Trip to Guanyintang Temple in Dali City

Dali(大理) is a beautiful city retreat from the heat of the Shenzhen(深圳). On July 21st, we fell into the arms of Dali(大理). The climate is very mild, neither too cold nor too hot throughout the year. Compare to Shenzhen(深圳), it will tell you how comfortable Dali(大理) is. We live in an inn which is 2.5 kilometers from the Dali Old City(大理古城). On non-touring days, we could surf the Internet in the inn during the daytime and wander through the streets around after supper. On the early evening of July 31st, we walked about hundred meters to Buddism godness Guanyin Temple (观音塘). The temple is a place of interest in Dali(大理). Several days ago, we always drove a u-turn near the guideboard of the temple. So we just walked here to find out what was in the walls of the temple.

There is a square near the front gate. By daylight, the voice of petty dealers and drivers accompanied us. Whereas at night, the unique cheerful dance and music replaced all of that and filled our ears with joys.

While wading into front gate, we saw the Buddism Godness Guanyin Temple made of stone and brick.

There is one 10-meter-high stone tower on each side of the temple. To take a meticulous count, it had 15 layers! They looked like the three pagodas in the Chongsheng Temple(三塔寺). Though it was not a site with a long history and deep cultural sense, it was beautiful with artificial element.

There is a pond on the left in which a Buddism godness Guanyin shaped fountain plays.

We could feel the delicate symmetry of the magnificent pavilions on each side of the courtyard. The yellow glazed tiles shined, revealing royal lordliness as Forbidden City.

We went across the yard and saw a postern. Through the postern, it was kind of blurry that a shadow of another old temple appeared.

We walked through the back door. An ornate gate showed herself on the other side of the street, hanging a sign of the Buddhist Association of Dali(大理佛教协会).

There you are, the Buddism godness Guanyin temple(观音塘). Looking upward, we could see the plaque with 3 Chinese characters” Guan, Yin, Tang” (观,音,塘). It is the vigorous and forceful calligraphy of Puchu Zhao(赵朴初), a famous patriotic religious leader in China.

There was a stone platform which was like the platform of the hall of supreme(太和殿) in the Forbidden City(故宫). On the platform was an exquisite temple. The core of the Guanyin temple(观音塘) was in this little bridal-like temple.

A huge stone was lying under the pond water.

The  Buddism Godness  Guanyin Temple( 观音塘 ) is  also called the  Huge Stone Temple(大石庵). This is the rock.

Tradition has it that in Tang Dynasty, Tang soldiers attacked Nanzhao Kingdom(南诏国), a country. Buddism godness Guanyin disguised as an old Bai lady with this huge stone on her back. The Tang soldiers met with a repulse. Guo Moruo(郭沫若) has been here in 1961. To this legend, he had his own view and wrote a poetry:

“老母负巨石，曾阻敌兵侵。
此必农家女，断非观世音。”

English:
“With a huge stone on her back, an old lady prevented the enemy’s attack.
Rather than the Buddism godness Guanyin, I’d more take it as a peasant woman’s fighting.”

The stone statue shows a woman who’s carrying heavy an object vividly. It is exactly what Bai women are we have met these days.

The outer layers of the bridal-like temple are inscribed with epitaphs, carrying rich history.

The goldfish were swimming in the pool freely, as if introducing us this touching story.

Another the Great Buddha’s Hall or Mahavira Hall(大雄宝殿) stands in the courtyard. We were told that this hall is also a new building. Whereas the real historic site is that temple standing in the pool.

However, the wisteria before the Mahavira Hall has existed for hundreds of years. By the way, because of the free admission of the temple and cheap incense sticks, it strongly contrasts with some other scenic spot tickets in Dali(大理). Not far from here, there’s a Zhang’s Garden(张家花园). The cost of drinking cups of tea is 36 times of burning 3 incense sticks.
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