Difference between revisions of "Chengde Mountain Resort" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{Infobox World Heritage Site
 
{{Infobox World Heritage Site
 
| WHS        = [[Chengde Mountain Resort|Mountain Resort]] and [[Chengde|its Outlying Temples, Chengde]]
 
| WHS        = [[Chengde Mountain Resort|Mountain Resort]] and [[Chengde|its Outlying Temples, Chengde]]
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| Link        = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/703
 
| Link        = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/703
 
}}
 
}}
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The '''Mountain Resort''' in Chengde ([[Chinese language|Chinese]]: 避暑山庄; [[pinyin]]: Bìshǔ Shānzhuāng; literally: Mountain Resort for Avoiding the Heat; [[Manchu language|Manchu]]: [[Image:Halhūn1.png|40px]] Halhūn be jailara gurung) or '''Ligong''' (Chinese: 离宫; pinyin: Lígōng, the [[Qing Dynasty]]'s summer palace) situated in the city of [[Chengde]] in [[Hebei Province]], [[China]], is the world's largest existing imperial garden. In December 1994 the Mountain Resort was listed by [[UNESCO]] on its list of [[World Heritage Site]]s.
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The '''Mountain Resort''' in Chengde ([[Chinese language|Chinese]]: 避暑山庄; [[pinyin]]: Bìshǔ Shānzhuāng; literally: Mountain Resort for Avoiding the Heat; [[Manchu language|Manchu]]: [[Image:Halhūn1.png|40px]] Halhūn be jailara gurung) or '''Ligong''' (Chinese: 离宫; pinyin: Lígōng, the [[Qing Dynasty]]'s summer palace), situated in the city of [[Chengde]] in [[Hebei Province]], [[China]], is the world's largest existing imperial garden. Chengde largely survived the ravages of the Cultural Revolution, its buildings enjoy an excellent state of preservation. [[UNESCO]] listed the Mountain Resort, along with outlying temples, a [[World Heritage Site]] in December 1994.  
  
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Built between 1703 and 1792, the Mountain Resort took 89 years to complete. It covers a total area of 5.6 [[square kilometers|km²]], almost half of Chengde's urban area. It is a vast complex of palaces and administrative and ceremonial buildings. Temples of various architectural styles and imperial gardens blend harmoniously into a landscape of lakes, pastureland and forests. In addition to its aesthetic interest, the Mountain Resort is a rare historic vestige of the final development of feudal society in [[China]].
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Master craftsmen built the Mountain Resort between 1703 and 1792. Covering a total area of {{convert|5.6|km2|sqmi}}, almost half of Chengde's urban area, a vast complex of palaces and administrative and ceremonial buildings make up the resort. Temples of various architectural styles and imperial gardens blend harmoniously into a landscape of lakes, pasture land and forests. In addition to its aesthetic beauty, the Mountain Resort represents a rare historic vestige of the final development of feudal society in [[China]].
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{{toc}}
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The [[Kangxi]], [[Qianlong]] and [[Jiaqing]] Emperors often spent several months a year here to escape the summer heat in the capital city of [[Beijing]] and the palace zone in the southern part of the resort was therefore designed to resemble the [[Forbidden City]] in Beijing. It consists of two parts: a court in front, where the emperor received high officials, nobles of various [[minority]] nationalities, and foreign envoys; and bed chambers in the rear, which were the imperial family's living quarters.
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The [[Kangxi]], [[Qianlong]], and [[Jiaqing]] Emperors, spent several months each year at the resort to escape the summer heat in the capital city of [[Beijing]]. The palace zone is designed in the southern part of the resort to resemble the [[Forbidden City]] in Beijing. It consists of two parts: A courtyard in front, where the emperor received high officials, nobles of various [[minority]] nationalities, and foreign envoys; and bed chambers in the rear, serving as the imperial family's living quarters. The Mountain Resort typically has temperatures at least three degrees [[Celsius]] cooler than [[Chengde City]] itself.
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True to its name, the Mountain Resort is known to be at least 3 degrees [[Celsius]] cooler than Chengde City itself.
 
