China has recently been hitting the headlines more for its booming economy, but holidaymakers don't flock in their droves to the fourth biggest country in the world for that, instead choosing to discover its iconic landmarks.
The mysterious and beautiful country is etched in ancient history with the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Warriors of Xian being popular with visitors, but if you fancy something a bit different that still shows the country's rich past then why not visit some of its great temples. Here we take a look at China's best temples.
White Horse Temple
A holiday to China would not be complete without a trip to this famous temple. Located in Luoyang in the Henan province, it is known as the first ancient temple in China and is covered with ancient trees, appearing solemn and tranquil. Just by the gate there is a pond that has fish in the water, which is for the believers to set free the captive animals. The temple also boasts antique architecture dating back 1,900 years.
Daxiangguo Temple
The Daxiangguo Temple is also based in the Henan province in Kaifeng and was first built in 555, the sixth year during Emperor Tianbao's reign of the Northern Qi period (550-577), but was destroyed in the late Ming Dynasty. After being reconstructed it now boasts a statue of the Goddess of Mercy with 1,000 hands and 1,000 eyes and other impressive structures. On the eastern side of the main gate there is a 5-ton bell which is well worth a look.
Jokhang Temple
Finally, the Jokhang Temple, which is in the Lhasa region, was first built in A.D.647. The temple is now a popular destination for tourists as it hosts a number of jaw-dropping buildings, statues and a collection of Buddhist scriptures. A particular highlight of the temple is the Three Marvelous Treasures statue, which depicts a Silver Buddha.
Shaolin Temple
The Shaolin Temple is well-known for its Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu. This old temple is over 1,500 years old and is based on Mount Song in the Henan province. The temple and its famed Pagoda Forest became a world heritage site in 2010 and the temple is now hugely popular with Western tourists. The temple's history is quite incredible and visitors will be fascinated with the stories behind the monastery's frequent destruction and reconstruction many times during its lifetime. One story goes that during the Red Turban Rebellion in the 14th century, bandits sacked the monastery for its valuables, destroying the temples and driving the monks to run away.
This article was written by Thom Sanders, on behalf of Wendy Wu Tours, who offer a great range of holidays to China which include a number of trips such as Great Wall of China tours and trips to see the Forbidden Palace.
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