Mount Wutai — Buddhism Holy Land and Valuable Ancient Temples

Mount Wutai or Wutai Mountain in Shanxi Province of China, Photo by Tiejiache.

Definition

What Is Mount Wutai?

Mount Wutai, or Wutai Mountain, also named Wutaishan, is one of the world's five Buddhist holy lands and the bodhimandala of the Bodhisattva Manjusri (Wenshu).

Besides its beautiful natural views, Mount Wutai is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site with many ancient and extremely valuable buildings.

The oldest existing wooden structure in China is well preserved on Mount Wutai.

Han and Tibetan Buddhism have been thriving and coexisting harmoniously on this grand mountain for centuries.

Pagodas and Buddhism Prayer Flags on Mount Wutai

Pagodas and Buddhism Prayer Flags on Wutai Mountain, Photo by Tiejiache.

Data

Important Data of Mount Wutai

Mount Wutai is located in Shanxi Province, the middle of China;

It is around 2837 square kilometers large;

It has five main peaks, and the highest summit is 3058 meters;

There are hundreds of temples scattered on the mountain range;

The most ancient temple was built in the year 782.

Ancient Buildings on Wutai Mountain.

Culture

Cultural Importance

Since the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420 — 589), many temples had been built on Mount Wutai, which became a holy place of Buddhism;

Rich cultures of both Han and Tibetan Buddhism throughout history;

Many antithetical couplets in buildings there are quite philosophical;

The well-preserved ancient buildings, statues, frescoes, and inscriptions inside are all valuable cultural relics of the Tang Dynasty (618 — 907).

Ancient Building of Foguang Temple on Mount Wutai, Built in the Year 857

Ancient Building of Foguang Temple, Built in the Year 857, Photo from qyer.

Deity

Who Is the Deity of Mount Wutai?

Mount Wutai has been the bodhimandala of the Bodhisattva Manjusri (Wenshu) for over 1600 years.

Manjusri (Wenshu) is one of the Four Sacred Bodhisattvas in Chinese Buddhism, representing wisdom, whose mount is a cyan lion.

Statue of Bodhisattva Manjusri (Wenshu) the Deity of Mount Wutai.

Statue of Bodhisattva Manjusri (Wenshu) on Wutai Mountain.

Important Cultural Sites

Nanchan Temple — Oldest Existing Timber Building in China

Nanchan Temple was rebuilt in the year 782 and survived all of the natural and human destructions in the next 1200 years for its smallness and Inconspicuousness.

Inside this 3078 square meters temple are ancient Buddha statues and a pagoda from the glorious Tang Dynasty (618 — 907).

Sites

Main Hall of Nanchan Temple, Photo from qyer.

Foguang Temple — National Treasure of Architecture and Buddhism

Foguang Temple, the second oldest extant timber building in China, was constructed during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei (471 — 499) and rebuilt in the year 857.

The Foguang Temple is 34,000 square meters big, and every piece inside has great historical, artistic, and cultural value.

Architecture, statues, frescoes, and inscriptions of the Tang Dynasty are the four main treasures of the Foguang Temple, which is respected as a national treasure.

Main Hall of Foguang Temple of Mount Wutai

Main Hall of Foguang Temple, Photo by Kou Jie.

Xiantong Temple — The Most Historic and Largest Temple of Mount Wutai

Firstly constructed in the year 69, Xiantong was the second Buddhism temple built in history (The first one was the White Horse Temple in Henan Province, built in the year 68).

As the origin of Buddhism in China, it has been rebuilt and expanded several times in history.

Today's 80,000 square meters large Xiantong Temple mainly consists of buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 — 1912).

Inside the Xiantong Temple, many valuable historical relics are well preserved, as well as a big copper hall built in 1606.

Buildings and Copper Hall of the Xiantong Temple

Tayuan Temple or Pagoda Temple — Symbol of Mount Wutai

Built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 — 1644), the white pagoda is the most famous part of the Tayuan Temple.

The White Pagoda is 75.3 meters tall and decorated with 252 copper bells; built in the year 1302 and has been the symbol of Mount Wutai.

White Pagoda in the Tayuan Temple.

Bodhisattva Temple or Pusa Ding — Residence of Bodhisattva Manjusri and the Royals

It was first constructed during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei (471 — 499) and had been expanded and rebuilt several times.

This was believed to be the residence of Bodhisattva Manjusri and one of the holiest places of Wutai Mountain.

Shunzhi Emperor believed in Tibetan Buddhism; therefore, in 1660, he sent lamas there and changed this place into a Tibetan Buddhist temple.

Afterward, Kangxi Emperor and Qianlong Emperor held worship ceremonies on Mount Wutai several times, and both stayed there, which made it a royal temple of the Qing Dynasty (1636 — 1912).

Bodhisattva Temple or Pusa Ding.

Shuxiang Temple — Special Statue of Bodhisattva Manjusri

Rebuilt in the year 1487, Shuxiang Temple has the largest (about 10 meters) Statue of Bodhisattva Manjusri.

In legend, when people were constructing the statue, Bodhisattva Manjusri presented for a while when the artisans saw the Buddha's appearance and built the figure based on their memory.