Baoshan Reclining Buddha Temple

　　The Reclining Buddha Temple is situated at the foot of Yunyan Mountain, 16 kilometers north of Baoshan City. It is famous both in China and abroad for having the largest giant reclining Buddha in the country. The Buddha is 6 meters long and weighs 10 tons, and is said to be the largest jade Buddha in the nation. It was first built in the fourth year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (716 AD).

　　The temple is built against the mountain and rock face. At the cave entrance, stone pillars are erected against the cliff, with stone beams, stone walls, and stone rafters constructed, while the naturally extending rock has been carved into bracket sets. These are painted with colorful patterns that are vibrant yet not gaudy. Where the cave and the main hall connect, they are entirely covered by creeping plants, and from a distance, they blend seamlessly with the mountain rocks.

　　In front of the temple lies a clear pond, about one acre in size and three feet deep. Weeping willows line the pond, lush and dripping with green. The water is as clear as a mirror, gushing out from a crevice beneath the temple. Fish and pebbles in the pond are visible with perfect clarity. There is a pavilion in the pond, a two-story hexagonal waterside gazebo named “Yu Shan Pavilion.”