1 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: Desecrated Buddhas at Longxing Temple, Zhengding, Hebei
Indeed. Communism did and continues to destroy the world's Buddhist heritage. From the Buddha statues with their eyes carved out in Dating to the mummified body of Zen Master HuiNeng that was torn apart, the cultural revolution was terrible. In the last 20 years, much more has been destroyed in a process called restoring it to death
Beijing pays regional governments to upgrade tourist spots. So, for example, the famous Guanghua Temple had its ancient tower demolished and replaced with cheap poured concrete. I've seen temples pulled apart in front of me. I wanted to take some tiles or timber, but if I was found with these objects I'd be arrested.
Comment by The_Temple_Guy at 04/02/2025 at 09:46 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
So many times I expected a delicate jewel of a temple, with what the Japanese call a *wabi sabi* esthetic, and instead saw massive slabs of glossily painted concrete. In a few cases, a kernel of the original was still there (e.g. Shang Huayan Temple in Datong, Dabei Temple in Tianjin), which made the modernization look even worse.
Another "crime" is when they wrap "parks" or "scenic areas" around a temple's compound and charge a small fortune for entry to what would otherwise be free. This attracts tourists and the activities they clamor for (imagine passing a shooting range on your way into a temple!)
The destroyed tower: was that the Guanghua Temple in Putian? When was the old one destroyed? The one I saw in 2011 *looked* old; I wonder if I was duped?