Buddhist Paradise: Buddhist Temples and Culture in Shanxi

Author: Wang Baoku
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: "Come back to Shanxi without seeing the temples." On this ancient yellow land east of the Taihang Mountains and west of the Yellow River, stand numerous Buddhist temple complexes. Their long history, diverse types, exquisite craftsmanship, and enduring reputation are unparalleled, making them a national treasure. Enter Shanxi's sacred Buddhist realm and fully appreciate the profound depth and infinite charm of Buddhist culture and art.
Named "Buddhist Sacred Realm," this book aims to explore the treasures of Shanxi's Buddhist temples and culture, with no elaboration on Confucian or Taoist traditions. Buddhism, as an imported religion, originated in India and flourished in China. It has traversed a challenging path from the sinicization of Buddhism to the sinicized Buddhism, promoted and expanded by eminent monks throughout the ages, spreading the sinicized Buddhism to East Asia, Southeast Asia, and all over the world.
Many famous mountains and grand temples in Shanxi have been the eternal headquarters and strongholds of the sinicization of Buddhism and the sinicized Buddhism, making significant contributions to the history of Chinese Buddhism and holding an exalted status. What is particularly remarkable is that numerous important Buddhist sites and cultural relics in Shanxi, which once occupied a significant position in Chinese Buddhism, are still preserved in large numbers, intact, and in their original form, designated as key national cultural heritage sites. Among them, the Yungang Grottoes, as well as the Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple included in the protection area of Pingyao Ancient City, have been recognized by international organizations as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Shanxi can be called a museum of Chinese Buddhist culture and fully deserves the title of a Buddhist sacred realm.