Birth of the Buddha

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on June 15, 2015.)

Nine dragons bathe the Baby Buddha in front of Dongshan Temple, Dapeng, Shenzhen

The story of Buddhism begins with the historic Buddha, sometimes known in China as "Ben Shi" (本师)--"Original Teacher" or "Founder." And of course, his story begins with his birth.

Mazu's Consorts

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on June 29, 2015.)

Mazu's consorts at the Tianhou Temple in Chiwan, Shenzhen

One of the most popular folk figures in South China and its environs is Mazu, goddess of the sea. She is also popularly called "Tianhou" or "Empress of Heaven," a title given by the "Central Board of Rites" in 1720.

The Red-Faced Guan Yu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 6, 2015.)

Guan Yu (center) and his sworn friends at Guan Di Temple, Shenzhen

Even if you've never visited a temple, you may have encountered a red-faced military figure with a long, side-swept black beard. He's commonly seen in shops and restaurants, as well as in different kinds of temples--Buddhist, Taoist, and folk.

Puxian's Elephant

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on August 10, 2015.)

A statue of Puxian and his elephant at Hongyuan Temple, Shiyan, Shenzhen

When visiting a Buddhist temple's main hall, you may notice a rather unusual creature.

Tu Di Gong, "the Earth God"

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on September 8, 2015.)

A Tu Di Gong platform under a tree in Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong

One of the most ubiquitous--yet often unnoticed--of all deities is the so-called "Earth God," known in Chinese as Tu Di Gong (土地公).

Temple Roof Ornaments

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on October 5, 2015.)

Roof ornaments at Hongyuan Temple, Shiyan, Shenzhen

Many temples feature whimsical characters on the ridges at each corner of the roof. These figures, like the yellow color of the roofs themselves, were generally reserved for imperial buildings, or for those who had obtained imperial permission.

The Tiger and the Dragon

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on October 12, 2015.)

Tiger and Dragon at the Tian Hou Temple in Sungang Village

In some temples, tigers and dragons are seen paired together, bringing to mind the title of the Academy Award-winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). They represent the two aspects of the Dao--that ancient Chinese concept of "the way things are"--called Yin and Yang.

The Door Gods

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on November 2, 2015.)

Door God statues at the Tian Hou Temple in Dapeng Fortress

Many Dao or folk temples feature a couple of fearsome warriors on their doors, placed there to keep out evil-doers. Although they're usually seen painted directly on the doors, or sometimes in the form of posters pasted on the doors, it is not uncommon to see statues of the Door Gods as well, similar to the statues of generals Heng and Ha at Buddhist temples.

Ananda and Kashyapa

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on February 22, 2016.)

Ananda and Kashyapa flank the Buddha at Hongyuan Temple, Shenzhen

When the Buddha is on a temple's main altar, there are often two seated figures of similar size on either side. These may be other Buddhas, or various bodhisattvas.

Discarded Deities

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on March 21, 2016.)

Discarded statues in the gate at Tian Hou Palace, Chiwan, Shenzhen

After visiting the main halls, strolling the garden paths, or dining in the refectory--all popular activities--some temple visitors like to poke around a little more, looking for the hidden gems of a temple.

Heng and Ha in the Mountain Gate

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on March 28, 2016.)

Heng and Ha in the Mountain Gate of Hongfa Temple, Shenzhen

Today let's begin a walk through a typical Buddhist temple, from the front to the rear.

Around the Main Hall

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on May 10, 2016.)

Kneelers and instruments in front of main altar, Hong Fa Temple, Shenzhen

In addition to the main altar, there are plenty of other things to see inside the main hall.

The Qielan Hall

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 4, 2016.)

Guanyu/Qielan in three forms, Nangshan Cishou Temple, Putian, Fujian

We have talked before of the popular Daoist figure Guanyu, who has his own temples (one is located in Shenzhen's Xin'an Old City). We mentioned there that Buddhists know him as "Qielan." Here's his story.

Hua Guang, Opera Patron

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 18, 2016.)

Hua Guang in his temple in Nanshan District, Shenzhen

Like the "Four Heavenly Kings" of Buddhism, Daoist temples have their own protectors, the "Four Marshals." One of these is Ma Tianjun. He is known by many names, but in "Canton" (Guangdong) the most popular is Hua Guang. (The other three Marshals are Wang Shan, Zhao Gongming, and Wen Qiong.)

The Spring Cattle Hall

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 25, 2016.)

Remains of Shenzhen's Spring Cattle Hall, Nanshan

When we think of temples in China, two types primarily come to mind: Buddhist temples, and those for the practice of Daoism. We could easily add to this the Ancestral Halls, which include an altar containing tablets of deceased family members.

Prince Sattva and the Tiger

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on August 29, 2016.)

A replica of a Dunhuang painting of Prince Sattva and the Tiger by
Chinese painter Guan Shanyue at the Shenzhen museum named for him

I have never had the opportunity to visit the famous Mogao Caves at Dunhuang, Gansu. So I was especially excited when the Guan Shanyue Museum in Shenzhen shared a traveling exhibit of Dunhuang art back in 2011. The connection was this: Guangdong-born artist Guan Shanyue had visited Dunhuang on an art tour of China's West in the early 1940s, and painted a number of things he saw there.

Lu Dongbin, Immortal

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on January 2, 2017.)

A bas relief of Lü Dongbin with a fly whisk at the Tianhou Palace in Chiwan, Shenzhen

Having dealt with eighteen popular Buddhist figures, let's next turn to eight Daoist ones.

Li Tieguai, Immortal

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on January 9, 2017.)

A bas relief of Li Tieguai with crutch, gourd, and head band; at the Tianhou Palace in Chiwan, Shenzhen

Li Tieguai, or "Iron-Crutch Li," is another extremely popular member of the Daoist "Eight Immortals."

Han Xiangzi, Immortal

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on January 16, 2017.)

A bas relief of Han Xiangzi at the Tianhou Palace in Chiwan, Shenzhen

The next member of the Eight Immortals we'll meet is Han Xiangzi, who is often seen with a flute. He may have been the great-nephew of the Tang Dynasty poet Han Yu. The uncle's influence on Chinese literature has been compared to that of Dante, Shakespeare, and Goethe in Italian, English, and German literature.

Zhongli Quan, Immortal

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on January 23, 2017.)

A bas relief of Zhongli Quan at the Tianhou Palace in Chiwan, Shenzhen

Our next member of the Eight Immortals is Zhongli Quan, sometimes called "Han Zhongli" because he allegedly lived in the Han Dynasty.