Dailuoding

Dailuoding

Dailuoding is a cultural relic protection unit of Wutai County.

In the central temple cluster area of Taihuai Town in Mount Wutai, Shanxi Province, the “Five Peaks within the Mountain” embrace it closely: Dailuoding, Pusading, Shouning Temple, and Lingying Temple are situated along the surrounding ridges and mountaintops, echoing the towering Great White Pagoda in the heartland. Together, they truly resemble majestic and grand peaks beneath which rise the elegant and lofty “Five Peaks within the Mountain.”

Introduction

Dailuoding is located to the east of the central temple cluster area in Taihuai. It sits on a steep mountainside ridge. Viewed from below, it appears as though a small hill rises midway up the towering mountain. The mountain gate and archway of the temple at the summit are surrounded by trees, often shrouded in mist. The small hill is shaped like a large snail shell, and in midsummer when the grass and trees are lush, it takes on a deep blue-green hue—hence the temple atop the hill is called Daluoding, also known as Dailuoding. Dailuoding is also called Daluoding or Qingfeng, and the ancient temple was once named Foding'an. This temple was first built during the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1465–1487) and was renovated during the Wanli era. In the 15th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1750), it was renamed Daluoding, and the temple still houses a stele from that year, inscribed with the Qianlong Emperor’s own record of Daluoding. By the 51st year of Qianlong’s reign (1786), it was renamed Dailuoding.

There are two routes to climb Dailuoding: one ascends along the northern ridge, and the other along the southern ridge. The two paths diverge at the mountain’s base and converge in front of the summit temple, forming an arc shape. The northern path is slightly gentler and more sloped, while the southern path is almost straight up and down. To reach Dailuoding via the southern path, you first pass by Shancai Cave at the foot of the mountain. Shancai Cave is divided into upper and lower sections. The upper section was established during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, and inside a cliff cave, three bronze statues—of Manjushri, Maitreya, and the Shancai Boy—were unearthed. These are relics from the Tang Dynasty, and the temple is named after them. The lower section was built during the Jiaqing reign. The existing structures of Shancai Cave are mainly in the lower section, featuring a pavilion-style building with three rooms on both the upper and lower levels at the front, a main hall connected to a front porch in the middle, and a rear hall spanning five bays with protruding corridors on the left, center, and right. Flanking the central axis halls are side rooms, creating a neat layout. The upper section has a steep and narrow terrain, with a courtyard platform several zhang high built into the rock face, enclosed by red walls, resembling a sash around Dailuoding. The upper section houses a main hall dedicated to the Shancai Boy, and to the left of the hall lies a cliff cave—the original site where the three bronze statues, including Shancai, were unearthed. Standing and looking around, the scenery changes dramatically with every step. Pusading, the Pagoda Courtyard, and other temples showcase red walls and green tiles, upturned eaves and flying rafters, resplendent and magnificent; Dailuoding, in contrast, is lush with verdant hues, caressed by white clouds, radiating light and color.

History

Dailuoding was first built during the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty and was renovated and repaired during the Wanli era of the Ming and the Kangxi and Qianlong eras of the Qing Dynasty. To the left under the eaves of the middle hall, a stone stele stands. Its front is inscribed with the Qianlong Emperor’s 15th-year winter record of Daluoding, providing a relatively detailed account of the site. On the back of the stele is a poem inscribed by the emperor in the late spring of the 51st year of his reign, upon climbing Dailuoding: “Mountains wind and valleys coil, layer upon layer; Daluoding neighbors a peak apart. Cloud-ladders twist through the heavens; A lone lotus blooms from floral halls. Before my window, the rising sun of the East Sea; Below my steps, a thousand-year-old evergreen pine. Offerings to Manjushri of Mount Wutai— Yet some may not recognize his true form.” The scenes described on the front and back of the stele, though just thirty-six years apart, are vastly different. This is due to imperial patronage—here, “Manjushri of Mount Wutai” is enshrined. “Manjushri” is another Sanskrit transliteration of Wenshu. Legend says that Emperor Qianlong repeatedly wished to pay homage to Wenshu of the Five Terraces but was deterred by fierce winds and treacherous paths. Thus, he decided to replicate the Five Directional Manjushris from the Five Terraces and enshrine them all here, so that pilgrims could worship them in one place. Dailuoding is what people call the “Lesser Pilgrimage to the Terraces.” Each of the Five Terraces houses a statue of the Bodhisattva Manjushri; circumambulating all Five Terraces and worshipping the Five Manjushris is called the “Greater Pilgrimage to the Terraces.” Dailuoding gathers the five manifestations of Manjushri from the Five Terraces into one place, so visiting here is equivalent to ascending all Five Terraces and worshipping all Five Manjushris in one go—hence the name “Lesser Pilgrimage to the Terraces.” To traverse all Five Terraces requires strong physical stamina and ample time. But ascending Dailuoding only takes half a day round trip. It fulfills the same wish of “making the pilgrimage.” That’s why people often say, “If you haven’t climbed Dailuoding, you’re not a true pilgrim.”

