Home of the
Buddha
14 Apr 2015
CNA
The Spring Temple Buddha (Zhongyuan Buddha) is surrounded by lush
mountains in a picturesque setting, making it a tourist hotspot
that combines cultural heritage and natural scenery.
Located in central China, Henan province is where the oldest and
most prominent religion in China, Buddhism, was first introduced to
the Chinese. Henan plays an important role in Buddhist history in
the country and is the centre of major Buddhism pilgrimage
sites.
It is therefore no coincidence that the tallest Buddha
Statue,
Zhongyuan
Buddha, or Spring Temple Buddha, was also built in Henan. While
situated a distance from the city, some 50km to the west of
Lushan
county in Pingdingshan, it is still easily accessible by road. The
area that’s amidst the Fodushan Scenic Area, is just off the
intersection of the National Highway (number 311) that connects
Lushan to Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province. This is a spot
worth making a trip to even for those who aren’t Buddhists as the
view of the statue and the surrounding area is
breath-taking.
Zhongyuan Buddha
The Spring
Temple Buddha (Zhongyuan Buddha) is a representation of the
Vairocana Buddha, representing wisdom and emptiness, and is
regarded as the main Buddha representation in Chinese
Buddhism.
The statue
stands close to the Fodushan Scenic Area and is surrounded by lush
mountains. The site is a picturesque setting, making it a tourist
hotspot that combines cultural heritage and natural scenery. Make
the trip as it is a visit that’s amazing too, in terms of
engineering.
The
towering Buddha stands at 153m and is the tallest statue in the
world, dwarfing the Liberty Statue in New York by 60
metres.
The
structure includes a lotus throne that is placed on a pedestal.
Surrounding it, the hill on which the statue stands, has amazingly
been reshaped to form two further pedestals. With the pedestals all
taken into account, the statue stands at a total height of 208m and
can be seen from a great distance, shimmering in the
sunlight.
Constructed
over 12 years at a cost of more than a billion Chinese Yuan, the
statue includes 108kg of gold, so all that glimmers is indeed
gold!
Opt for the
full entry tickets at the park that will allow you a chance to go
up close to touch the Buddha’s feet, if you’re tall
enough!
But be
warned, there will be many stairs to climb.
Those who
are short of time, or stamina, can pay extra for a bus ride and the
elevator trip to explore the area around and under the
statue.
Prayerful and
Awe-inspiring
When seen
from afar, the Buddha rises above the temple and is flanked by
mountains, giving it a sacred feel. Move up for a closer look, and
the Buddha presents a majestic and peaceful look, offering a
feeling of serenity despite being a structure of a giant with an
eye that’s tall and wide enough for three people to walk through
abreast comfortably. Since the statue and the area are rather
exposed, a visit in late Spring and early Summer is ideal. Bundle
up well if you happen to visit the place in winter. And for such a
visit, you will be rewarded with a different view of the Buddha,
draped in a snow-capped top and a white path leading to the statue,
as if the site is shrouded in holiness.
But this is
not just an awe-inspiring statue. The Buddha rests on a monastery
and against the backdrop of the Foquan Temple that stands at the
foot of the hill. Surrounding it as well, are prayer altars, with
various parts divided to receive different blessings. The east is
“the Altar of Luck and Wisdom”, while the west is “the Altar of
Health and Longevity”. In the centre, you can pray for success in
all the undertakings that you are embarking on.
Foquan Temple and Good Luck
Bell
After viewing the Buddha statue, pay a visit to the nearby
Foquan Temple.
Built during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), the temple has more
than 1,300 years of history. It’s compact sized and remains a
functioning temple for monks and pilgrims alike. Take a look inside
the temple and its surrounding area where you will find the
Jixiang Zhong,
or Bell of Good Luck. Again, size does matter here.
The bell is 8.1m tall, 20mm thick and weighs 116 tonnes, putting it
into the Guinness Book of Records as the largest bronze bell in the
world. For a 100Yuan donation, visitors can ring the bell that was
cast on New Year’s Day. The deep chime of the bell travels so far
that people several kilometres away can hear its
resonance.
It is also
picture perfect as the bell is on top of the Dragon Head Peak, which is at the north bank
of the Dashahe River that flows
by.
Hot
Springs
The Spring
Temple Buddha derives its name from the nearby Foquan Spring, also called Tianrui hot spring. With a temperature of
64°C and 20 types of microelements in the water, it’s renowned in
the area for its healing properties. If too much stair-climbing has
left you with aching legs, this will be a welcome respite. Pop in
to the modern-looking Yaoshan Fuquan hot spring complex just next
to the temple. Those who prefer to enjoy a relaxing hot spring
bath, check in at either pair of two 5-star hotels in the area that
offer world-class accommodations, entertainment and business
facilities, as well as hot spring baths.
The Spring Temple Buddha Scenic
Spot
that opens 8am-6pm daily, is a 5A National Scenic Spot, the highest
level accredited by China’s National Tourism Administration based
on criteria that includes ease of transportation and cleanliness.
It takes about two hours to travel by road and if you choose to
stay more than a day, you could also explore Yaoshan National Park
that’s 40km away or the nearby Zhaoping Lake Park.