Hanging Monastery is an architectural wonder. A
unique mechanical theory was applied to building the framework. Crossbeams were
half-inserted into the rock as the foundation, while the rock in back became its
support, Seen from below, Hanging Monastery appears to be a tumble-down castle
in the air. Inside, Hanging Monastery provides the same scene as other
temples.
Construction experts from countries including Britain, Germany, and
Italy, come to see the monastery. In their words, Hanging Monastery, which mixes
mechanics,aesthetics,and Buddhism, is rare. The monastery and everything it
symbolizes embodies a great cultural achievement of Chinese people.
The
second attraction of Hanging Monastery is that it includes Buddhism, Taoism and
Confucianism. Inside the monastery, the sculptures of Sakyamuni, Confucius and
Laotzu appear together, which is unususl. There are 40 halls and cabinets, which
contain about 80 sculptures made of copper,iron,terracotta, and stone. The
features are vividly carved.
Why build a monastery like this? Location is the
first reason; building a monastery on the cliff could shield it from floods. In
addition, the mountain peak protects it from rain and snow; and the mountain
around it also diminishes damage from long-time sunshine. The second reason is
that the builders followed a principle in Taoism: no noises, including those
from rooster crowing and dog baying; so from the upper ground, all noises drop
away
