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A spiritual journey up Xuedou Mountain(2)

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2018-01-03 15:42:58shine.cn Huang Mingrui ECNS App Download

Occupying 85,847 square meters on the mountain, the existent temple was rebuilt in 1985. There are six main halls arranged in tiers, all in a traditional style with a tiled roof, overhanging eaves and wooden furniture.

The temple’s icon is a 56.74-meter-tall bronze statute of the Maitreya Buddha, which is the tallest of its sort, in a sitting position, in the world. Completed in 2008, the statute was made from 500 tons of tin bronze and is celebrated for its amiable and joyful image. The Buddha, with a bag in his left hand and beads in right hand, is smiling with his belly and breasts exposed.

This image was derived from local historical records, which revealed there used to be a strange monk in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), who carried a cloth bag, traveled around with a smile on his face and frequently gave sermons in the Xuedou Temple.

Just before he died he revealed to people that he was Maitreya Buddha. That is why local people also call Maitreya Buddha as the cloth-bag Buddha.

Now is a good time to visit the temple as the leaves of two 2,200-year-old ginko trees have turned to yellow in front of the Mile Hall.

The trees, stand as tall as two small towers, like a couple with different genders, and the yellow leaves are scattered around the ground, almost covering the whole yard.

The house-arrest place of Zhang Xueliang

张学良幽禁地

This mountain villa is known as the first house-arrest place of Zhang Xueliang, one of the best known generals in Kuomintang. It takes around three minutes to drive to the dwelling from the temple.

Zhang launched the Xi’an Incident in 1936, which united the Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China, to fight against Japanese invaders. However, Zhang lost his freedom for this incident and it is in this mountain villa, in Chiang’s hometown, where Zhang spent the first year of his house-arrested life.

Occupying 438 square meters, the villa was rebuilt in the 1980s, according to its original appearance, which is in the Western style with six guest rooms and a dinning room, all decorated with glass windows. Zhang lived in three rooms facing south while the others were for soldiers and nurses.

A bronze statue of Zhang stands in the courtyard, dressed in military uniform with a hat and a cape. Under the statue is a cubic stone, on which a Chinese traditional idiom “千古功臣 (moritorious minister forever)” was carved by Zhou Enlai, the first premier of the People’s Republic of China, in order to praise Zhang’s great contribution to the country.

Miaogao Terrace

妙高台

This natural terrace in the middle of the mountain is known for its hidden location. The terrace is surrounded by cliffs and can’t be seen from the foot of the mountain. Chiang Kai-shek built a mansion on the terrace, which used to be a secret political center of Kuomintang during the Republic of China (1912-1949). The two-story mansion was rebuilt in the 1980s, according to its original appearance, covering 436 square meters, and has Western-style appearance with six rooms decorated with glass windows and a square balcony, circled by small stone pillars. A horizontal tablet hangs above the front door on the second floor, on which the terrace’s name was written by Chiang. In front of the mansion is some open land where people can see Tingxia Lake surrounded by small hills below.

Chiang spent three months in the mansion in 1949, during which he secretly received over 30 politicians and military personnel.

  

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