  
 
===Scenic spots===
 
===Scenic spots===
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The '''Mountain Resort''' is most famous for the 72 scenic spots which were named by the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors.
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[[Image:Location of Zhangjiakou Prefecture within Hebei (China).png|thumb|right|220px|Chengde is located in Hebei Province, China]]
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Many of the scenic spots around the resort's lake area were copied from famous landscaped gardens in Southern China. For instance, the main building on Green Lotus Island, "Tower of Mist and Rain," (Chinese: 烟雨楼; pinyin: Yānyǔ Lóu) is a copy of a tower in Nanhu Lake at [[Jiaxing]] in [[Zhejiang]] Province. The resort's plain area also possesses characteristics of the scenery of the [[Mongolia]]n grasslands. Forested mountains and valleys are dotted with various buildings. This includes a 70 m tall stone [[Chinese pagoda]] built in the year 1751 during the reign of the [[Qianlong Emperor]]. The pagoda is shaped with an [[octagon]]al base, while the pagoda's nine stories are decorated with colorful [[glaze]]d tiles and the [[steeple]] is crowned with a [[gilding|gilded]] round [[spire]].
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The '''Mountain Resort''' earned renown for the seventy two scenic spots named by the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors. Many of the scenic spots around the resort lake area had been modeled after from famous landscaped gardens in Southern China. For instance, the main building on Green Lotus Island, "Tower of Mist and Rain," (Chinese: 烟雨楼; pinyin: Yānyǔ Lóu) imitated a tower in Nanhu Lake at [[Jiaxing]] in [[Zhejiang]] Province. The resort plain area resembles the scenery of the [[Mongolia]]n grasslands. Buildings in a variety of architectural styles dot the forested mountains and valleys, including a seventy meter tall stone [[Chinese pagoda]] built in the year 1751 during the reign of the [[Qianlong Emperor]]. The pagoda, shaped with an [[octagon]]al base, has nine stories decorated with colorful [[glaze]]d tiles with the [[steeple]] crowned by a [[gilding|gilded]] round [[spire]].
  
 
==Mountain Resort Gallery==
 
==Mountain Resort Gallery==
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==Outlying Temples==
 
==Outlying Temples==
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===Putuo Zongcheng Temple===
 
===Putuo Zongcheng Temple===
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[[Image:Putuo Zongcheng Temple.jpg|thumb|220px|right|The Putuo Zongcheng Temple of [[Chengde]], built in the 18th century during the reign of the [[Qianlong Emperor]].]]
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[[Image:Putuo Zongcheng Temple.jpg|thumb|220px|right|The Putuo Zongcheng Temple of [[Chengde]], built in the eighteenth century during the reign of the [[Qianlong Emperor]].]]
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[[Image:Chengde, China - 031.jpg|thumb|right|150px|View within the ''Cihangpudu'' building, the main hall of the temple, crowned with [[Chinese pavilion]]s and centered around a hall with a golden rooftop (see gallery picture below).]]
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[[Image:Chengde, China - 031.jpg|thumb|right|150px|View within the ''Cihangpudu'' building, the main hall of the temple, crowned with [[Chinese pavilion]]s and centered around a hall with a golden rooftop.]]
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The '''Putuo Zongcheng Temple''' ({{zh-cp|c=普陀宗乘之庙|p=Pǔtuó Zōngchéng}}) of [[Chengde]], [[Hebei]] province, [[China]] is a [[Qing Dynasty]] era [[Buddhist]] temple complex built between 1767 and 1771,<ref name="foret 155">Foret, 155.</ref> during the reign of the [[Qianlong Emperor]] (1735-1796). It is located near the [[Chengde Mountain Resort]], which is south of the Putuo Zongcheng. Along with the equally famed [[Puning Temple]], it is one of the Eight Outer Temples of Chengde. The temple was modeled after the [[Potala Palace]] of [[Tibet]], the old sanctuary of the [[Dalai Lama]] built a century earlier.<ref name="foret 155"/><ref name="rawski 253">Rawski, 253.</ref> Hence the Putuo Zongcheng has been nicknamed the "Little Potala Palace". Since it was modeled after the Potala palace, the temple represents a fusion of Chinese and Tibetan architectural styles. The temple complex covers a surface area of some 220,000 square meters, making it one of the largest in China. Many of its halls and pavilions are adorned with copper and gold tiled roofs, adding to the splendor of the site.
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The Putuo Zongcheng Temple ({{zh-cp|c=普陀宗乘之庙|p=Pǔtuó Zōngchéng}}) is a [[Qing Dynasty]] era [[Buddhist]] temple complex built between 1767 C.E. and 1771,<ref name="foret 155">Foret, 155.</ref> during the reign of the [[Qianlong Emperor]] (1735-1796). Located near the [[Chengde Mountain Resort]], it numbers among the Eight Outer Temples of Chengde, along with the equally famed Puning Temple. The temple had been modeled after the [[Potala Palace]] in [[Tibet]], the old sanctuary of the [[Dalai Lama]] built a century earlier.<ref name="foret 155"/><ref name="rawski 253">Rawski, 253.</ref> Hence, the Putuo Zongcheng has been nicknamed the "Little Potala Palace." The temple represents a fusion of Chinese and Tibetan architectural styles, covering 220,000 square meters, making it one of the largest in China. Many of its halls and pavilions have copper and gold tiled roofs, adding to the splendor of the site.
  
