Ep. 108: Lingyin Temple's Hall of 500 Arhats

A peculiarly-shaped edifice indeed

I'm uploading a couple of short posts a week, just a picture or two (or three, or four), traipsing through my China pilgrimage in order. Enjoy!

For a brief account of my visit to Feilai Feng and nearby Lingyin Temple, see my Shenzhen Daily article or the slightly longer version here on Temple Tales.

In Ep. 107 we visited Hangzhou's "Peak That Flew from Afar," which is right across a little stream from Lingyin Temple. There we learned of an Indian monk whom the Chinese called Huili. He founded a hermitage here, and this grand temple has developed from those humble beginnings.

Upon entering the grounds of the temple proper, the first thing to look for (I soon learned) was a map. If you're lucky, as I was here, you'll find one marked with the English names of the halls and features. I couldn't help but notice that on this one (see how the sun through the trees literally highlighted it?) was a hall shaped like a swastika.