shibao shan: the fabulous baoxiang temple

Monday, February 9:  Our last stop at Shibao Shan is the fabulous Baoxiang Temple, also known as “Suspending Temple.”  It was built at the end of the 13th century, when Yunnan was formally integrated into the Chinese Empire.

We climb a lot of steps through a monkey community to get to the temple.  We’ve heard the monkeys can be quite aggressive and that people have been injured by them, but we’re lucky that they don’t bother us.

monkeys on the steps to Baoxiang Temple

Monkey meeting

We come to a huge rock where Chinese characters have been carved into the face.  I can imagine it says the name of the temple, but since I can’t read Chinese, I don’t know.

Stone rock carving at entrance to Baoxing Temple

Finally, we pass through the main entrance, flanked by two white elephants.

The first hall we encounter

Immediately, we can see the huge cliff looming over us, with its new statues of Guanyin and Maitreya, the smiling Buddha, on the cliff ledges.

Guanyin and Maitreya on the cliff ledges

On either side of the two figures are two smaller temples built into the cliff face.

incense burner

New statues of Guanyin and Maitreya, the smiling Buddha, on the cliff ledges at Baoxiang Temple

Baoxiang Temple

Inside the halls are folk figures playing music in the countryside; they are accompanied by wildly patterned dragons and birds.

Inside one of the halls at Baoxiang Temple

Colorful temple interior at Baoxiang Temple

Colorful characters at Baoxiang Temple

Interior of Baoxiang Temple

Interior of Baoxiang Temple

Cliffs above Baoxiang Temple

fountain at Baoxiang Temple

Baoxiang Temple

Luckily, it’s easy to climb up to the ledges to explore the temples and Buddha figures more closely.

Cliffs at the temple

Someone has a carefully tended potted garden in one of the temple courtyards down below.

potted garden

Guanyin and Maitreya, the smiling Buddha, on the cliff ledges at Baoxiang Temple

looking down on the rooftops from the ledges

hall built into the cliff face

colorful characters in the temple on the rock face

I have always wanted to go to the Datong Hanging Monastery, and since I don’t know if I’ll be able to get there during my time in China, maybe this will serve as the next best thing.

Guanyin and Maitreya, the smiling Buddha, on the cliff ledges at Baoxiang Temple

Guanyin on the cliff ledges at Baoxiang Temple

Baoxiang Temple

Alex stands beside Guanyin and Maitreya on the cliff ledges at Baoxiang Temple

Looking down from the ledge

We climb the steps to the ledges and wander around for a long time, enjoying the views over Shibao Shan and the interesting interiors and exteriors of the temples.  There is hardly anyone here, except for us, the monkeys, a few Buddhist worshippers and some temple-minders.

Alex and the temple

Maitreya, the smiling Buddha, on the cliff ledges at Baoxiang Temple

Guanyin and Maitreya, the smiling Buddha, on the cliff ledges at Baoxiang Temple

colorful eaves

inside another rock-face temple

colorful painting and character

a wise looking man

Maitreya, the smiling Buddha

on the ledges at Baoxiang Temple

Another temple built into the ledges

colorful temple in the complex

another pavilion

It’s getting late in the day, so we meet our driver at the bottom of the steps.  He drives us back to Shaxi as the sun is setting.  We walk into the town, go to our hotel for a bit of a rest, and then go out for dinner at Mint Cafe, where we ate lunch earlier today.  I have some egg and vegetable soup because I feel like soup will settle my stomach.  But I add French fries to the order, which probably isn’t helpful.

Back on the main street in Shaxi

Boys on horses in Shaxi’s square

Horse time

Temple in Shaxi’s square

Dalmatian motorbike

Shaxi Old Theater

The Mint Cafe

Walls in the Mint Cafe

Inside the Mint Cafe

Tomorrow morning, we’ll leave Shaxi, taking the bus back to Jianchuan (which Alex dreads because of the motion sickness he got on the way here), and then on to Dali. 🙂