After lunch we visited a Buddhist temple. There were “part-time” monks who were swell. Near the temple there was this rock formation with around 20 carved figures of Buddha. However, there were tunnels and caves filled with even more carved figures. The temple itself was huge. There was so much to see. There were many people burning incense sticks next to the sign that said, “Piety to Buddha means more than burning incense sticks.” There was one room with a maze of bronze figures, each life-size. There must have been 200 of these bronze figures. The Buddha in the main room was around 25 tall.
One group went on a more strenuous temple search and climb 297 steps, tranversed a mountain and scaled a rocky peak to reach the Baopu Daoist Temple. In the 112 degree hot humid heat a group of Japanese hikers came upon us sweaty Americans. We were a bit lost after checking the map (see below) and after trying unsuccessfully to ask them directions on how to find the temple, they giggled at us and gestured that they wanted one of us to take their picture with us. Afterwards, onward we trekked using the smell of incense to guide us, finally being rewarded with an amazing view of West Lake. Other than the monks, who live in the temple, we were the only visitors. The temple is in the process of building a new worship room and the scent of the freshly carved wood was in the air giving us all good karma.