 
====History====
 
====History====
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The Putuo Zongcheng Temple is part of the "Eight Outer Temples" located in Chengde, which are part of the World Heritage List along with Chengde's [[Chengde Mountain Resort|Mountain Resort]]. These temples were administered by the "Lifan Yuan", an administrative department for the affairs of ethnic minorities such as the Mongolians and Tibetans, hence the different combinations of architectural style which could be seen throughout these ''Eight Outer Temples'' in Chengde.
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The Putuo Zongcheng Temple numbers among the "Eight Outer Temples" located in Chengde, part of the World Heritage site along with Chengde's [[Chengde Mountain Resort|Mountain Resort]]. The "Lifan Yuan," an administrative department for the affairs of ethnic minorities such as the Mongolians and Tibetans, constructed the temples infusing combinations of architectural style throughout the ''Eight Outer Temples'' in Chengde.
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The Putuo Zongcheng Temple was originally dedicated to Qianlong in order to commemorate his birthday, as well as provide Hebei with a temple of equal size and splendor as the Tibetan Potala Palace. The Putuo Zongcheng temple served more functions than just Buddhist ceremony and festival, however. It was also the location that the emperor would gather meetings of different ethnic envoys found throughout the empire. The location served as a peaceful getaway in contrast to the bustling life of the capital [[Beijing]], as well as complimented the nearby hunting grounds that the emperor would enjoy with his hosts.
 
  
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As of 1994, the Chengde Mountain Resort and Chengde's Eight Outer Temples (including the Putuo Zongcheng Temple) were established as [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Sites]]. Today, the temple remains a site of tourism and local festivities.
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The Putuo Zongcheng Temple, originally dedicated to the [[Qianlong Emperor]] to commemorate his birthday, gave Hebei a temple of equal size and splendor as the Tibetan [[Potala Palace]]. The Putuo Zongcheng temple, serving Buddhist ceremonies and festivals, also acted as the meeting place between the emperor and ethnic envoys from throughout the empire. The location served as a peaceful getaway in contrast to the bustling life of the capital [[Beijing]], as well as complimented the nearby hunting grounds that the emperor would enjoy with his hosts.
  
 
===Putuo Zongcheng Temple Gallery===
 
===Putuo Zongcheng Temple Gallery===
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===Puning Temple===
 
===Puning Temple===
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[[Image:Chengde, China - 022.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Puning Temple]]
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[[Image:Chengde, China - 022.jpg|right|thumb|160px|Puning Temple]]
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The '''Puning Temple''' (普宁寺), or '''Temple of Universal Peace''' of [[Chengde]], [[Hebei]] province, [[China]] (commonly called the Big Buddha Temple<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =China Stamps... | work = | publisher = Xabusiness.com| date = | url = http://www.xabusiness.com/china-stamps-1998/1998-19.htm| format =| doi = | accessdate = 2007-05-16}}</ref>) is a [[Qing Dynasty]] era [[Buddhist]] temple complex built in 1755, during the reign of the [[Qianlong Emperor]] ([[1735]]-[[1796]] AD) to show the Qing's respect to the ethnic minorities. It is located near the [[Chengde Mountain Resort]], and alongside the equally famed [[Putuo Zongcheng Temple]], it is one of the "Eight Outer Temples" of Chengde. Much how the Putuo Zongcheng Temple was modeled after the [[Tibet]]an [[Potala Palace]], the Puning Temple was modeled after the [[Samye Monastery]], the sacred [[Lamaist]] site in Tibet. The front temple was constructed in the Chinese style, although the temple complex follows both Chinese and Tibetan architectural styles. The Puning Temple also houses the world's tallest wooden sculpture of the [[Bodhisattva]] [[Avalokiteśvara]] (22.28-meter-high and 110-ton),<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Puning Temple - Jongo Knows - Encyclopedia of China | work = | publisher = Knows.Jongo.com| date = | url = http://knows.jongo.com/res/article/9830| format =| doi = | accessdate = 2007-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =China Philatelic Information - World of Chinese Stamps | work = | publisher = CPI.com.cnm| date = | url = http://www.cpi.com.cn/cpi-e/stamp/1998/1998-19.asp| format =| doi = | accessdate = 2007-05-17}}</ref> hence the Puning Temple is often nicknamed the "Big Buddha Temple". The complex features temple halls, pavilions, drum towers and bell towers.
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The Puning Temple (普宁寺), or '''Temple of Universal Peace''' (commonly called the Big Buddha Temple)<ref>XA Business, [http://www.xabusiness.com/china-stamps-1998/1998-19.htm China Stamps Xabusiness.com.] Retrieved October 6, 2008.</ref> is a [[Qing Dynasty]] era [[Buddhist]] temple complex built during the reign of the [[Qianlong Emperor]] (1735-1796 C.E.). He constructed the temple to show the Qing's respect to the ethnic minorities. Located near the [[Chengde Mountain Resort]], alongside the [[Putuo Zongcheng Temple]], it numbers among the "Eight Outer Temples" of Chengde. Much as the Putuo Zongcheng Temple had been modeled after the [[Tibet]]an [[Potala Palace]], the Puning Temple had been modeled after the [[Samye|Samye Monastery]], the sacred [[Lamaist]] site in Tibet.  
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The front temple had been constructed in the Chinese style, with the temple complex overall follows both Chinese and Tibetan architectural styles. The Puning Temple also houses the world's tallest wooden sculpture of the [[Bodhisattva]] [[Avalokiteśvara]] (22.28-meter-high and 110-ton),<ref>Jongo Knows, [http://knows.jongo.com/res/article/9830 Puning Temple.] Retrieved October 6, 2008.</ref> hence the Puning Temple has become known as the "Big Buddha Temple." The complex features temple halls, pavilions, drum towers and bell towers.
  
