James Baquet jamesbaquet@gmail.com ALTHOUGH not on my list, the Yongzuo (Eternal Blessing) Temple was a must-see for two reasons. These are, in fact, the two pagodas which have gained the temple its alternate name, Shuangta or Twin Pagoda Temple. The temple and the older of the two towers were built in 1599; the second tower was completed about a decade later. Construction was sponsored by a wealthy local scholar to promote the development of local culture and train scholars for the Imperial Examination System. It has an unusual layout. While most Buddhist temples face south, this one faces north, perhaps to face a nearby river. A performance stage larger than the one at Chongshan Temple lies across from the gate. And while the northeast normally calls for greater protection, these pagodas lie to the southeast. Walking straight in from the gate, one reaches a pleasant courtyard filled with greenery, where peonies descended from those planted here in the Ming will be in full bloom. A guest hall lies to one side, and a meditation hall to the other. Straight ahead is the main hall, with its fine collection of statues. Peony gardens lie on all sides, and there’s a fine collection of over 200 steles. These have been gathered here from closed sites around the province. At last one reaches the pagodas, lying off the main axis. Each one exceeds 54 meters in height. They are named Xuanwen and Wenfeng and are constructed of brick carved to appear like wood. The temple is no longer an active place of Buddhist activities and is administered by the local government. |