Walking time: 2021.3

Walking method: self-driving

Address: Nanjing Niushou Mountain Scenic Area

Tickets: 98 yuan

Walking routes in the park: East Gate--Foding Front Garden--Foding Temple--Ming Dynasty Cliff Stone Carvings--Niutou Zen Cultural Park--Foding Tower--Foding Palace--Wuyou Gate Square--Foding Front Garden--East Gate

Next to Farong Square is the famous Foding Temple surrounded by mountains. The building is imitated in Tang style and adopts the traditional central axis pattern. There are layered buildings surrounded by green mountains, and layered eaves and corners.

The strong incense incense in the incense burner on the square in front of Foding Temple is people's blessing and best wishes. Connecting the incense burner and the mountain gate is a stone railing bridge with a free life pond under the bridge.

There are ten water faucets on both sides of the release pond, which are one of the nine sons of the dragon-the snake. There is a lifelike dragon sculpture at the bridge.

Walking up the bridge, a copper incense burner stands in the center.

This is the gate of Foding Temple. The gilded "Foding Temple" is written on the top of the mountain gate, and two towering stone lions are guarding the gate. I remember that when I passed Niushou Mountain that year, there was no such temple. The temple is a rebuilt cultural resort that was opened in 2012 and fully completed in 2015. Historically, there were temples in Niushou Mountain in the early years of the Southern Dynasties. By the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, the temple was large-scale and was named Foku Temple, the birthplace of "Niutou Zen" before Zen. After the Northern Song Dynasty, it was renamed Hongjue Temple. The Southern Song Dynasty was destroyed by war and the Ming Dynasty was revived. In 1856, the temple was destroyed during the Hongyang Rebellion, and the incense was suspended for a century. Now future generations reproduce this temple in order to inherit traditional culture. Because Niushou Mountain houses the Buddha's top relic in the Niushou Mountain underground palace, it was named Foding Temple.

Looking back at the gate

When you pass the gate, you will see tall buildings. The temple is built against the mountain, accompanied by several pine trees is the frontal stone carving "Lingshan Paraphrasing Picture". The picture reproduces the scene of Sakyamuni Buddha's statement on Lingjiu Mountain. The main hall in the center is the Hall of Tianwang, with the Bell Tower and Drum Tower on both sides.

On the east side between the gate and the Tianwang Hall, there is a royal style Three Lion Monument, and there are unicorn carvings underground. The carving skills are vividly legendary.

The temple courtyard-style garden buildings are exquisite and meticulous, and are full of vitality everywhere.

The realistic expression of the mythical beast

The sound of bells

Temple of Kings with superimposed roofs

The back of Tianwang Hall

Higher up behind the Hall of Kings is the Daxiong Hall. The embossed in front of the Daxiong Hall is a scene to welcome the sacrifice of relics. There are three plaques in front of the Daxiong Hall. In the middle are "Thousand Virtues and Solemnity", on one side are "Buddha Day adds brilliance", and on the other side are "Universal Savior of All Living Things".

On the east side of the Daxiong Hall is the Ancestral Hall

Exquisite and heavy stone carvings

daxiong Hall

View the Hall of Kings and the bells and drum towers on both sides of it on the platform in front of the Daxiong Hall. In the morning, the bell is ringing 108 times first in the morning and the "Bell Chit" is sung to pray for peace and stability of the country and the people and good weather and rain.

The majestic closed door

Prayers everywhere

The area behind the Daxiong Hall is now closed.

We can only look up on both sides of the Daxiong Hall. Go down from this side and return to the mountain gate. Foding Temple is built on the mountain and covers a large area. It is divided into five areas according to its functions: Buddha Ceremony, Dharma Promotion, Zhai Hall, Monk Liao, and Tea Garden. It is divided into two areas according to geographical location: north and south. The north area is the area we visited along the way, including Lifo District and Hongfa District. This area is mainly in a palace-style layout, and is built in accordance with the Qialan Seven Chapters of Zen Buddhist temples. The areas that continue to rise to the Daxiong Hall, that is, the southern area that cannot be visited now, include Chayuan District, Sengliao District and Zhaitang District. It's a pity that I didn't see the entire Foding Temple at once. Perhaps it is like things in this world that are difficult to understand at once.

From this perspective, the Daxiong Hall looks even more huge.

The green landscape in the temple is also very exquisite and full of Zen. Looking at these cute little monks, I am full of childlike interest.

quiet

Leaving the temple complex and walking in the beautiful park, the peach and green bamboos are refreshing in spring.

The magnificent foding temple archway

Clear road signs guide us.

This is the park bus stop, where you can take buses to the attractions in the park.

We unanimously chose to continue on foot. By this time, the rain had completely stopped, and we moved forward in the nourishment of the rain. Breathing the fresh air in the mountains and listening to the sound of the wind blowing and swaying trees, it is wonderful to be in nature.

Looking up along the way, we found that the houses on the hill were the southern area of the temple, an area that we couldn't visit now.

From here, you can see the twin towers standing in the mountains ahead, which is our next goal. Keep moving with me!