旅游指南（英文版）

Wutai Shan, the Five Peaks of Serenity

Once a remote outpost reached only by the most pious of pilgrims who traveled for months with wills steeled by devotion, Wutai Shan remains a hidden treasure for those seeking true contemplation.

Wutai Shan’s name means “five terraces,” which accurately describes the five flat peaks of this sacred spot – north, east, south, west and central peak. In the quiet valleys between the peaks lie a smattering of ancient temples, twisting trails and aweinspiring views.

The major sights at Wutai Shan are rather spread out, forcing one to indulge in the gorgeous scenery that surrounds the five terraces. This also means that no one sight is overwhelmed with tour groups. Wutai Shan’s temples are an eclectic mix of Han Buddhist and Tibetan and Mongolian Lamaist traditions, making the mountain one of the best places in China to view Buddhist architecture.

The shrines on Wutai Shan date back to the Eastern Han dynasty, and the second Buddhist temple in China was built here at a time when Taoism dominated the area. A legend goes that a Buddhist monk beseeched the emperor to construct the Xiantong Temple (xiǎntōng sì 显通寺) on the mountain and suggested that a Taoist and Buddhist scroll each be put into a fire to test which religion was true. When the Taoist scroll was burned to ashes, but miraculously the Buddhist scroll remained undamaged, the temple was built. Later, Wutai Shan became a popular pilgrimage destination as more monasteries and temples were built in succeeding dynasties.

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, when Buddhism held imperial favor, over 360 temples were built. The mountain also became an international destination point for Buddhists from other countries as they were drawn to the many temples as centers of learning. Lama Buddhists began to settle on the mountain during the Qing dynasty. Today there are 47 temples and monasteries and they continue to draw devotees and curious sightseers.

Most of the temples are located around Taihuai, a small town nestling in valley 5,576 feet (1,700 m) above sea level. The temples on Wutai Shan are dedicated to Wenshu Pusa (Manjusri), the Bodhisattva of Wisdom and Virtue. A visiting Indian monk had a vision of Wenshu in the 1st century AD and concluded Wutai Shan to be the mystical abode of Buddha’s most important assistant. Numerous legends speak of how apparitions of Wenshu riding on the back of a blue lion have been sighted high above the monasteries.

ours normally begin at Taihuai; one daylong trip south of town allows you to visit several stylistically different temples. All temples share a transcendental aura, so if you’re looking to get away from the drab, mundane concerns of urban life, any temple will do.

108 carved granite steps (the same as the number of beads on a Buddhist rosary) lead to Dailuo Ding (dàiluó dǐng 黛螺顶), the temple that houses statues of five different forms of Wenshu Pusa, each of whom supposedly lives on a different peak. Legend has it that a young monk suggested statues representing the five incarnations of Wenshu be built here to save visiting emperors from a grueling trek. For those who want to visit the bodhisattvas but don’t have the time to make a house call, this is the place to ask Wutai Shan’s guardians for a blessing. To make things even easier, there’s now a cable car from the foot of Wutai Shan to the temple. Piety with convenience – if only the early pilgrims had it this easy.

Xiantong Temple is the largest and oldest temple on the mountain and is also conveniently located in the heart of town. It houses the amazing Beamless Pavilion (wúliángdiàn 无梁殿), which contains no beams and is supported through a complex set of interlocking pins. The impressive Bronze Pavilion (tóngdiàn 铜殿) is made from 110,000 pounds (50,000 kg) of bronze; it’s a perfect replica of a wooden pavilion, and the interior houses thousands of tiny Buddhas. Continuing on the bronze theme, the Youming Bell (yōumíngzhōng 幽冥钟) cast in 1620, is the largest bronze bell in the region: it’s 8.2 feet (2.5 m) high, 5.25 feet (1.6 m) across, and weighs 9999.5 jin, or 11,000 pounds (5,000 kg). A Buddhist sutra of over 10,000 Chinese characters decorates the body of the bell.