 
====History====
 
====History====
 
[[Image:Wallpaper2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Qianlong Emperor]] (r. 1735&ndash;1796) touring [[Chengde]].]]
 
[[Image:Wallpaper2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Qianlong Emperor]] (r. 1735&ndash;1796) touring [[Chengde]].]]
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[[Image:Dafuo2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The giant wooden [[Bodhisattva]] of Puning Temple; [http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/cn/chengde/puningSi_buddhaUp.html click here for a closer look].]]
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Since the seventeenth century, during the late Chinese [[Ming Dynasty]], the [[Dzungar]] people of northwestern China (modern [[Xinjiang]]) engaged in warfare with other [[nomad]]ic horse-archer groups in the region. The later Qianlong Emperor dispatched an army to [[Yili]] to suppress their resistance against the Qing Dynasty. The Chinese attacked Kulja ([[Yining]]) and captured the ruling Dzungar [[Khan (title)|khan]].  
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Since the 17th century, during the late Chinese [[Ming Dynasty]], the [[Dzungar]] people of northwestern China (modern [[Xinjiang]]) were engaged in a civil war and conflicts with other [[nomad]]ic horse-archer groups in the region. The later Qianlong Emperor dispatched an army to [[Yili]] in order to suppress their resistance against the Qing Dynasty. The Chinese attacked Kulja ([[Yining]]) and captured the ruling Dzungar [[Khan (title)|khan]]. After the conquest, Emperor Qianlong personally inscribed his writing on a tablet that is located in the stele pavilion of the Puning Temple. This stele of 1755, called the ''Puning Sibei'', commemorated the founding of the temple and the conquering of the Dzungars.<ref name="waley-cohen 880">Waley-Cohen, 880.</ref> Qianlong ordered for the building of this new Temple of Universal Peace, a symbol of the emperor's ambition to maintain peace among various ethnic minorities and a stable environment within the northwestern regions. The historian Waley-Cohen calls Chengde "a crucial location for the exhibition of Manchu power and the representation of Qing imperial knowledge," being the location of the summer capital.<ref name="waley-cohen 880"/> Since the Dzungar were followers of Lamaism, the temple was built in imitation of Samye monastery, the sacred place of Lamaism in Tibet.
 
  
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The large wooden Buddhist statue of the Bodhisattva [[Avalokiteśvara]] within the main hall of the Puning Temple is one of its most renowned features. It shows a thousand different eyes and a thousand different arms stretched out from its frame (in various sizes). The statue itself is made from five kinds of wood, including [[pine]], [[cypress]], [[elm]], [[fir]], and [[linden]].
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After the conquest, [[Emperor Qianlong]] personally inscribed a stele in 1755 located in a  pavilion of the Puning Temple. That stele, the ''Puning Sibei,'' commemorated the founding of the temple and the conquering of the Dzungars.<ref name="waley-cohen 880">Waley-Cohen, 880.</ref> Qianlong ordered the building of the Temple of Universal Peace, a symbol of the emperor's intention to foster peaceful relations among the many ethnic minorities in China and to good government the northwestern regions. The historian Waley-Cohen calls Chengde "a crucial location for the exhibition of Manchu power and the representation of Qing imperial knowledge," being the location of the summer capital.<ref name="waley-cohen 880"/> Since the Dzungar practiced Lamaism, the emperor built the temple in imitation of Samye monastery, the sacred place of Lamaism in Tibet.
  
