The Putuo Zongcheng Temple (, ) of
Chengde
Chengde, formerly known as Jehol and Rehe, is a prefecture-level city in Hebei province, situated about 225 km northeast of Beijing. It is best known as the site of the Mountain Resort, a vast imperial garden and palace formerly used by t ...
,
Hebei
Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, an ...
province,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
is a
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
era
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
temple complex built between 1767 and 1771,
[Foret, 155.] during the reign of the
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, born Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1735 t ...
(1735–1796). It is located near the
Chengde Mountain Resort
Chengde Mountain Resort in Chengde (; Manchu: ''Halhūn be jailara gurung''), is a large complex of imperial palaces and gardens situated in the Shuangqiao District of Chengde in northeastern Hebei province, northern China, about 225 km northea ...
, which is south of the Putuo Zongcheng. Along with the equally famed
Puning Temple Puning Temple (), may refer to:
*Puning Temple (Hebei)
The Puning Temple (), commonly called the Big Buddha Temple, is a Buddhist temple complex in Chengde, Hebei province, China. It was built in 1755 during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor in t ...
, it is one of the Eight Outer Temples of Chengde. The temple was modeled after the
Potala Palace
The Potala Palace is a ''dzong'' fortress in Lhasa, Tibet. It was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas from 1649 to 1959, has been a museum since then, and a World Heritage Site since 1994.
The palace is named after Mount Potalaka, the mythica ...
of
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
, the residence of the
Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current Dal ...
built a century earlier.
[Rawski, 253.] Since it was modeled after the Potala palace, the temple represents a fusion of Chinese and Tibetan architectural styles. The temple complex covers a surface area of some , making it one of the largest in China. Many of its halls and
pavilions
In architecture, ''pavilion'' has several meanings:
* It may be a subsidiary building that is either positioned separately or as an attachment to a main building. Often it is associated with pleasure. In palaces and traditional mansions of Asia ...
are adorned with copper and gold tiled roofs, adding to the splendor of the site.
History
The Putuo Zongcheng Temple is part of the "Eight Outer Temples" located in
Chengde
Chengde, formerly known as Jehol and Rehe, is a prefecture-level city in Hebei province, situated about 225 km northeast of Beijing. It is best known as the site of the Mountain Resort, a vast imperial garden and palace formerly used by t ...
, which are part of the World Heritage List along with the
Chengde Mountain Resort
Chengde Mountain Resort in Chengde (; Manchu: ''Halhūn be jailara gurung''), is a large complex of imperial palaces and gardens situated in the Shuangqiao District of Chengde in northeastern Hebei province, northern China, about 225 km northea ...
. These temples were administered by the
Lifan Yuan The Lifan Yuan (; ; Mongolian: Гадаад Монголын төрийг засах явдлын яам, ''γadaγadu mongγul un törü-yi jasaqu yabudal-un yamun'') was an agency in the government of the Qing dynasty of China which administered ...
, an administrative department for the affairs of ethnic minorities such as the Mongolians and Tibetans, hence the different combinations of architectural style which could be seen throughout these ''Eight Outer Temples'' in Chengde.
The Putuo Zongcheng Temple was originally dedicated to the
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, born Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1735 t ...
to celebrate his birthday, as well as provide Hebei with a temple of equal size and splendor as the
Potala Palace
The Potala Palace is a ''dzong'' fortress in Lhasa, Tibet. It was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas from 1649 to 1959, has been a museum since then, and a World Heritage Site since 1994.
The palace is named after Mount Potalaka, the mythica ...
in
Lhasa
Lhasa (; Lhasa dialect: ; bo, text=ལྷ་ས, translation=Place of Gods) is the urban center of the prefecture-level city, prefecture-level Lhasa (prefecture-level city), Lhasa City and the administrative capital of Tibet Autonomous Regio ...
. The Putuo Zongcheng temple served more functions than just Buddhist ceremonies and festivals; it was also the location that the emperor would gather meetings of different ethnic envoys from within the empire. The location served as a peaceful getaway in contrast to the bustling life of the capital
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
, as well as complimented the nearby hunting grounds that the emperor would enjoy with his guests.
