Hongluo Temple - Beijing China

On the same day we visited the Great Wall of China, we stopped at Hongluo Temple in Beijing.



This is the entrance to the Temple grounds.  See how the decorations look similar to those in the Forbidden City, though they are a different color because the Forbidden City was for the Emperor, as were the decorations.



Unlike, for example, a cathedral, while the Temple building is the central structure on the site, the grounds around the Temple are where people spend their time.  The paths into the temple are "walled" with bamboo, protecting living bamboo.



But the paths eventually open up to an area which is really like a wooded park with paths.  Near the beginning of those paths, visitors can buy brightly colored ribbons and tie them to things in the park as a "sacrifice" or request for good favor or an answer to a prayer.




It was not very easy, actually, to see the inside of the Temple.   The "park service" which runs the place has barriers set up just inside the entrances so people can't get too close.  I'm sure this protection is necessary, because if people could touch things, they were touching things.  I did not get particularly close, because there were people who were clearly there to worship.  You can see a bit of a large golden Buddha in this photo.  This was the temple, proper.



Also on the paths are various statues.  One of the cool areas has a large set of Buddhas.  They are cool, if a little spooky.  I imagined myself walking these paths at night, and the thought of being surrounded by these statues was kind of unsettling.  But they are fun to look at, and I love their red capes.



Probably the most striking thing in the whole Temple Grounds was this large Buddha near the end of the walk through the paths.  I didn't take a photo of anyone near it, trying to be respectful.  It is about 20-feet tall.



Again, I thank my host, Jun Feng, who added this to our trip when he realized we would not spend the whole day at the Great Wall.  It was something few other people probably see when visiting Beijing (I don't think I saw any other Westerners there, though it was quite well attended by Chinese people.) 

I still have trouble reconciling the popularity of this with the anti-religious nature of the government in China, but it certainly is nice to know the government did not -- for example -- destroy these sites when the Communists took control.  And by the popularity of the site, it's clear many people appreciate that within China, as well.