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As of 1994, the Chengde Mountain Resort and Chengde's Eight Outer Temples (including the Puning Temple) were established as [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Sites]]. Today, the Puning Temple remains a site of tourist attraction and local festivities.
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The large wooden Buddhist statue of the Bodhisattva [[Avalokiteśvara]] within the main hall of the Puning Temple represents one of its most renowned features. It shows a thousand different eyes and a thousand different arms stretched out from its frame (in various sizes). The statue has been made with five types of wood, including [[pine]], [[cypress]], [[elm]], [[fir]], and [[linden]].
  
 
===Puning Temple Gallery===
 
===Puning Temple Gallery===
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<gallery>
 
<gallery>
 
Image:Dafuosi.jpg|Main hall housing the Bodhisattva  
 
Image:Dafuosi.jpg|Main hall housing the Bodhisattva  
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Image:Chengde, China - 016.jpg|Looking up at the Bodhisattva
 
 
Image:Chengde, China - 011.jpg|Temple grounds
 
Image:Chengde, China - 011.jpg|Temple grounds
 
Image:Chengde, China - 008.jpg|Main temple
 
Image:Chengde, China - 008.jpg|Main temple
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Image:Dafuosi4.jpg|A courtyard of Puning Temple
 
Image:Dafuosi4.jpg|A courtyard of Puning Temple
 
Image:Chengde, China - 006.jpg|A [[Chinese pavilion]] of Puning Temple
 
Image:Chengde, China - 006.jpg|A [[Chinese pavilion]] of Puning Temple
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Image:Dafuo2.jpg|The giant wooden [[Bodhisattva]] of Puning Temple; [http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/cn/chengde/puningSi_buddhaUp.html Wooden Bodhisattva]
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 
</center>
 
</center>
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==References==
 
==References==
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* Foret, Philippe. (2000). ''Mapping Chengde: The Qing Landscape Enterprise''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-2293-5 (Paperback).
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* Foret, Philippe. 2000. ''Mapping Chengde: The Qing Landscape Enterprise''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-2293-5.
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* Hevia, James Louis. "World Heritage, National Culture, and the Restoration of Chengde." ''positions: east asia cultures critique'' 9, no. 1 (2001): 219-43.
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* Hevia, James Louis. "World Heritage, National Culture, and the Restoration of Chengde." ''Positions: East Asia Cultures Critique'' 9 (1) (2001): 219-43.
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* Hedin, Sven and Bergman, Folke: ''History of the expedition in Asia 1927-1935'', in: ''Reports from the scientific expedition to the north-western provinces of China under leadership of Dr. Sven Hedin. The sino-swedish expedition.'' Publication 24: Part II 1928–1933. Stockholm 1943-1945, [http://dsr.nii.ac.jp/toyobunko/E-290.9-HE01-025/V-2/page-hr/0177.html.en page 121ff.] and [http://dsr.nii.ac.jp/toyobunko/E-290.9-HE01-025/V-2/page/0260.html.en page 184ff.]. See also: [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinesisch-Schwedische_Expedition#Sommer_1928_.E2.80.93_Herbst_1933 Sino-Swedish Expedition of Sven Hedin and the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago 1933/1934 (german)].
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* Hedin, Sven, and Folke Bergman. History of the expedition in Asia 1927-1935. In ''Reports from the Scientific Expedition to the North-Western Provinces of China Under Leadership of Dr. Sven Hedin. The Sino-Swedish Expedition.'' Publication 24: Part II 1928–1933.
 
