Ladies and gentlemen, today we are going to visit a famous Buddhist temple---the Jade Buddha Temple.
Before visiting the temple, I’d like to say a few words about the religious situation in Shanghai. Our constitution stipulates that every Chinese citizen is ensured the freedom of religious belief. There are four major religions in practice in Shanghai, namely, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, and Christianity, which is sub-divided into the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church. When it comes to Buddhist temples in China, they are usually classified into three sects, i.e. temples for meditation, for preaching and for practicing Buddhist disciplines. The Jade Buddha Temple is a temple for meditation, and is well-known both at home and abroad.
The temple was first built during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of Qing Dynasty, when a monk named Hui Gen went on a pilgrimage to Burma and brought back five jade statues of Sakyamuni. On his way back to Mount Putuo via Shanghai, he left two jade statues here, one in sitting posture and the other, reclining. He had a temple specially built as a shrine for these two statues in 1882. later the temple was
partly destroyed by fire and in 1928 a new temple was completed on the present site.
Just opposite the temple gate, there stands a giant screen wall. Various designs, such as dragon, phoenix, elephant, crane and peony are carved on it. In Chinese legend, all these things are considered the symbols of fortune, wealth, longevity and auspiciousness. Chinese people used to set up a wall in front of the house so as to keep the evils away.
Now ladies and gentlemen, please turn around. Here we can see the temple gate. It is also called the Sanmen Gate, or say, the Gate of Three Extrications. The door in the middle is called the Door of Emptiness, to its right is the Door of Non-phenomenon, and to its left, the Door of Non-Action. Sanmen Gate is also called the Mountain Gate because most famous temples in China are found deep in mountains. But the Sanmen gate does not open except on the first and the fifteenth of every lunar month. Now this way to the entrance.
Ladies and gentlemen, the first hall is the Heavenly King Hall. We will use the rear door, please follow me.
(in the Heavenly King Hall next to the southern entrance)
Here we can find the statue of a fat and smiling monk with bared belly. He is Bodhisattva Maitreya. His smile is so contagious that you will smile with him and forget all your worries. So he is also called the Laughing Buddha. According to Buddhist scripture, he is now practicing Buddhism in the Tusita Heaven. After 4000 years, which is equal to 5.67 billion years on the earth, he will become successor to Sakyamuni under a Long Hua Tree in Hualin Garden. Hence another name the Future Buddha.
But this statue we see here is not the real image of Bodhisattva Maitreya, it is just his incarnation.. it is said that During the Five Dynasties Period, 1000 years ago, there lived in Fenhua in Zhejiang Province a monk named Qi Ci, who always carried a wooden staff with a cloth sack on his shoulder. He often went around towns and in streets to beg alms. Therefore he became known as “the Cloth Sack Monk”. He always smiled and laughed, looking as happy as ever.
When he was dying, he left the message saying that he was the incarnation of Bodhisattva Maitreya. So his image is enshrined in the Buddhist Temple as the incarnation of Bodhisattva Maitreya.
(on the eastern side of the Heavenly King Hall)
On the two sides of the hall are enshrined four statues. They are so-called Four Heavenly Kings. In the Buddhist legend, there is in the center of the world a highest mountain called Mount Sumeru. Halfway on it is a mountain called Mount Ghandara with four peaks. On each peak lives a Heavenly King protecting the Buddhist heaven. The first one is the Southern King---King of Developing Merits. His duty is to educate all living creatures and develop king-heartedness.
He is holding a sword in his hand which can emit a ray to chop off the enemies’ heads. The one next to him is the Eastern King---King of Protection for Buddhism. He is holding in his hand a pipa, which is somewhat like a guitar. With this pipa, he offers music to the Buddha. Meanwhile this pipa is a magic weapon. It can send out a musical rhythm to defeat the enemy by tormenting brain and causing him to lose combatability. Now ladies and gentlemen, please come over to this side.(on the western side of the Heavenly King Hall)
The first one on this side is the Northern King---King of Virtue. He is so called because of his virtue. He is holding a parasol-shaped stela in his hand. The parasol can be opened into a canopy in Buddhist processions. It is at the same time a magic umbrella. Once it is opened in the battle field, the sky turns dark and a wind-storm rises, defeating the enemy with a dizzy spell and then it closes up capturing all the enemies. Next to him is the Western King---King of Far Sight.
