Week 8

Hey everyone! I had a nice, relaxing spring break, but now I’m back on the grind. Since I’m in China, I had the opportunity to visit some temples. So far, I’ve visited three: Xiangji temple, the origin of Pure Land Buddhism; Daxingshan Temple (Tantric/Vajrayana Buddhism); and Guangren Temple (Tibetan Buddhism). Some of these temples had more tourists and sightseers (particularly those located in urban centers), but I also noticed that overall there would be a lot of people lighting incense and praying. I definitely feel that religion is much more commonplace in Chinese culture; even if one isn’t a part of the faith, one can still pray at a temple for good luck, etc. This lines up with what I’ve learned from speaking to people at temples in the Bay Area; perhaps religious acts are less normalized(?) in American culture.

The architecture of Chinese temples is definitely more grandiose in both detailing and scale:

(left: the partially collapsed pagoda of Shandao at Xiangji temple; center and right: the intricate detailing and vibrant colors associated with Tibetan Buddhism, at Guangren Temple.)

Here are some more miscellaneous photos:

Overall, it’s cool to see how various design elements and even the people contrast or parallel Buddhism back in the Bay Area. That’s it for this week, and I’ll see you all next week!