(1) Inside the Heavenly Kings' Hall at Guo'en Temple. I guess he's trusting the kings to do the guarding.
The temple is a little over 1km from the place where the Sixth Patriarch was born, and it's the place where he died. I was disappointed that I couldn't get down to Zangfokeng, the place 5km away that his body "flew to" after his death; another day, perhaps.
(2) See that nice lawn? It's actually something green floating on the top of a pond.
(3) This Bodhi Tree had packets hanging on it.
(4) The front gate says "Number One Place." Along with Guangxiao Temple in Guangzhou (where Huineng became a monk) and Nanhua Temple in Shaoguan (where his mummy rests), this is part of "The Number One Holy Ground in South China."
(5) Inside the first hall is a courtyard with these bixi (steles on the backs of turtles).
(6) Outside the main compound is this small concrete-covered "mound" allegedly containing the remains of Huineng's parents.
(7) Around the back of the property is this cool dragon-spout spring.
(8) Inside the pavilion is a very small basin where Huineng is said to have bathed before his death.
(9) In this pavilion is another "Huineng Well."
(10) A sign says, "Millennium litchi tree planted by the sixth ancestor personally" and therefore over 1300 years old. Propped up, and surrounded by chain link.
(11) It's unusual to see two Guanyins side by side on a single altar. In the Yuantong Hall.
(12) The pagoda was built in 1990 (the whole temple was rebuilt in 1980.) The Japanese have a saying for very old things: "Furukusai," meaning "stinks of age." Well, this stinks of new! Before, it had a red paint job that looked a little better, but apparently it's been sandblasted.
(13) This image of Huineng is in the museum/memorial hall, not to be confused with the Patriarch's Hall on the main axis of the compound.
(14) In the layout of the temple, the Chan (Zen, meditation) Hall) is balanced with the Dharma (Teaching) Hall. I like that a lot.
(15) Here's the altar of the Patriarch's Hall. See Huineng way in the back? I said my prayers here to conclude my visit to the last temple on this trip (almost).
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Last Updated August 19, 2019
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