(1) This is Mei An ("Plum Hermitage") in Zhaoqing. In traveling the area, Huineng is said to have planted a plum tree on a small hill. Centuries later (in 996) an Indian monk founded the hermitage here.
When I arrived the evening of the 27th, the place was closed. Hours are 8:30-4:00. This is only one of several ancient plums on the property (none being, I guess, the one Huineng planted).
(2) This one, inside the grounds, is made much of.
(3) This is the spot where the original is said to have been planted. The man is Huineng; I don't know who the kid is.
(4) Huineng is said to have dug this well; holy monks are often associated with "living water."
(5) A small, rare green space on the grounds.
(6) The Guanyin Hall was a rare find.
(7) Unfortunately, just as I shot the first statue individually, a Dragon Lady snagged me and told me photos were verboten.
(8) Another room had a mural of the six Chan patriarchs. At the far right was Bodhidharma...
(9) ...and at the far left, Huineng. (See the little kid feeding wood into a fireplace to make charcoal? There were several stories interwoven into the mural; that's Huineng as a kid, I think.)
(10) I seldom get upset when something is closed. But this was a real bummer. The only reason I came here was to see the dioramas of Huineng's life that are inside this hall. I wanted to shoot them and their descriptions, and get them translated. Alas, the hall next door was under construction, and this one closed. You can see where I got the idea, though, on Wayne's Dhamma Blog.
| ← Previous Site | Back to Trip 17 Introduction | Next Site → |
Last Updated August 19, 2019
No comments:
Post a Comment