Behind the Xiantong Temple is the largest Lama temple on the mountain, the Pusa Ding (púsà dǐng 菩萨顶). Climb the 108 stairs to this temple and gaze out on the expansive views of Taihuai and the surrounding countryside. Tibetan and Mongolian Lamas stayed here during the Ming and Qing dynasties, believing that Wenshu Pusa once lived in the same place. The Wenshu Pavilion has an interesting feature: water is stored on the roof when it rains and on sunny days it drips down the roof.

The 164-foot-high (50 m) high Tibetan styled White Pagoda (bái tǎ 白塔), designed by a Nepali in 1301, has become a symbol of Wutai Shan. It stands on the grounds of Tayuan Temple (tǎyuàn sì 塔院寺), also in Taihuai. A marketplace forms around it with vendors selling incense, prayer beads, Buddhist booklets and bronze Buddhas.

Just 10 minutes away from Tayuan Temple is Shuxiang Temple (shūxiàng sì 殊像寺), which features a 20-foot-tall (6 m) statue of Wenshu riding a lion. The temple itself was last rebuilt in 1487. Take a short 10 minute walk southwest and the Puhua Temple (pǔhuá sì 普华寺) will come into view. The buildings here feature intricate carvings. About 2 miles (3 km) southwest is the South Mountain Temple (nánshān sì 南山寺) where 18 Ming dynasty statues of arhats (beings who have reached Nirvana) reside. Follow a packed earth trail down the hill for about 3 miles (5 km) and you’ll arrive at the Dragon Fountain Temple (lóngquán sì 龙泉寺), where 108 steps lead to an elaborate marble entrance with carvings of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, dragons and flowers. In the main hall is an exquisitely carved Puji Dagoba (pǔjìchánshī tǎ 普济禅师塔) with a laughing Buddha looking out from each cardinal direction. In the courtyard hundreds of small chimes tinkle in the wind.

Not far from the Tayuan Temple is the Luohou Temple (luómùhóu sì 罗目候寺); the present structures date from 1492. The temple features a unique circle altar where a lotus opens up to reveal a Buddha carved inside. The statue was made from a tree where an emperor saw a divine light. When the tree died during the Qing dynasty, it was carved into this lotus – a mechanism underground allows the lotus petals to be raised and lowered.

“在中国”系列为指南类图书，以实用、可读性强的方式呈现中国的资讯。本书为其中之一，分地区介绍了中国各地的旅游资源以及对外国人来华旅游有帮助的各种实用信息，可读性强。

Written mostly by native English speakers who are long-term China residents, and edited by people who live and work in China, this book lends a fresh perspective on all things Chinese. It melds foreign and local perspectives into a seamless narrative that allows new light to be cast on China's cities.

    “知行，路更远”。怎样才能“知行”？对于自力更生的自助旅行者来说，好的方式只有一个：地图、地图，还是地图。针对旅游图书市场同类产品地图匮乏，局限于景点罗列的普遍弱点，编著团队发挥自身专业地图优势，结合数年旅游图书的制作经验，全力打造出这本《旅游指南（英文版）》（作者尤金·劳）。本书所有线路都经过超级驴友的实地勘察，所有地图都出自资深地图专家的倾力打造，所有资讯都在印前反复核实。
　　    Written mostly by native English speakers who are long-term China residents and edited by people who live and work in China this book lends a fresh perspective on all things Chinese. It melds foreign and local perspectives into a seamless narrative that allows new light to be cast on China's cities.

CONTENTS

HISTORY & CULTURE

THE GUIDE

NORTHEAST CHINA

NORTH CHINA

NORTHWEST CHINA

EAST CHINA

CENTRAL CHINA

SOUTHWEST CHINA

SOUTH CHINA

HONG KONG, MACAU & TAIWAN

BOXED TEXT

LEARN TO SPEAK CHINESE