INGENIEUR
Supporting props beneath the Long Bridge.
The South Pavilion is three-stories high,
8m (26ft) long and 4m wide. This pavilion
holds the biggest hall and the tallest
sculptures of the temple.
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The North Pavilion is also three-stories
high, 4m in width, but 7m (23ft) in length.
Inside this pavilion a typical hall on the third
floor holds statues of the three classical
Chinese religious founders: Confucius
on the left, Lao-Tze on the right, and
Sakyamuni in the center.
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The Long Bridge connecting the two
pavilions, is about 10m (30ft) long. There
is a pavilion above the bridge with a hall for
worshiping statues.
The Hanging Monastery is the only monastery
in China enshrining three religions — Buddhism,
Taoism, and Confucianism. The temple boasts
a fine collection of religious statues, 80 in all
including statues in bronze, iron, terracotta, and
stone. All are remarkably true-to-life.
The most outstanding feature of the Hanging
Monastery is the side-by-side sculptures of Lao-
Tze, Confucius, and Sakyamuni — the founders
of the three main religions of China: Taoism,
Confucianism, and Buddhism, respectively.
Due to its relatively remote location, the
Hanging Monastery served as sort of a travel
lodge — a rest stop for travellers. Because
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religion was prevalent at that time, and people
were reluctant to stop at places that worshipped
a different religion, the Hanging Monastery
enshrined China’s three major religions so that
more travellers could stay there.
Wooden stairs are protected with metal plates
against wear and tear from human traffic.