The temple is built on the cliff, and the Buddha's heart is formed in the cave

Hanging Temple, located in Hunyuan County, Datong City, Shanxi Province, the temple, as its name suggests, is built on the west side of the Golden Dragon Gorge, between the cliffs of Cuiping Peak, as if hanging in the air. The entire temple is below the cliff, the ancient saying "Hanging Temple, half a day high, three horses tail hanging in the air", its danger can be seen. Hanging Temple has a unique status, combining Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism in one. According to legend, its original name is "Xuankong Pavilion", both Taoism "Xuan" of the doctrine, but also contains the Buddhist "empty" of the doctrine. Later, because it was attached to the cliff, it took the name "Hanging Temple" which is apt and harmonious with the original name.

The Hanging Temple was built in the Northern Wei Dynasty, after the death of Taoist Master Kou Qianzhi, a disciple of the Taoist Master of the Northern Wei Dynasty. In accordance with the wishes of the Taoist master, the tower should be "on the extended sky guest, under the arrogant floating", so there is this clever building on the cliff. Hanging temple hanging on the high cliff, the highest place is 50 meters above the ground, reach out that is the end of the world; and non-doctrinal firm mind is difficult to meditate on practice, the hustle and bustle of the world is difficult to touch. Such a towering place of the world, and the Taoist master's legacy completely fit. The total length of the Hanging Temple is about 32 meters, for the pure wooden structure, from a distance, the whole temple is only supported by a dozen wooden pillars of about 15 centimeters in diameter, seems to be precarious. But in fact, there is a big mystery - the temple to half insert beams for the base, cleverly borrowed from the support of the rock, with a variety of promenade beams and columns to support each other, such as a sophisticated spider web generally constructed a stable wooden framework.

The layout of the Hanging Temple clearly shows the distribution structure of "one courtyard and two buildings" - the two buildings in the north and south are towering and majestic, like two vajra guards, and connecting the two is the long line of bridges in the middle. The long bridge is like the arms of the "giants" from the north and south, holding up the temple in the middle, and the three buildings rely on each other to build a magnificent and floating scene on the cliff like a knife. Among them, the south building is 8 meters long and 4 meters wide, divided into three floors, containing the Pure Yang Palace, the Three Teachings Hall, the Hall of Thunder Sound, and the largest hall in the entire Hanging Temple, the Hall of Three Officials. The North Building, also divided into three floors, is 7 meters long and 4 meters wide, housing the Hall of Five Buddhas, the Hall of Goddess of Mercy, and the Hall of Three Religions. It is hard to imagine that the Hanging Temple contains all kinds of temples, meditation rooms, bell towers, drum towers, Buddhist halls, halls and other 40 pavilions in only 152.5 square meters, which can be described as astonishing to the hearers and admirable to the viewers.

The Hanging Temple, a world wonder that combines danger, wonder and magnificence in one. In terms of danger, it can be rated as one of the top ten most dangerous buildings in the world by Time Magazine; in terms of wonder, it can be elected as the "first scenic spot" among the 18 scenic spots of Mount Heng; in terms of magnificence, it can afford the word "spectacular" left by Li Bai. The builder was both the most brilliant architect and the most devout religious believer, as the temple was built on the cliff wall and the Buddha's heart was formed in the cave. When I think of the past, it makes me think; when I look back at the present, it makes me feel enchanted. In my lifetime, I must visit the Hanging Temple to see this worldly wonder.