The Hanging Temple [resembles the temple in Castle in the Sky].

The Hanging Temple is a famous temple located in Hunyuan County, Datong City, Shanxi Province, China. It was built during the late Northern Wei Dynasty 1,400 years ago and is the only existing temple in China that combines Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. It is built on the cliffs of Cuiping Peak on the west side of Jinlong Gorge of Hengshan Mountain. It faces Hengshan Mountain and is backed by Cuiping. The temple is built on dangerous rocks and overlooks a deep abyss. The pavilions of the temple are suspended in the air and the structure is ingenious. The architectural feature of the Hanging Temple is the use of mechanical principles to insert half of the flying beams as the base, cleverly using the rocks for support. The beams and columns are integrated up and down, and the corridors and railings are tightly connected on the left and right, creating a winding and unique structure. The ticket price for the Hanging Temple is CNY 115 for a full ticket (CNY 15 for the ticket and CNY 100 for the climbing fee) and CNY 58 for a half ticket (CNY 8 for the ticket and CNY 50 for the climbing fee). The opening hours are Monday to Sunday 8:30-16:30 (November 1-February 28 of the following year) and Monday to Sunday 8:00-17:00 (March 1-October 31). The architectural structure of the Hanging Temple is very unique. It is characterized by "strangeness, danger, ingenuity, and mystery", which are reflected in the strangeness of the architecture, the danger of the site selection, the ingenuity of the structure, and the diversity of the culture. The temple is profound and can be described as a world wonder. The pavilions and walkways of the temple are all embedded with beams. These beams are about 50 cm in diameter and are deeply embedded in the rocks of Shandong. The part exposed outside is about 1 meter. According to statistics, there are a total of 27 such beams, which support the entire pavilion. The Hanging Temple is not only an architectural wonder, but also a cultural and religious holy place. There are more than 80 copper, iron, stone, and clay Buddha statues in the temple. The words "spectacular" are inscribed on the rocks under the temple, which were written by the great poet Li Bai. The great Ming Dynasty traveler Xu Xiake praised it as a "world wonder". The construction of the Hanging Temple reflects the specific era and cultural background of Chinese society at that time. In ancient China, temples were often a combination of religion, art, and politics. As a religious building, temples played an important role in satisfying and promoting the religious beliefs of the people. The architectural and cultural characteristics of the Hanging Temple need to be continuously extended and developed by people in the new era, maintaining historical continuity and the pioneering spirit of accepting new challenges in the new era. The spirit of the Hanging Temple reflects the profound connotation of ancient Chinese culture, and also has certain enlightenment for people in modern society. It can be seen from aspects such as perseverance, continuous struggle, inheritance, future achievements, self-realization, and the embodiment of the value of life. The Hanging Temple is not only a tourist attraction, but also a cultural heritage. It contains the spirit of the Hanging Temple, which continues to influence and inspire contemporary people.