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James Palmer shares his experiences of prospecting a Buddhist pilgrimage site for our Sacred China tour
posted on 20/06/16
Be it the Catholic Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, the Hindu Kali Temple in Kolkata or the Buddhist Golden Rock Pagoda on Mount Kyaiktiyo Myanmar, points of pilgrimage fascinate me. Wutaishan was no different. Nestled within the five terraces, these temples have been a centre of Buddhist pilgrimage since the Tang Dynasty. There was, however, one major difference compared to the sites mentioned previously; I was the only visitor. The sites offered total calm as the two resident monks, wrapped in their winter tunics, continued to recite their mantras.
Our Sacred China itinerary covers the teachings of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, and visits sites including the Mogao Caves, the Yungang Grottoes and the temple of Qufu, birthplace of Confucius. The tour is led by Jon Cannon, an expert in Chinese classic architecture and religious buildings worldwide. To read more about his thoughts on Chinese architecture, follow the link to his blog below.
View our Sacred China itinerary