He observes the world with his penetrating eyes. He is holding a dragon-shaped silk rope. The rope is actually a net, with which he converts people to Buddhism just like catching fish with a net. This dragon also has a magic power. It can spurt water from its mouth and drown the enemy in floods.
(in the Heavenly King Hall next to the rear door)
The Statue facing the rear door is Bodhisattva Skanda. He is always dressed in armour with a worrior’s club in his hand. Originally he was one of the eight heavenly generals under the Southern King of Developing Merits. Later he has been enshrined here because of his bravery. He is also a god of message, a fleet-foot runner, so when visitors come to the temple, he will immediately report to the Buddha in the Grand Hall.
Now ladies and gentlemen, that’s all for the Heavenly King Hall. Please follow me and look out the threshold and the steps.
Now we can see a giant tripod in the courtyard. It is actually a giant incense burner. It was donated by some Buddhist laymen who believed that by donating something the Buddha they can help purify the souls of their dead relatives from sins and relieve them from purgatory.
Now this is the main hall, known as the Grand Hall or Grand Hall of the Great Sage. It is the main structure in every Buddhist temple, where the statue of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism is enshrined.
Welcome to CHINA, Welcome to SHENZHEN Please sit back and relax, Your luggage will be sent to the hotel by another bus,so you do not have to worry about it.
Let me introduce my team first. Mr x is our driver,He has 20years of driving underhis belt, so we are in very safe hands. I always call my English name is _,my Chinese name is _,you may call me _ or Mr_, which is my family name. we are from SHENZHEN OVERSEAS INTERNATIONAL TRE SERVICE,On behalf of _and my colleagues, I ’d like to extend a warm welcome to you all.
During your stay in our city, I will be you local guide, I will do everything possible to make your visit a pleasant experience.If you have any problems or requests,Pls do not hesitate to let me know.
you are going to stay at the Crown plaza hotel, a luxurious ,five star hotel, Althouth the hotel is not exactly in downtown SHENZHEN, it is strategically located with easy access to many tourist attractions. As you will be staying in our city for two days, you will do well to remember the number of our bus and my Phone NO., the bus NO. is _ ,my phone NO.is _. let me repeat....
There is one thing I must warn you against, You must not drink an tap water in the hotel, because un boiled water might make you ill.
I do hope you will enjoy your time in our city.
In the year 1893, James Hilton described an eternally peaceful and quiet place among mountains in the East—— "Shangri-La" in one of his novels for the first time. In the novel "Lost Horizon", an English diplomat Conway and his brother Gorge scattered the English citizens and helped them leave the dangerous region. On their way home,their plane washijackedand fell down into the mountain in the an region. Some lucky survivors were taken to Shangri-la where Conway found lots of fantastic things in such a state founded nearly 200 years ago, in which the local people lived up to more than one hundred years old and lived peacefully and harmoniously with the other people, animals and everything here. The place was called "Shangri-La" by the local folks。
James Hilton located "Shangri-La" in a mysterious valley which was surrounded by snowcapped mountains; near where there were snow-clad peaks, blue lakes, broad grassy marshlands, and lamaseries, Buddhist nunneries, mosques, Catholic Church, the human beings and the nature were in perfect harmony, several religions and varies of nationalities exited at the same time; the temples looked splendid in green and golden; though people contacted the outer world by caravan for a long time, many foreign experts and scholars had come here to investigate and remained much relics……
Obviously, that is not only a beautiful scenery, but also a kind of artistic conception.
