James Baquet

I LEFT Puji Temple and returned to Fayu Temple, where I had been the day before.

This was my favorite temple on the island. Having walked through backwards (back gate to front) yesterday, I felt like I was having a whole new experience going through the proper way.

Over the bridge across the “free life pond,” through a gate on the right side, into a courtyard between the screen wall with nine dragons (for supernatural protection) and the Four Heavenly Kings’ Hall, past the Laughing Buddha and the exquisite guardian figures, and around the Jade Buddha Hall flanked by a drum and bell tower, I came at last to the jewel of this temple.

In 1699, Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty donated a hall from the deserted imperial palace in Nanjing. It was moved here and became the Nine Dragon Hall, in the ceiling of which (you guessed it) nine dragons play with a golden pearl over a statue of Guanyin.

The emperor even contributed the temple’s name: A signboard in his script on the building reads “Tianhua Fayu,” interpreted as “the Buddha’s teaching rains down like flowers from heaven.” Hence, Fa Yu (Dharma Rain) Temple.

Beyond this are other halls, including the Buddha Hall at the top, placed almost as an afterthought following the magnificent Nine Dragon Hall. Another hall has a Guanyin with a Thousand Hands and Eyes. As the Bodhisattva of Compassion, she is thus able to see who needs help, and come to their aid in myriad ways.