* Montell, Gösta: ''The Lama Temple Potala of Jehol. Plan of the Monastery-Ground.'' In: ''Geografiska Annaler'', Band 17, Supplement: Hyllningsskrift Tillagnad Sven Hedin (1935), S. 175-184. (Putuo Zongcheng Temple)  
 
* Montell, Gösta: ''The Lama Temple Potala of Jehol. Plan of the Monastery-Ground.'' In: ''Geografiska Annaler'', Band 17, Supplement: Hyllningsskrift Tillagnad Sven Hedin (1935), S. 175-184. (Putuo Zongcheng Temple)  
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* Montell, Gösta, Hedin, Sven: ''The chinese lama temple Potala of Jehol. Exhibition of historical and ethnographical collections. Made by Dr. Gösta Montell, member of Dr. Sven Hedin's Expeditions, and donated by Vincent Bendix.'' Chicago: Century of Progress Exposition 1932.
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* Montell, Gösta, Hedin, Sven: ''The Chinese Lama Temple Potala of Jehol. Exhibition of Historical and Ethnographical Collections.'' Chicago: Century of Progress Exposition, 1932.
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* Rawski, Evelyn Sakakida. (1998). ''The Last Emperors: A Social History of Qing Imperial Institutions''. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-22837-5 (Paperback).
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* Rawski, Evelyn Sakakida. 1998. ''The Last Emperors: A Social History of Qing Imperial Institutions''. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-22837-5.
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* Waley-Cohen, Joanna. "Commemorating War in Eighteenth-Century China," ''Modern Asian Studies'' (Volume 30, Number 4, Special Issue: War in Modern China, 1996): 869&ndash;899.
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* Waley-Cohen, Joanna. Commemorating War in Eighteenth-Century China. ''Modern Asian Studies'' 30 (4) (1996): 869&ndash;899.
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
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* [http://www.archersdirect.co.uk/china_chengde.php Chengde at Archers Direct]. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
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All links retrieved December 5, 2023.  
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* [http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/hebei/chengde/eight_temple.htm Travel China Guide]. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
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* [http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/hebei/chengde/eight_temple.htm Tour of Chengde, Eight Outer Temples].  
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* [http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/cn/chengde/putuoMiao_dwn.html World Heritage Virtual Tour (360 degree "panographic" view)]. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
 
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* [http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/cn/chengde/putuoMiao_up.html World Heritage Virtual Tour (360 degree "panographic" view; second view)]. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
 
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* [http://www.chinats.com/chengde/chengde564.htm Eight Outer Temples, Puning Temple]. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
 
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* [http://www.discoverchinatours.com/guide_chengde.asp Chengde Travel Guide]. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
 
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* [http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/hebei/chengde/eight_temple.htm Tour of Chengde, Eight Outer Temples]. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
 
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* [http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/china/chengde/puning-si-up/sphere-quicktime.html World Heritage Panographic Tour, 360 degree view within the temple from the third balcony, front view of the Bodhisattva statue]. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
 
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* [http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/china/chengde/puning-si-down/sphere-quicktime.html World Heritage Tour, 360 degree view on the ground floor of the temple, viewing the Bodhisattva statue from the bottom]. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
 
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* [http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/asia/china/chengde/puning-si-overview/sphere-quicktime.html World Heritage Panographic Tour, 360 degree view outside the main temple]. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
 
  
 
{{World Heritage Sites in China}}
 
{{World Heritage Sites in China}}
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{{coor title dms|40|59|15|N|117|56|15|E|region:CN-13_type:landmark}}
 
  
 
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in China]]
 
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in China]]
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[[Category:Religion]]
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[[Category:Buddhism]]
  
 
{{credits|Chengde_Mountain_Resort|238863889|Putuo_Zongcheng_Temple|238715854|Puning_Temple|238715490|}}
 
{{credits|Chengde_Mountain_Resort|238863889|Putuo_Zongcheng_Temple|238715854|Puning_Temple|238715490|}}

Latest revision as of 14:51, 5 December 2023

Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Mountain Resort, Chengde
State Party Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China
Type Cultural
Criteria ii, iv
Reference 703
Region** Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription 1994  (18th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
** Region as classified by UNESCO.

The Mountain Resort in Chengde (Chinese: 避暑山庄; pinyin: Bìshǔ Shānzhuāng; literally: Mountain Resort for Avoiding the Heat; Manchu: Halhūn1.png Halhūn be jailara gurung) or Ligong (Chinese: 离宫; pinyin: Lígōng, the Qing Dynasty's summer palace), situated in the city of Chengde in Hebei Province, China, is the world's largest existing imperial garden. Chengde largely survived the ravages of the Cultural Revolution, its buildings enjoy an excellent state of preservation. UNESCO listed the Mountain Resort, along with outlying temples, a World Heritage Site in December 1994.

Master craftsmen built the Mountain Resort between 1703 and 1792. Covering a total area of 5.6 square kilometers (2.2 sq mi), almost half of Chengde's urban area, a vast complex of palaces and administrative and ceremonial buildings make up the resort. Temples of various architectural styles and imperial gardens blend harmoniously into a landscape of lakes, pasture land and forests. In addition to its aesthetic beauty, the Mountain Resort represents a rare historic vestige of the final development of feudal society in China.

