Buddhism in China

Jan 28, 2013 Estonian Life No. 5 2013

China's most well-known religion is Buddhism. Various estimates suggest that 20% of the Chinese population practice some variant of Buddhism. Temples can be found in all cities. In the city of Hangzhou, the Lingyin temple is famous for its rock carvings of various Buddhas. Even at the beginning of the Chinese winter (November) the temples are full of Chinese tourists and local worshipers. Ceremonies include the burning of incense with prayers directed to various statues or in all four directions of the compass. When Buddha statues are in buildings, photography is forbidden, but photos can be taken from the outside. Incense is sold at the temple, with the average bundle costing around two Canadian dollars.

The most distinctive colour in Buddhism is saffron yellow, which can be seen in the robes of the monks and on most Buddhist buildings. Elephants are common symbols, reflecting Buddha's Indian origin. The photos show that the worshipers are of all ages. During the Cultural Revolution, it was common for the faces of Buddhas to be destroyed by the communists.
In the city of Wuxi, a Buddhist theme park was built in 1996. It features the Grand Buddha of Lingshan, a 700 ton 88 meter statue, which ranks as the 10th tallest statue in the world. By comparison, the Statue of Liberty is 46 meters tall. The ornate Brahma Palace serves as the venue for the international Buddhist Forum. Its floors are marble and visitors must wear protective booties over their shoes. The Five Signets Palace celebrates Tibetan Buddhism. Although the area does provide areas of worship, my Chinese host described Lingshan as “Buddhist Disneyland”. Its aim is to educate the Chinese about religion and ultimately to seek more converts.

Peeter Põldre

Photo gallery – Photos By Peeter Põldre