Layout

Dailuoding is a small peak extending from the Eastern Terrace of Mount Wutai, with a vertical height of only 400 meters. But viewed from the Qinghe River Valley, the ancient temple of Dailuoding, perched high above and sharing its name with the peak, resembles a skyscraper over 130 stories tall—quite a daunting height. Reaching the summit is by no means a simple task. So before climbing, it's wise to choose one of three routes based on your own condition. For those walking, there’s a new path on the right and an ancient path on the left. The new path was built in 1991, stretches 108 meters in total length, is 2.2 meters wide, and is entirely paved with bluestone from Mount Wutai. It has 1,080 steps and is called the “Great Wisdom Path.” The name of the path and the number of its steps are both related to Buddhist concepts.

Great Wisdom Path

To reach Dailuoding, you must climb the Great Wisdom Path. Paved with bluestone, the path has a total of 1,080 steps. Climbing the Great Wisdom Path clears away worries, and upon reaching the top, you’ll see Dailuoding’s archway, stone lions, and mountain gate. Dailuoding faces west and sits to the east. The temple is not large, covering an area of 3,000 square meters, with 48 halls and monks’ quarters. Along the central axis from west to east are, in sequence: the Heavenly King Hall, the Zhanglian Hall, the Five Manjushri Hall, and the Mahavira Hall. The Heavenly King Hall is three bays wide with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof, housing statues of the Four Heavenly Kings. The Zhanglian Hall is built on a hexagonal platform with 10-meter sides, topped with a hexagonal double-eave spire roof, and enshrines Sakyamuni, or Zhanglian Buddha. The Five Manjushri Hall is five bays wide with a single-eave gable-and-hip roof, featuring protruding corridors on all four sides and no bracket sets, and houses the Five Directional Manjushris. The Mahavira Hall is five bays wide, 19.2 meters long, and 9.6 meters deep, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof, adorned with five ridges and six beasts, featuring protruding corridors at the front, and enshrines bronze statues of Sakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, as well as Indra, Brahma, Kasyapa, and Ananda. The flanking walls feature painted clay sculptures of the Eighteen Arhats.

Mount Wutai is the sacred site of the Bodhisattva Manjushri. As the Bodhisattva of wisdom among all Bodhisattvas, Manjushri is also called the “Great Wisdom” Manjushri. Hence, the path is named the Great Wisdom Path.

The 1,080 steps represent “one hundred and eight” for each of the “Ten Realms.” The Ten Realms, also known as the Six Common and Four Holy, classify all beings—Buddhas and sentient beings—into ten categories. Each realm is associated with “one hundred and eight,” totaling 1,080, including the “one hundred and eight afflictions,” among others. According to monks, walking the Great Wisdom Path and ascending its 1,080 steps can enhance wisdom, dispel worries, turn misfortune into fortune, and ensure a smooth life. This path was funded with a donation of 500,000 RMB by Master Kai Zheng, abbot of a temple in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and supported by the Shanxi Provincial Religious Affairs Bureau, the Buddhist Association, and other relevant departments. While this path is more direct, its steep ascent makes it quite strenuous for elderly or physically weak visitors.

To the left is the ancient path, with a gentler slope and winding trails. Though it takes a bit of a detour, it’s less strenuous to climb.

In addition, there’s a shortcut: the aerial cable car built in August 1995. Sitting on the cable car, you can reach a platform near the temple gate in just a few minutes without exerting yourself. However, riding the cable car requires a fee.

Yanglin Village: Located in the core area of the Buddhist holy site Mount Wutai, Yanglin Village administers four villager groups: Yanglin, Yingfang, Taiping Street, and Jinjie Temple, with a total of 380 households and over 840 residents. The village has only 20 mu of arable land but boasts 2,648 mu of forested area. Thanks to its geographical advantages, Yanglin Village has consistently prioritized tourism. Focusing on the tourism industry, the village achieved a total economic income of 5.715 million RMB, including 3.935 million RMB from tourism, with a per capita net income of 3,136 RMB. The village has 61 Party members and has trained 25 activists this year. During the 2005 election for the village branch and committee, it was... Yanglin Village detailed information++