Advertisement
Published: December 12th 2005
Edit Blog Post
Wutai Shan is the abode of the bodhisattva Manjushri, who brandishes the sword of wisdom (at least in Tibetan images of him). At Wutai Shan, I was surprised to discover another, wholly different image of Manjushri, in which he appears more like a Taoist immortal with an imperial pose and grand beard. We saw both styles of iconography there.
A Curious Mix Indeed, Wutai Shan contains a curious mix of Tibetan and Chinese architecture, ritual forms, and images. Though the temples are for the most part Chinese, one can see Tibetan chorten dotting the landscape, statues of Tsongkhapa (founder of the Geluk sect) displayed inside temples, and prayer flags hanging in the breeze. Some temples feature the Chinese form of Avalokitesvara—the benevolent female figure of Guanyin—while others displayed the Tibetan form of Chenrezi with 11 heads and 1000 arms, outstretched to save all beings from suffering. In one magical moment, we encounter a candlelit image of Guanyin at dusk in the back of the main alter of a temple. The glow of candles on her golden image creates quite an ambiance.
At Wutai Shan, Tibetan influence is also evident in the ritual forms and implements. Walking up the
old road from the village of Taihuai to a cluster of temples, we peer in on one group of Chinese monks who are playing Tibetan cymbals, drums and the jaling (a trumpet with a long stem and low-pitched resonance) to accompany their chants. One evening, we attend a tantric feast with all Chinese participants—lay and monastic—using the bell and dorje. They even serve Tibetan butter tea!
This is perhaps the legacy of a long history of Tibetan presence at Wutai Shan, dating back to the time of Emperor Yunglo (15th century) and most prominently during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).
Temples Along the Old Road Along the old road up from the village are several impressive temples dedicated to Manjushri (Jetsun Jampeyang in Tibetan and Wenshu in Chinese). One is the gilded temple perched above Xiantong Temple and approached via a set of stone stairs, trimmed by carved railings. The temple radiates gold; even the walls of its sanctum are embossed from top to bottom with gilded Buddha images. Another lies at the crest of the hill, appropriately dubbed Manjushri Top. It is a large complex of courtyards and temples and features a towering square pillar containing an
edict by the Qianlong emperor (18th century) in four different languages— Manchu, Tibetan, Mandarin, and Mongolian—one on each side.
Today there are only two Tibetan monasteries at Wutai Shan. When we approach the one nearest to town, the monks greet us with the Chinese "ni hao" but I reply with the standard Amdo Tibetan greeting, "cho demo yina?" (how are you?). They seem surprised and delighted to meet two foreigners who are studying the Amdo dialect. Most of the monks at Wutai Shan come from Labrang Monastery, a large and important Geluk monastery now in Gansu province neighboring Qinghai. We chat for some time with a small group of monks, visit rooms dedicated the Panchen Lama, and then have to move on.
Cave Hermitage The highlight of the visit is the cave— perched above a valley on a rock cliff—of the 6th DL, remembered fondly by Tibetans for his love songs. After an early career carousing in Lhasa, he apparently came to Wutai Shan for a six-year stint in retreat. The cave itself now contains a small shrine and in front of it stands a temple dedicated to Chenrezig. Along the cliff are other hermitages linked by
a stairway carved into the cliff, plus a brand new Tibetan temple at its foot. Since we had to hire a taxi to get there, we also visit nearby Nanshan Temple with various courtyards densely stacked on a steep hillside and perused via ambling stairways.
We only made it to a dozen or so temples at Wutai Shan though there are many more to be seen. Literally meaning "five terrace mountains," Wutai Shan contains a sprawling series of valleys and rounded hills with temples spread out between them. Some temples are active and well-maintained, while others seem rather empty and neglected. It would be ideal to come in the summer with plenty of time for trekking to the more remote ones. In November, chilly winds and barren trees lend a solemn air to Wutai Shan.
Harry Potter in Chinese? For one evening, we are marooned in Taiyuan—our launching point for Wutai Shan—because of the bus schedule and our early flights the next morning. Taiyuan is predominantly a commercial city with business travelers (not tourists) filling its many hotels. The saving grace is the main square with an all-you-can-eat cafeteria (yes, even pizza) and a movie theatre. Harry
Potter has been recently released. So it seems the perfect way to pass the evening. Hermione's snotty British accent is replaced by dubbed Chinese along with all the other characters. When you've read the books, it doesn't really matter what language they're speaking! The magic is in seeing it come to life visually.
Travelers to Wutai Shan: You can get to Wutai Shan by bus from either Taiyuan or Datong, both with excellent train service from other cities in China. Taiyuan has the advantage of an airport, but the town itself has little else to offer. From Taiyuan, there are frequent minivans to Wutai Shan at the eastern bus station, far from the center of town. They leave every half hour from 7am-1pm and then return from Wutai Shan following the same schedule. No need to find the bus station in Taihuai, since minivans cruise the main street calling out their destination. Don't follow the Lonely Planet's pick for hotels, especially if you visit in the off-season. I would recommend October to catch the yellow leaves on every hillside. The Cui Yan Hotel by the main square in the old part of town has charming doubles for 100 RMB.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.174s; Tpl: 0.015s; cc: 6; qc: 45; dbt: 0.0578s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 2;
; mem: 1.1mb