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| Longxing Monastery (Longxing si) |
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Located 18km north of Shijiazhuang, Zhengding Town was once a thriving
religious center that stretches back beyond the Song Dynasty (960-1279
AD). The area was host to numerous emperors in its prime, who visited
the town to prove their imperial piety.
Today, the oldest and most impressive of the Buddhist monuments
left is the Longxing Monastery (Longxing si), towards the eastern
outskirts. First built in 586 AD, the Longxing Monastery is a fairly
large temple that is now not in use. Upon the monastery's central
axis lie the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Tianwang dian), the Hall of
Manicheanism (Moni dian), the Altar (Jie tan) and the Temple of
Great Mercy (Cien si). Within this temple stands the Monastery's
most impressive statue, a 21 meter high bronze statue of Guanyin,
Goddess of Mercy, with many arms outstretched. |
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