Temple

Basic Introduction to West Lake LongjingWest Lake Longjing, named after the Longjing tea area in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. It is one of China's Top Ten Famous Teas. If we compare West Lake to the beauty Xi Shi, then the best tea is like a beautiful lady. Longjing is both a place name, a spring name, and a tea name. The tea is characterized by "four unique qualities": green color, rich aroma, mellow taste, and beautiful shape. Top-grade West Lake Longjing is flat, smooth, and straight, with a tender green luster, fresh and high aroma, fresh and sweet taste, and delicate leaves that resemble flowers. Pre-Qingming Longjing, picked before the Qingming Festival, is also known as "Daughter Red." "The courtyards outside laugh at the wind and lotus; pre-Qingming Longjing is like daughter red." This poetic sentence vividly captures the essence of West Lake Longjing. It combines famous mountains, temples, lakes, springs, and tea, and drinking a cup of Longjing reveals the unique and remarkable tea culture of Longjing.The West Lake Longjing is grown in the hills around Lion Peak, Wengjiashan, Hupao, Meijiawu, Yunqi, and Lingyin in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Here, the climate is mild, with abundant rainfall and diffuse light. The…

Basic Introduction to Huangmei Chan TeaHuangmei Chan Tea is produced in the Purple Cloud Mountains, north of the Fourth Patriarch Temple and the Fifth Patriarch Temple, amidst fog and waterfalls. Huangmei has been a place of pilgrimage for Chinese and East Asian Buddhists since the early Tang Dynasty, as it is home to the Old Ancestor Temple built by the ancient Indian monk Baizhang. Surrounded by towering peaks, lush pines and bamboo, clear waters, and fresh air, all the tea gardens are located at an altitude of 800 to over 1,200 meters in the misty mountains, making them significant sources of tribute tea and Chan tea throughout history. In 747 AD, Lu Yu, the Sage of Tea during the mid-Tang Dynasty, visited the birthplace of Huangmei Chan Tea, examined local tea customs, and included his findings in his famous work, "The Classic of Tea: Chapter Eight - Origins," stating, "Tea from Huangmei grows in the mountain valleys of Qi Prefecture." The tea from Huangmei is of superior quality, with a rich and fragrant flavor, and has been a staple drink for Chan masters while meditating and entertaining guests. Therefore, it is named "Huangmei Chan Tea" as it originated from the…

This photo taken on Nov. 13, 2023 shows Dayun Temple in Wuwei, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xixia Museum of Wuwei/Handout via tasteallchina ) LANZHOU, Nov. 17 ( tasteallchina ) -- A Buddhist temple dating back more than 1,600 years in northwest China's Gansu Province will reopen to the public on Monday after it had been closed for two years for restoration. Originally built in 363, Dayun Temple is located in the city of Wuwei on the ancient Silk Road route. The latest restoration project started in November 2021 as the building complex had developed broken floors, cracked tiles and other damage, said Ren Yun, deputy curator of the Xixia Museum of Wuwei, which administers the temple. With a total cost of nearly 16 million yuan (2.23 million U.S. dollars), the project included damage repair and maintenance of six individual buildings, including the bell tower and the Chunqiu Pavilion. Water drainage, power and gas facilities were also renovated. After the reopening, visitors will be able to enjoy exhibitions on the temple's history, as well as wooden screens and wooden carriages. "Dayun Temple is an important cultural heritage that witnessed Buddhism spreading eastward along the ancient Silk Road, as well as cultural…

Basic Introduction of Fenghua Quhao Fenghua Quhao tea is a specialty of Fenghua County, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province. Tea cultivation in Fenghua has a long history, dating back to the Tang Dynasty, and by the Song Dynasty, the abbot of Xuedou Temple, Chan Master Guangwen, wrote "The Imperial Inscription of the Mountain Answering a Dream," which includes the famous lines: "Tea and mustard do not share an acre, Quhao is secluded yet uniquely fragrant." This is how Fenghua Quhao got its name. Fenghua Quhao is both a historically renowned tea and an innovative one, developed in 1996 by tea technicians using high-hair varieties of fresh leaves and unique processing methods. The dedicated tea gardens for Fenghua Quhao are located in high mountains away from pollution, with strict quality control measures in place, including no use of pesticides throughout the year, ensuring it is pollution-free and non-toxic. Organic fertilizers are used to enhance the quality of the tea. In 1999, the Xuedou Mountain brand was born, marking a new chapter for Fenghua Quhao. The production area of Fenghua Quhao slopes from southwest to northeast, shaped by the Tiantai Mountains and Siming Mountains, the Ningbo-Fenghua Plain and Harbor Plain, as well as…