With the novel and the film coming out, Shangri-La became very famous in western countries. Later, a Chinese named Guo Huonian used the name of this place and set up "Shangri-La" Hotel Group which has become one of the most successful hotel group in the world.
At the same time, people didn’t give up looking for the legendary Shangri-La. Up to the end of this century, they finally have found——
After inspecting and proving on many aspects, people found that Diqing Prefecture, the only an region in Yunnan, China, has striking similarity with what’s described in the tale regarding either on natural scenery or people’s way of living. Therefore, the name of "Diqing?ǎShangri-La" spreads worldwide.
Hello,everyone!
Welcome to Zhangjiakou.My name is Liujingzhen,a tour guide of Happy Jurney Agency.Our driver is Mr Li,and the car we take is a East branded,white coloured,with the number 666888.Please pay your good attention to it.I’m glad to serve as your guide today.Here,please allow me to express our hornest greetings to all of you on behalf of our agency.Now,please keep your body-baggage in good care and be ready for getting on.(in the car)，Now it’s 8:00 sharp,January 7th,20xx.With the new year’s happy atmosphere,I hope we can have a enjoyable holiday together.I have to remind you that the weather in the north is very cold ,so please keep yourselves warm enough.
bei is situated at the north of the lower reaches of Huanghe River (Yellow River). Its capital is Shijiazhuang.At the Spring and Autumn Period, because the Kingdom of Yan dominated its northern area, while the Kingdom of Zhao occupied its southern area, Hebei was called The Land of Yan and Zhao.
Now we are going to Zhangjiakou,it located in the northwest of Hebei, 1990 kilometers away from Beijing, is the border area of Beijing.There are 4 districts and 13 counties under the administration of the government,Zhangjiakou has a long history and there are many cultural relics and places of historic interests,which are kept as witness of history,telling us stories that once happened in this old land.(get off) Ok,we arrive at our destination now.Please take all your baggages,we are going to get off.Take is easy,we have enough time.Would you please give a second look to the car we take :East branded,white coloured.
Now this is Dajingmen Gate,it locates in the nouthern part of Zhangjiakou.Two mountains named Eastern and Western peace stand facing each other..In 1927,when general Gao Weiyue,the superior of Chahaer mounted it ,impressed by the plains and mountains,he wrote down such words:大好河山.These four words is of great strength,in compliance with Dajingmen. Dajingmen Gate witnessed the prosperity and downfall of the frontier tea-horse trade in the Ming Dynasty. It also made merchants both home and abroad gather in the leather metropolis, i.e. It became an important commercial pass because of the well-known leather, lamb and dried mushroom.. In 1673,the twelfth year of Kangxi,emperor of the Qing,Wu Sangui rebelled.Under the leading of the emperor Kangxi,thousands of brave Qing soldiers outside the Great Wall crossed Dajingmen Gate in force and marched southward,making a foundamental contribution to the repression of the “Three Region Rebellion”.Shortly after that,Ge erdan,chief of a northern tribe,led his army to invade and disturb southward for several times,making a substantial loss to the business between Zhangjiakou and Kulun,which is Wulanbatuo nowadays.So the eight business men who had provided the Qing with consistant arms and surplies before and after Qing’s crossing of the Great Wall,and therefore were granted great honor,wrote to emperor Kangxi,asking for a suppression.
The emperor had the idea to suppress them long before,so in the year1697,he led punitive expedition against Ge erdan in person for the third time.The main troop acrossed the very place: Dajingmen Gate,and marched northword.The local people gave a warm farewell to the army and served a good refreshment.Finally this war ended with the chief’s suiside.Under the suggestion of the local people when heard the happy news,a Literator called Zhang Zicheng wrote down some words:内外一统,which means all around China unified.Then they carved it on a piece of flat cliff.And now,although 300 yesrs has gone,it remains legible and in a good condition after so many years of corrosion of wind and rain.It embodies Chinese people’s desire for unity of country and peace of living.