As of 1994, the Chengde Mountain Resort and Chengde's Eight Outer Temples (including the Putuo Zongcheng Temple) were established as
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Sites
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNES ...
. Today, the temple remains a site of tourism and local festivities.
Gates, halls, and towers
Image:Chengde view from mountain top.jpg, Another aerial view
Image:Putuozongcheng entrance.jpg, Entrance to the complex
Image:Qianlong tablet pavilion Putuo Zongcheng.jpg, The Qianlong Tablet Pavilion, located behind the front entrance
Image:Five pagaoda gate.jpg, The Five Pagodas Gate, located behind the Qianlong Tablet Pavilion,
Image:Color glaze gateway Puotuo Zongcheng.jpg, Gateway with multi-colored tiles, located behind the Five Pagodas Gate
Image:Red building Putuo Zongcheng Temple.JPG, Main hall of the temple, surrounding the Wanfaguiyi Hall at its center.
Image:Wanfaguiyi Hall golden roof.jpg, The golden rooftop of Wanfaguiyi Hall
Image:Chengde, China - 033.jpg, Corner pavilion of Wanfaguiyi
Image:Cihangpudu.jpg, Cihangpudu with the Wanfaguiyi Hall
Image:Chengde, China - 035.jpg, Doubled-layered, cylindrical tower.
See also
*
List of Buddhist temples
This is a list of Buddhist temples, monasteries, stupas, and pagodas for which there are Wikipedia articles, sorted by location.
Australia
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brazil
* Khadro Ling Buddhist Temple, Três Coroas, Rio Grande do Sul ...
*
Puning Temple Puning Temple (), may refer to:
*Puning Temple (Hebei)
The Puning Temple (), commonly called the Big Buddha Temple, is a Buddhist temple complex in Chengde, Hebei province, China. It was built in 1755 during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor in t ...
*
Xumi Fushou Temple
The Xumi Fushou Temple () is one of the Eight Outer Temples in Chengde, Hebei, China. This Buddhist temple is in the north of the park complex of the Chengde Mountain Resort, to the east of Putuo Zongcheng Temple on the north side of a slightly ...
Notes
References
*Foret, Philippe. (2000). ''Mapping Chengde: The Qing Landscape Enterprise''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. (Paperback).
*Rawski, Evelyn Sakakida. (1998). ''The Last Emperors: A Social History of Qing Imperial Institutions''. Berkeley: University of California Press. (Paperback).
* Montell, Gösta: ''The Lama Temple Potala of Jehol. Plan of the Monastery-Ground.'' In: ''Geografiska Annaler'', Band 17, Supplement: Hyllningsskrift Tillagnad Sven Hedin (1935), S. 175-184. (Putuo Zongcheng Temple)
* Hedin, Sven and Bergman, Folke: ''History of the expedition in Asia 1927-1935'', in: ''Reports from the scientific expedition to the north-western provinces of China under leadership of Dr. Sven Hedin. The Sino-Swedish expedition.'' Publication 24: Part II 1928–1933. Stockholm 1943-1945
page 121ff.an
See also:
Sino-Swedish Expedition of Sven Hedin and the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago 1933/1934 (German).
* Montell, Gösta, Hedin, Sven: ''The Chinese lama temple Potala of Jehol. Exhibition of historical and ethnographical collections. Made by Dr. Gösta Montell, member of Dr. Sven Hedin's Expeditions, and donated by Vincent Bendix.'' Chicago: Century of Progress Exposition 1932.
External links
Chengde at Archers Direct
{{coord, 41.0125, N, 117.928, E, source:kolossus-frwiki, display=title
Religious buildings and structures completed in 1771
18th-century Buddhist temples
Buddhist temples in Hebei
Gelug monasteries and temples
World Heritage Sites in China
1767 establishments in China
Religious organizations established in the 1760s
Chengde
Qing dynasty architecture
Qianlong Emperor
Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Hebei