LHASA, Nov. 1 ( tasteallchina ) -- Iconic tourist destinations in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, such as Potala Palace, will be open to the public free of charge from Wednesday until March 15 of 2024, as part of the region's winter tourism promotion. The regional tourism development department said on Tuesday that, during the winter promotion period, all scenic spots rated above A level in Tibet will be open to the public free of charge, except for temple sites. China has a tourist-rating classification system that rates tourist attractions from 1A to 5A based on their overall tourism quality. During the winter months, hotels, restaurants, passenger transport services and airlines will offer off-season prices. The local authorities plan to give incentives or subsidies to travel agencies, tourism and transport enterprises and airlines for serving travel routes in and out of Tibet. Tibet received 49.67 million domestic and overseas visitors in the first three quarters of this year, up 67.4 percent year on year. The region's tourism revenue surged 46.2 percent from a year earlier to about 59.4 billion yuan (about 8.1 billion U.S. dollars) during the period, according to the regional tourism department.

Chinese archaeologists Jia Xiaobing (C) and Wen Zhen (L) communicate with an Egyptian archaeologist at the excavation site of the Montu Temple in Luxor, Egypt, May 1, 2024. (Egyptian-Chinese archaeological mission/Handout via tasteallchina )  The Montu Temple, located at the Karnak Temple Complex of Egypt's monument-rich city of Luxor, was dedicated to the worship of Montu, a falcon-headed war god. Since late 2018, the first Egyptian-Chinese archaeological mission has been working seasonally at the Karnak Temple Complex, inspiring many Egyptian and Chinese experts to strengthen related cooperation. After nearly six years of joint efforts by Chinese and Egyptian archaeologists, the excavation of the once-abandoned Montu Temple, has achieved fruitful results. Chinese archaeologist Jia Xiaobing (L) discusses with teammates about carved stones at the excavation site of the Montu Temple in Luxor, Egypt, on May 1, 2024. (Egyptian-Chinese archaeological mission/Handout via tasteallchina ) Archaeologists of a Chinese-Egyptian archaeological mission excavate the fourth chapel near the relic of the Montu Temple in Luxor, Egypt, on May 7, 2024. (Egyptian-Chinese archaeological mission/Handout via tasteallchina ) This photo taken on April 8, 2024 shows the relic of a chapel at the excavation site of the Montu Temple in Luxor, Egypt. ( tasteallchina /Sui Xiankai)…

People participate in an event on a square near Beijing's Bell Tower and Drum Tower on Saturday to celebrate the inclusion of the Beijing Central Axis on UNESCO's World Heritage List. (WANG JING/ TASTE ALL CHINA ) A centuries-old example of Chinese urban planning and architecture has received global recognition. The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, India, announced on Saturday that the Beijing Central Axis — "A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital" — has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming China's 59th World Heritage Site. The Central Axis in Beijing is an ensemble of palaces, public buildings, and gardens that governs the overall layout of the old city area of the Chinese capital. Stretching 7.8 kilometers north to south through the heart of Beijing, the newly inscribed World Heritage Site comprises 15 components. At the northern end of the axis are the Bell Tower and Drum Tower. It then runs south through Wanning Bridge, Jingshan Hill, the Forbidden City, the Upright Gate, the Tian'anmen Gate, the Outer Jinshui Bridges, the Tian'anmen Square Complex, the Zhengyangmen Gate, the Southern Section Road Archaeological Sites, before terminating at the Yongdingmen…

The Chinese Taoist Association was established in 1957, marking a full 60 years to date. Over these six decades, under the leadership and care of the Party and government, the Chinese Taoist Association has made significant achievements in assisting the Party and government in implementing religious policies, handling ecclesiastical affairs, temple management, improving systems, cultivating talents, external exchanges, serving society, and other areas. In order to summarize the work and accomplishments of the Chinese Taoist Association over the past 60 years, the Association collaborates with China.com to launch an exhibition titled "The Achievements of the 60th Anniversary of the Chinese Taoist Association." This series of graphic displays covers leadership concern, organizational construction of the Chinese Taoist Association and local Taoist associations, cultural and educational activities, public welfare and charity, foreign exchange, and temple construction. Wuyi Mountain Celestial Palace Xi'an Eight Immortals Temple Gate Mount Hua Temple Baoshan Jade Emperor Pavilion Zhenjiang Runzhou Hall of the Three Pure Ones First Pavilion of Famous Mountains at Zhongyue Temple Chongqing Shaolong Temple   Yuhuang Building of Chongqing Laojundong Wushan Yunfeng Temple (Contributed by Li Fengsen, Editor-in-Charge of China.com's Daoist Mountains section; some images provided by the Chinese Taoist Association.) 