The Kangxi, Qianlong, and Jiaqing Emperors, spent several months each year at the resort to escape the summer heat in the capital city of Beijing. The palace zone is designed in the southern part of the resort to resemble the Forbidden City in Beijing. It consists of two parts: A courtyard in front, where the emperor received high officials, nobles of various minority nationalities, and foreign envoys; and bed chambers in the rear, serving as the imperial family's living quarters. The Mountain Resort typically has temperatures at least three degrees Celsius cooler than Chengde City itself.

Scenic spots

Chengde is located in Hebei Province, China

The Mountain Resort earned renown for the seventy two scenic spots named by the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors. Many of the scenic spots around the resort lake area had been modeled after from famous landscaped gardens in Southern China. For instance, the main building on Green Lotus Island, "Tower of Mist and Rain," (Chinese: 烟雨楼; pinyin: Yānyǔ Lóu) imitated a tower in Nanhu Lake at Jiaxing in Zhejiang Province. The resort plain area resembles the scenery of the Mongolian grasslands. Buildings in a variety of architectural styles dot the forested mountains and valleys, including a seventy meter tall stone Chinese pagoda built in the year 1751 during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. The pagoda, shaped with an octagonal base, has nine stories decorated with colorful glazed tiles with the steeple crowned by a gilded round spire.

Mountain Resort Gallery

  • Mountain Resort, Chengde

  • Chengde, China

  • Chengde Mountain Resort

Outlying Temples

Putuo Zongcheng Temple

The Putuo Zongcheng Temple of Chengde, built in the eighteenth century during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor.
View within the Cihangpudu building, the main hall of the temple, crowned with Chinese pavilions and centered around a hall with a golden rooftop.

The Putuo Zongcheng Temple (Chinese: 普陀宗乘之庙; pinyin: Pǔtuó Zōngchéng) is a Qing Dynasty era Buddhist temple complex built between 1767 C.E. and 1771,[1] during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1735-1796). Located near the Chengde Mountain Resort, it numbers among the Eight Outer Temples of Chengde, along with the equally famed Puning Temple. The temple had been modeled after the Potala Palace in Tibet, the old sanctuary of the Dalai Lama built a century earlier.[1][2] Hence, the Putuo Zongcheng has been nicknamed the "Little Potala Palace." The temple represents a fusion of Chinese and Tibetan architectural styles, covering 220,000 square meters, making it one of the largest in China. Many of its halls and pavilions have copper and gold tiled roofs, adding to the splendor of the site.

History

The Putuo Zongcheng Temple numbers among the "Eight Outer Temples" located in Chengde, part of the World Heritage site along with Chengde's Mountain Resort. The "Lifan Yuan," an administrative department for the affairs of ethnic minorities such as the Mongolians and Tibetans, constructed the temples infusing combinations of architectural style throughout the Eight Outer Temples in Chengde.

The Putuo Zongcheng Temple, originally dedicated to the Qianlong Emperor to commemorate his birthday, gave Hebei a temple of equal size and splendor as the Tibetan Potala Palace. The Putuo Zongcheng temple, serving Buddhist ceremonies and festivals, also acted as the meeting place between the emperor and ethnic envoys from throughout the empire. The location served as a peaceful getaway in contrast to the bustling life of the capital Beijing, as well as complimented the nearby hunting grounds that the emperor would enjoy with his hosts.

Putuo Zongcheng Temple Gallery

  • Another aerial view

  • Entrance to the complex

  • The Qianlong Tablet Pavilion, located behind the front entrance

  • The Five Pagodas Gate, located behind the Qianlong Tablet Pavilion,

  • Gateway with multi-colored tiles, located behind the Five Pagodas Gate

  • Main hall of the temple, surrounding the Wanfaguiyi Hall at its center.

  • The golden rooftop of Wanfaguiyi Hall

  • Corner pavilion of Wanfaguiyi

  • Cihangpudu with the Wanfaguiyi Hall

  • Doubled-layered, cylindrical tower.

Puning Temple

Puning Temple

The Puning Temple (普宁寺), or Temple of Universal Peace (commonly called the Big Buddha Temple)[3] is a Qing Dynasty era Buddhist temple complex built during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1735-1796 C.E.). He constructed the temple to show the Qing's respect to the ethnic minorities. Located near the Chengde Mountain Resort, alongside the Putuo Zongcheng Temple, it numbers among the "Eight Outer Temples" of Chengde. Much as the Putuo Zongcheng Temple had been modeled after the Tibetan Potala Palace, the Puning Temple had been modeled after the Samye Monastery, the sacred Lamaist site in Tibet.

