Buddha's Sacred Realm: Shanxi Buddhist Temples and Culture -- "Looking Back at Shanxi" Series

Author: Wang Baokù, Wang Peng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Shanxi is a land where no temples need to be visited after returning. In the 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 the crown jewels of the nation. Step into the sacred Buddhist realm of Shanxi, and you can fully appreciate the profound depth, infinite charm, and vastness of Buddhist culture and art.
Named "Buddhist Sacred Realm," this book aims to explore the treasures of Shanxi's Buddhist temples and culture, with little mention of Confucian and 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, spreading across East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the world through the efforts of generations of eminent monks. The many famous mountains and grand temples in Shanxi have remained the eternal cradle and base for the sinicization of Buddhism and the sinicized Buddhism throughout history, contributing immensely to the history of Chinese Buddhism and holding an exalted status.
What is particularly remarkable is that Shanxi preserves in large numbers, in complete and original form, many important Buddhist sites and cultural relics that hold significant positions in Chinese Buddhism, and these have been designated as key national cultural heritage sites. Among them, the Yungang Grottoes, as well as the Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple, included within the protection area of Pingyao Ancient City, have been recognized by international organizations as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Shanxi is truly a museum of Chinese Buddhist culture, fully deserving of the title of the Buddhist Sacred Realm.