Splendid Murals at Beijing’s Fahai Temple

2020-06-26

Built in the 4th Zhengtong year of the Ming Dynasty (1439), Fahai Temple is located in Cuiwei Mountain, Shijingshan District, Beijing. Fahai Temple is home to the most well-preserved, the largest murals of the Ming Dynasty. The murals beat their peers in the Ming Dynasty in terms of artistic value, painting techniques, and wholeness, and are on par with Dunhuang grotto murals.

“Five wonders” can be found in the temple, including the murals of the Ming Dynasty, an ancient bronze bell, white bark pines, caisson mandala, and Sibaiyikong Bridge. On the pilgrimage road southwest of the mountain gate sits a little stone bridge. An ancient pine tree grows at each of the four corners of the bridge, with their roots stretching in the cracks of the bridge. Such a wonder was called as “Four Pine Trees and One Opening Bridge”. In front of the Great Buddha's Hall, you can also see two towering white bark pines. Their over 30-meter-high crests guard the temple like Door Gods.

北京旅游网翻译