Pray for good luck: temples for Spring Festival prayers

Yonghe Temple, Beijing Yonghe Temple, situated in the northeast part of downtown Beijing, is the largest and best-preserved lamasery in Beijing and one of the most important lama temples in the world. It was built in 1694 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) as the residence of the Emperor Yongzheng before he ascended the throne. During the 9th year of Emperor Qian Long's reign (1744), the residence was completely converted into a lamasery. As a famous site of the Lama Buddhist sect, the temple attracts many pilgrims and travelers every day. Based on the belief that incense offerings should be made as early as possible to improve one's luck for the coming year, thousands of worshippers congregate outside the temple on Chinese New Year's Eve waiting to rush inside on the stroke of midnight. Wutai Mountain, Shanxi Wutai Mountain in Shanxi Standing at the northeast part of Shanxi Province, Wutai Mountain, along with Emei Mountain in Sichuan, Putuo Mountain in Zhejiang, and Jiuhua Mountain in Anhui, is one of the four sacred mountains in Chinese Buddhism. As the dojo of the Bodhisattva Manjusri, the Bodhisattva of wisdom, the mountain is famous not only in China, but also in Japan, India, Nepal and other neighboring countries. Thousands of students and their parents flock to Wutai to pray for good luck and a bright future during the pre-exam season, especially before the National College Entrance Examination. Putuo Mountain, Zhejiang Putuo Mountain in Zhejiang Putuo Mountain, sitting on a small island of Zhoushan Archipelago, is one of the greatest Buddhist mountains in China. As it is a sacred place of Avalokitesvara, or Bodhisattva Guanyin, travelers can easily absorb the unique culture through the sculpture, books, drawings, stone carvings and architecture style which can be found there. There are more than 200 temples on the mountain, with Puji, Fayu and Huiji being the largest and most famous. Every year on the 19th day of the second, sixth and ninth months (believed to be the Birthday, Bodhi Day and Le aving Home Day of Guanyin) in the traditional Chinese calendar, thousands of believers and visitors go to Putuo to celebrate and pray. Wannian Temple, Sichuan Established in the fifth year (401) of the Long'an reign of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Wannian Temple is the oldest temple on Emei Mountain. The temple's nation-wide renown stems from its remarkable statue of Samantabhadra Buddha, or Puxian Bodhisattva in Chinese, as well as the precious artifacts it houses. The statue, featuring the Bodhisattva Puxian riding a white elephant, is 7.3 meters high and weighs 62 tons. In China, Samantabhadra Buddha is associated with action, so the temple is considered an ideal p lace for confession and prayer. Nanshan Temple, Hainan Lying in the Buddhist Cultural Theme Park of Nanshan Culture Tourism Zone, Nanshan Temple is about 40 km west of Sanya. The whole site comprises the temple itself, the statue of the Goddess Guanyin, Guanyin Culture Park, Buddhism Culture Exchange Center, vegetarian food street, Shifang Pagoda Forest and Guigen Garden. It is believed that the Bodhisattva Guanyin lived here, and it is widely held that the nearby east and west islands are the tombs of her parents. A giant 108-meter-high statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin, constructed out of gold, diamonds and jade, stands by the sea. It is renowned as the world's tallest outdoor statue of Guanyin. Wong Tai Sin Temple, Hong Kong Wong Tai Sin Temple was established in 1921 and is located on the southern side of Lion Rock in the north of Kowloon. It is the most popular Taoist temple in Hong Kong as is also renowned among overseas Chinese in Southern Asia, Europe and America. It commemorates the famous monk Wong Tai Sin (also known as Huang Chu-ping), who was born around 328AD and became a deity at Red Pine Hill in his later life. Locals believe that every earnest prayer for Wong Tai Sin will ensure that your every wish will come true. As a result, the temple welcomes an endless procession of worshipers who come to burn incen se and pray. Suao Nantian Temple, Taiwan Suao Nantian Temple, or Nantiangong, is one of the most famous Mazu temples in Taiwan. Mazu, also known as Tianhou, is an indigenous goddess of the sea who, it is said, protects fishermen and sailors. She is widely worshipped in the south-eastern coastal areas of China and neighboring areas in Southeast Asia, especially Zhejiang, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Hainan and Vietnam, all of which have strong sea-faring traditions. The three-storey Nantian Temple houses two marvelous statues of the goddess Mazu. One statue is made of jade, the other of 200kg of pure gold. Famen Temple, Shaanxi Famen Temple in Shaanxi Famen Temple is situated in Famen Town, 10 kilometers north of Fufeng County, Shaanxi Province. With a history of over 1,700 years, the temple was built in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). It began to prosper during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), and reached its peak in the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907), when it was renowned as an imperial temple. In addition to its long, rich history, the place has also become a place of pilgrimage for millions of travelers and Buddhists alike as it houses one of Gautama Buddha's finger bones. Sanyuan Palace, Guangdong Sanyuan Palace in Guangdong [gzlsjy.cn] Sanyuan Palace, situated at the southern foot of Yuexiu Hill, is the oldest and largest Taoist building in Guangzhou. The history of the temple can be traced back to the Eastern Jin Dynasty (316-420), and its original name was Yuegangyuan. In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the site was rebuilt, in its original image and received its current name. As one of the city's two best-known Taoist temples, Sanyuan Palace is a focal point of celebration and prayer for Guangzhou people during festivals. South Putuo Temple, Fujian South Putuo Temple in Zhejiang South Putuo Temple is adjacent to Xiamen University in the southeast of the city. Originally built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the temple was destroyed many times over the course of following dynasties. In the 23rd year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1616-1912), it was once again rebuilt and given its present name. A statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin, or Avalokitesvara, is enshrined in the temple, which receives an endless stream of worshippers and pilgrims throughout the year. Source: china.org from China Travel & Tourism News http://ift.tt/1iB6EFm