Touring China’s Most Shocking Buddhist Site: Did They Spend 4 Billion Yuan?
Hello everyone, welcome to my channel. Today I am at Niushou Mountain Scenic Area. Niushou Mountain is located in Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province.
It has been a famous Buddhist mountain since ancient times. Since October 27, 2015, the only remaining and unique supreme Buddhist relic in the world, the Buddha’s top bone relic of Siddhartha Gautama, was enshrined in the Foding Palace at Niushou Mountain. Since then, Niushou Mountain has become even more famous. It attracts countless believers and tourists who come here for pilgrimage and worship. It has also become a popular spot in Nanjing to experience the beauty of the mountains and waters, and to taste Buddhist Zen culture. Follow my camera next, let’s explore this sacred place together.
This is the entrance to the mountain. To make it easier for the elderly and those with mobility issues, they’ve installed elevators on the mountain. This is also convenient for lazy people like me, haha. The weather is great. It’s late autumn now.
The maple leaves have turned into a kaleidoscope of colors. It’s truly a feast for the eyes. This wall design is so creative.
The hollow wall allows sunlight to pass through. It creates beautiful patterns of light and shadow on the ground. It’s a true display of light and shadow aesthetics.
However, please don’t misunderstand the symbols on the wall. This is the Buddhist "卍" symbol. It represents auspiciousness. The fallen ginkgo leaves have been collected here by the scenic area. Such a creative idea.
I can really feel the beauty of autumn. Let’s continue forward. We are almost at the top. Finally, we’ve reached the top.
The towering pagoda ahead is the Foding Pagoda. We’ll climb it later. Let’s first visit the Foding Palace, which enshrines the Buddha’s relics. The building ahead is the Foding Palace.
The Foding Palace is a pit-style building. It has nine levels inside. There are three levels above ground. And six levels underground. The Buddha’s relic is located on the lowest level.
The outer space consists of a large dome and a small dome. The large dome has a length of 120 meters. It is shaped like the Buddha’s cassock. It echoes the eastern peak of Niushou Mountain. And it also covers the small dome of the underground palace. It symbolizes the boundless blessings of the Buddha.
The small dome is shaped like the Buddha’s topknot. Each part represents a clasped-hands gesture. Symbolizing the countless devotees’ offerings to the Buddha. Because of its unique shape, netizens humorously call it the "Big Durian."
The base of the small dome is shaped like a lotus throne. The entire lotus throne is composed of 56 flying apsaras, symbolizing the boundless wisdom of the Buddha, and 56 cloud-shaped, auspicious pillars, representing good fortune and harmony. These elements combine with the Mani jewel at the top of the small dome, forming the sacred imagery of the "lotus holding treasure." This is the Grand View of Zen. What you first see is a giant reclining Buddha. The reclining Buddha is 7.5 meters long.
It is made of stainless steel. The surface is made to resemble Han white marble. The reclining Buddha’s design is inspired by the reclining Buddha statue in Cave 158 of Dunhuang Mogao Caves. And its proportions as well.
Its face is solemn and compassionate. At the same time, the reclining Buddha can slowly rotate 360 degrees. Symbolizing the Buddha’s gaze illuminating all. The gaze of the Buddha is boundless and all-encompassing.
The top of the Grand View of Zen is the Sāla Dome. The design is inspired by the Sāla tree branches at the time of the Buddha's Nirvana. The dome uses a fully covered transparent membrane and lighting to create the first rays of morning light, the intense midday sun, the evening glow, and the moonlight at night. On the north and south sides are two Zen gardens.
The south side is the Zen Garden symbolizing the Buddha’s birth. Its overall shape resembles a lotus flower. In the center stands an ever-living Worry-Free Tree.
The north side is the Zen Garden depicting the Buddha’s enlightenment. In the center stands an everlasting Bodhi tree. The ground is covered with black and white sandstones, symbolizing the chaos of the world and the purity of the Buddha’s light.
Go up to the second floor. Here, an exhibition of Mr. Wu Jian’s photography is being held. All the works are related to Buddhist culture. They are truly stunning. Take the elevator to the underground palace.
After taking an elevator I can't remember how many levels, I finally arrived at the underground palace. As soon as I stepped off the elevator, I was stunned by the luxurious decoration. The walls are covered with Buddha statues, shining with gold and jade.
The atmosphere is solemn and mysterious. The air is filled with a faint sandalwood fragrance. Each breath seems to cleanse the dust of the soul.
But the most stunning part is still to come. This is the most magnificent and the most luxurious underground palace hall in the whole scenic area. Entering here, it was truly a jaw-dropping experience.
It is breathtaking. At the center of the hall is the Shari Stupa. The stupa is 21.8 meters tall. It consists of the stupa finial, body, and base.
The design inspiration comes from Mount Meru in Buddhism. It symbolizes the pure and solemn world of the Dharma Realm. The Shari Stupa is exquisitely crafted. The stupa body is forged from tin bronze. Its surface is gilded.
The interior of the stupa employs dozens of traditional techniques like sculpture, engraving, cloisonné, crystal glass, and gemstone inlay. Combined with laser projection and other modern technologies, it merges Buddhist teachings with art. The form is exquisitely beautiful.
In terms of artistry, it is solemn and magnificent. The stupa is truly unparalleled. However, the Buddha’s relics are not housed in this stupa. They are located in the Relic Vault, one floor below. The Relic Vault is open to the public only on certain days of the year.
So only those with the right fortune can see it. But to be able to see such a magnificent underground palace Look, here it is marked as the "Best Photography Spot." Above, you can overlook the entire underground palace from different angles. It gives you a complete view of this mysterious and magnificent Buddhist world. Coming out of the underground palace, you see the Buddha Summit Stupa.
The Buddha Summit Stupa is 88 meters tall, with an area of 4,677 square meters. The nine-story stupa is a Tang Dynasty-style building. It is one of the iconic buildings of the scenic area.
On the eighth floor of the Buddha Summit Stupa, there is a bell made entirely of copper. The bell is inscribed with the full text of the "Diamond Sutra," written by Master Longxiang. On the ninth floor, in the Tathagata Hall, there is a seated statue of Vairocana Buddha. From the top of the stupa, you can overlook the full view of Niushou Mountain throughout the seasons. Let's go up and have a look.
Finally, we reached the top of the stupa. The high-rise buildings behind the Buddha Summit Palace are in the direction of Nanjing city. The pagoda ahead is the Hongjue Temple Pagoda, built during the Ming Dynasty. From here, you can overlook the entire Niushou Mountain. Under the sunset, the historical charm of the mountain becomes even more evident. And its natural beauty.
The stunning journey through Niushou Mountain has ended. Time to head down and go home.
2024-12-06 22:14