Till now,our visit of Dajingmen Gate is going to be over.Wish today’s visit bring you satisfaction and enjoyment.
emple of Solitary Joy is located at inside west city gate of Ji County, Tianjin City. It is known for its refined architecture skill in Channel’s ancient buildings and has got the reputation of Six Best. These are: The earliest Dingshan Gate (Gate of Withstanding Hill) of the ground hall preserved now; The earliest Chiwei object on the Hill Gate preserved now; The earliest plane distribution which took pavilion as the center on the architecture plane; The biggest clay sculptured statue of eavara inside a pavilion in China; The Avalokiteavara is also the most ancient high storeyed one; The more precious fact is that the Temple of Solitary Joy has stood unscathed after thousand years of rain, snow, wind and frost and 28 big attacks, hence the most durable ancient Monastery of thousand years.
Entering the Temple , the first comes to sight is 10 m high gate, on the arch of which there hangs a horizontal inscribed board: Temple of Solitary Joy. The single eaves ground hall roof was the roof building form during the western Tsin (AD265-316) and Southern and Northern Dyansty (420-589) period, which was called Siadading in ancient time and now it is called big roof. On the two ends of the plane ridge, there are inward Chiweis. Chi denoted sparrow hawk in ancient time, which is a kind of fierce bird. The stand base of the gate is comparatively low, but the hall pinnacle is much higher above eaves and the pottery animal figures look sturdy; solemn and sturdy. There is no ceiling inside the pinnacle, therefor the painted beam and purlieus are visible. The whole piece is exquisitely wrought, simple arranged and skillfully done, for which people gasp in administration.Crossing the gate, one comes to the core building - Avalokitesvara Pavilion, 23 m in height. Form outside appearance, it is two storeyed, but inside there is a hidden storey, thus three storeyed in fact. On the eaves corners, pottery unicorns are sculptured, on which little Buddha statues ride. Copper bells are hung under eaves corners, swaying with the wind, a specially refined scene. The most attractive thing is the structure of Dougong (sets of brackets on top of the columns supporting the beams within and roof eaves without——each set consisting of tiers of outstretching arms called Gong, cushioned with trapezoidal blocks called Dou). It is made of overlapping Dougong shaped wood blocks and bow shaped horizontal wood bars by adopting 24 forms with each layer stretching out as bracket, big in upper part and small in lower part, thinly scattered, steady and sturdy. It makes eaves of the pavilion look like flying, far and deep in the sky, a beautiful and magnificent view.
Entering the Avalokitesvara Pavilion, the very sight is a huge standing Avalokitesvara Statue. If one stands by it, his height is only up to her ankle. The Statue, 16.27 m in height, is the biggest clay sculpture of Avalokitesvara in China. Two statues of attendant Bodhisattvas under the knee of Avalokitesvara are also 3 m in height. On the crown of the head of Avalokitesvara, there are 10 small Avalokitesvare’s heads, hence it is called 11 faces Avalokitesvara. Reviewing around the inner part of the pavilion, one can discover that pillars of high and low storeys are not directly linked through, but the pillars of the upper storey are ed into the arch head of that of lower storey. The upper storey of the pavilion is in a form of six corners empty well, while the lower storey is in a form of square empty well. This kind of structure is not only beautiful and strong, but also adds the space of the upper part of Budha statues. On the four walls inside the pavilion, colorful murals are painted, the theme of which is the images of 16 Arhats and 2 Ming Dynasty Emperors, which are the earliest subjects of Buddhism. On he murals, 2 m high Arhats with 3 heads and 4 arms are extremely lifelike and Ming Emperors on the four walls are full of power and grandeur. On the upper part of the murals, there are mountains, forest, cloud and river, while on the lower part, there are paintings of secular themes with vivid and natural lines, which embody the superb the skill and arts of painting of ancient Buddhism in China.