Good luck and good fortune | Three temples worth visiting in Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna, a holy place of Southern Buddhism culture
1. Shwedagon Pagoda (Pictures 01-05)
The Shwedagon Pagoda Temple is located on the site of the ancient Buddhist temple Wazhuangde, which is more than 1,300 years old. It is now the main Buddhist temple in Jinghong City, in charge of all 205 temples in Jinghong. It is a holy place for spreading Theravada Buddhist culture. The abbot is Hubahan Ting, president of the Jinghong Buddhist Association.
Buddha relics are enshrined on the top of the temple tower, and a jade Buddha carved from a large stone from the Mekong River donated by Thailand is enshrined on the first floor of the tower. In the square in front of the temple stands a statue of Elder Wubaguda, who is known by the people as the "Arhat who eliminates disasters and conquers demons."
Tips~
A. Transportation strategy: Stay in Gaozhuang and walk there.
B. Temple Tickets: 30 yuan for visiting the main hall.
2. Zongfo Temple (Pictures 06-10)
The Zongfo Temple is located on Baji Road, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Prefecture. It was built in 615 AD and has a history of more than 1,400 years. According to legend, it was built by two Burmese monks who came to Xishuangbanna to preach Buddhism. It is the first Buddhist temple built after the introduction of Theravada Buddhism into Xishuangbanna.
Today, the Zongfo Temple has become the traditional cultural center of the Dai people, a bridge for friendly exchanges with Southeast Asian Buddhist countries, and a window for China's Theravada Buddhism to be presented to the world. It is precisely because of the long history and respected status of the Zong Buddhist Temple that it enjoys a high reputation throughout Southeast Asia. Therefore, the Zong Buddhist Temple is a well-deserved pilgrimage center in Xishuangbanna!
Tips~
A. Transportation strategy: drive or take a taxi.
B. Temple tickets: free.
3. Prajna Temple (Pictures 11-15)
In the 3rd century BC, Asoka, the third king of the Maurya dynasty, unified most of India and made it the largest empire in Indian history. King Asoka was a devout believer in Buddhism, gave generously to monks, and sent out nine missions to spread Buddhism at home and abroad. The eighth delegation reached the Golden Land, namely Lower Burma and Central and Southern Thailand. Later, Buddhism spread throughout Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and other Southeast Asian countries. In the 7th century AD, Buddhism was introduced to the Dai and Shilang ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China, and has been passed down to this day.
In the 295th year of the Dai calendar (833 AD), Elder Padmaha Ananda, who came to Xishuangbanna to preach Buddhism, led a group of monks and, under the support of King Zhaopengmalaza, built the Prajna Pagoda together with villagers from various villages led by Paya Zheng of Manzhen Village, Paya Balanmashan of Manying Village and Balanmapeng Wengzai of Manzhuangxie Village. The center of the stupa is 122 feet deep (about 8.5 meters), and it is said that it houses two strands of Buddha's hair. From 990 to 1006 in the Dai calendar (1628 to 1644 AD), the Prajna Pagoda was rebuilt, the original foundation was dug up, and four Buddhist relics were placed in the center of the pagoda.
Tips~
A. Transportation strategy: drive or take a taxi.
B. Temple tickets: free.
Note:
During your visit, please abide by the temple's regulations, such as no smoking, no shorts, short skirts or off-shoulder clothing, etc. At the same time, do not touch the Buddha statues and murals to avoid damaging the cultural relics.
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