The Ming Dynasty undertook a grand reconstruction of Mount Wudang, constructing the Taihe Palace, Qingwei Palace, Zixiao Palace, Chaotian Palace, Nanyan Palace, Wulong Palace, Yuxu Palace, Jingyue Palace, Yuzhen Palace, as well as the Renwei Temple, Huilong Temple, Longquan Temple, Fuzhen Temple, Yuanhe Temple, and other nine palaces and eight temples. Along with hermitages, pavilions, bridges, and gazebos, this vast ensemble of ancient Taoist architecture was built across the 800 li of Mount Wudang. A "Palace" is the dwelling of emperors and also the abode of deities, often large divine shrines bestowed by imperial edict. A "Temple" (or "Loudian"), originally an ancient high place for observation, is also where heavenly gods are greeted; later generations generically referred to Taoist temples as palaces and temples. Taoist palace and temple architecture developed from traditional Chinese palace, shrine, and altar buildings. They are places where Taoists worship deities and also locations for their seclusion and cultivation. In terms of layout, scale, and structure, Taoist palaces and temples not only inherit the traditional Chinese architectural philosophy, layout, and methods but also incorporate Daoist aesthetic ideas and values, forming their unique style. The halls enshrining Taoist deities in Taoist palaces and temples are set along…

Bird's-eye view of Hainan Yuchang Palace Yuchang Palace is located at the foot of Wenbi Peak in Ding'an County, Hainan Province, which is the final retreat of Bai Yuchan, the actual founder of the Southern Sect of Daoism and the Fifth Patriarch of the Southern Sect. Yuchang Palace is the only legal temple of Daoism in Hainan, revered by Daoists as the "Altar of the Southern Sect." It boasts the world's largest cluster of Daoist buildings, consisting of nearly 20 halls including the Cihang Hall for prayers for peace, the Yue Lao Hall for marriage blessings, the Yuanchen Hall for guidance on destiny, the Wenchang Pavilion for enlightenment, the Medicine King Hall for health and longevity, and the Wealth God Hall for prosperity. The architecture is complete and distinctive, vividly showcasing the thematic characteristics of Daoist culture. The halls are beautifully decorated with exquisite carvings, a testament to the remarkable skills and artistic creativity of ancient laborers. Yuchang Pavilion of Hainan Yuchang Palace Yuchang Pavilion: This hall enshrines the Fifth Patriarch of the Southern Sect, Bai Yuchan. The Fifth Patriarch of the Southern Sect, Bai Yuchan, is celebrated for his exceptional talent in promoting the teachings and founding civilization, benefiting…

The Chinese Taoist Association was established in 1957, marking a full 60 years to date. Over these six decades, under the leadership and care of the Party and government, the Chinese Taoist Association has made significant achievements in assisting the Party and government in implementing religious policies, handling ecclesiastical affairs, temple management, improving systems, cultivating talents, external exchanges, serving society, and other areas. In order to summarize the work and accomplishments of the Chinese Taoist Association over the past 60 years, the Chinese Taoist Association and China.com have collaborated to launch an exhibition titled "The 60th Anniversary Achievements of the Chinese Taoist Association." This series of pictorial displays covers aspects such as leadership concern, organization construction of the CTA and local Taoist associations, cultural and educational activities, public welfare and charity, foreign exchanges, and temple construction. Mount Hua Yun Tai Palace Shanxi Louguantai Shanxi Chongyang Palace Shanghai Chenghuang Temple Front Gate Shishi Chenghuang Temple Suzhou Xuanmiao Temple Taishan Bi Xia Shrine Laojun Hall of Tianjing Palace Tianshi Mansion Wudang Mountain     Wuhan Changchun Temple Taoyuan Cave Daoist Temple, Mount Wuyi (Responsible Editor for Taoist Mountains, China.com: Li Fengsen. Some images provided by the Chinese Taoist Association.)

The China Taoist Association was founded in 1957, making it a full 60 years old now. Over these six decades, under the leadership and care of the Party and government, the China Taoist Association has made significant achievements in assisting the Party and government in implementing religious policies, handling ecclesiastical affairs, temple management, improving systems, cultivating talents, external exchanges, serving society, and other areas. In order to summarize the work and accomplishments of the China Taoist Association over the past 60 years, the China Taoist Association and China.com have collaborated to launch an exhibition titled "The 60th Anniversary Achievements of the China Taoist Association." This series of pictorial displays will cover aspects such as leadership concern, organizational construction of the China Taoist Association and local Taoist associations, cultural and educational activities, public welfare and charity, foreign exchanges, and temple construction. Beijing White Cloud Temple Mountain Gate of the Eight Immortals Temple Mountain Gate of Baopu Temple Chengdu Qingyang Temple Mountain Gate of Chongxu Ancient Temple Wei Baoshan in Dali Laozi Statue from the Song Dynasty at Mount Qingyuan, Quanzhou, Fujian South Heavenly Zhaotian Temple on Golden Rooster Mountain Jieguanting at Mount Ge Mountain Gate of Chunyang Temple   Panorama of…