The front temple had been constructed in the Chinese style, with the temple complex overall follows both Chinese and Tibetan architectural styles. The Puning Temple also houses the world's tallest wooden sculpture of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (22.28-meter-high and 110-ton),[4] hence the Puning Temple has become known as the "Big Buddha Temple." The complex features temple halls, pavilions, drum towers and bell towers.

History

The Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735–1796) touring Chengde.

Since the seventeenth century, during the late Chinese Ming Dynasty, the Dzungar people of northwestern China (modern Xinjiang) engaged in warfare with other nomadic horse-archer groups in the region. The later Qianlong Emperor dispatched an army to Yili to suppress their resistance against the Qing Dynasty. The Chinese attacked Kulja (Yining) and captured the ruling Dzungar khan.

After the conquest, Emperor Qianlong personally inscribed a stele in 1755 located in a pavilion of the Puning Temple. That stele, the Puning Sibei, commemorated the founding of the temple and the conquering of the Dzungars.[5] Qianlong ordered the building of the Temple of Universal Peace, a symbol of the emperor's intention to foster peaceful relations among the many ethnic minorities in China and to good government the northwestern regions. The historian Waley-Cohen calls Chengde "a crucial location for the exhibition of Manchu power and the representation of Qing imperial knowledge," being the location of the summer capital.[5] Since the Dzungar practiced Lamaism, the emperor built the temple in imitation of Samye monastery, the sacred place of Lamaism in Tibet.

The large wooden Buddhist statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara within the main hall of the Puning Temple represents one of its most renowned features. It shows a thousand different eyes and a thousand different arms stretched out from its frame (in various sizes). The statue has been made with five types of wood, including pine, cypress, elm, fir, and linden.

Puning Temple Gallery

  • Main hall housing the Bodhisattva

  • Temple grounds

  • Main temple

  • Temple grounds

  • Turning wheels of the Buddha's doctrine at Puning Temple, a modern addition.

  • A courtyard of Puning Temple

  • A Chinese pavilion of Puning Temple

  • The giant wooden Bodhisattva of Puning Temple; Wooden Bodhisattva

See also

  • List of Buddhist temples

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Foret, 155.
  2. ↑ Rawski, 253.
  3. ↑ XA Business, China Stamps Xabusiness.com. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
  4. ↑ Jongo Knows, Puning Temple. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Waley-Cohen, 880.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Foret, Philippe. 2000. Mapping Chengde: The Qing Landscape Enterprise. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-2293-5.
  • Hevia, James Louis. "World Heritage, National Culture, and the Restoration of Chengde." Positions: East Asia Cultures Critique 9 (1) (2001): 219-43.
  • Hedin, Sven, and Folke Bergman. History of the expedition in Asia 1927-1935. In Reports from the Scientific Expedition to the North-Western Provinces of China Under Leadership of Dr. Sven Hedin. The Sino-Swedish Expedition. Publication 24: Part II 1928–1933.
  • Montell, Gösta: The Lama Temple Potala of Jehol. Plan of the Monastery-Ground. In: Geografiska Annaler, Band 17, Supplement: Hyllningsskrift Tillagnad Sven Hedin (1935), S. 175-184. (Putuo Zongcheng Temple)
  • Montell, Gösta, Hedin, Sven: The Chinese Lama Temple Potala of Jehol. Exhibition of Historical and Ethnographical Collections. Chicago: Century of Progress Exposition, 1932.
  • Rawski, Evelyn Sakakida. 1998. The Last Emperors: A Social History of Qing Imperial Institutions. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-22837-5.
  • Waley-Cohen, Joanna. Commemorating War in Eighteenth-Century China. Modern Asian Studies 30 (4) (1996): 869–899.

External links

All links retrieved December 5, 2023.

World Heritage Sites in China

Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains · Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom · Classical Gardens of Suzhou · Dazu Rock Carvings · Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace · The Great Wall · Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area · Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang · Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties · Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area · Kaiping Diaolou and Villages · Old Town of Lijiang · Longmen Grottoes · Lushan National Park · Historic Centre of Macau · Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor · Mogao Caves · Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area · Mount Huangshan · Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan Irrigation System · Mount Tai (Taishan) · Mount Wuyi · Chengde Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples · Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian · Ancient City of Ping Yao · Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries · South China Karst · Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing · Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and Kong Family Mansion, Qufu · Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing · Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas · Villages in Southern Anhui - Xidi and Hongcun · Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area · Yin Xu · Yungang Grottoes

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