China: Guanyin Altar, Zhoushan (Travel)

Zhoushan: Guanyin Altar

Our cruise took us along the eastern sea coast of China, visiting sites that typically are not included in mainland tours of the country. This was one of the exciting aspects of this itinerary on our Viking tour of China.

Zhoushan is one of these fascinating ports.

We visited the Guanyin Altar, a short distance from our port. It is a totally different temple experience compared to Beijing’s Temple of Heaven and Hong Kong’s Wong Sin Temple. One of the major differences was that the architecture and concept were NEW! Opened in November 2020, the site is magnificent. The architectural style and landscape provided no immediate references to past Chinese dynasties or emperor’s who worshiped here. Bright white and gold shine brightly in the sunshine. No vivid reds and brilliant blues. Statues from the past are seamlessly and tastefully incorporated into the new in exhibits.

The Guanyin Altar is the centerpiece of the Guanyin Culture Park, the world’s largest Buddhist culture park.

A shrine to the Chinese Buddhist representation of mercy, the building sits beneath a low, majestic Putuo mountain as its backdrop. Its front yard includes a complex of peaceful, tranquil ponds.

Revolving around the culture of Guanyin, goddess of mercy in Chinese Buddhism, the cultural park focuses on art exhibits, international exchange and educational research.

Although it is the main attraction, there is more to the cultural park than the Guanyin Shrine. The grounds are massive, featuring intricate designs and serene landscapes which are meant to reflect Guanyin’s tranquil essence. With the end goal of creating a peaceful environment for contemplation and worship, this site is filled with ponds, grass and trees. The result is a combination of natural beauty with spiritual architecture.

Styles of traditional Chinese pavilions are integrated with the style of modern high-rise buildings. It successfully fuses tradition with modernity.

The white facade of the Guanyin Altar is decorated with gold ornamentation and accents. Besides the altar, the building houses important historic, spiritual and architectural items.

The grand circular staircase surrounding the entrance is meant to impress – and it does! Huge, white sculptures of traditional Chinese lions and elephants greet the worshiper/visitor.

Inside spaces include wooden sculptures and statues from many different dynasties, set into elegant modern settings. The pristine white and regal gold provide the desired ambiance of peace and austerity.

A Lotus Flower motif, symbolizing purity and enlightenment, serves as a welcoming centerpiece in the central dome. The spacious main entry is seen here from a second floor balcony.

This dome covers the worship space inside, along with Guanyin, the focal point, and other statues.

A golden statue representing Guanyin is the focal point of the worship area.

The massive size of the statue and the room is seen by comparison of the altar with the visitors on the left side of the photo demonstrates.

The centerpiece of the room is the immense dome behind and over Guanyin. It is decorated with hundreds and hundreds of statues set in coffered recesses which rise towards the heavens, reaching to its crown.

Massive staircases, as regal as the lions that guarded them, lead to the upper floors of the hall. (Elevators were also available, but not nearly as interesting!)

In studios set along the halls around the upper levels of the center dome, one can view hundreds of unique bronze statues, figures and paintings of Guanyin. Many were created during the past dynasties. The good deeds attributed to Guanyin are recounted with modern digital technology and optical artistry.

The lower hall also includes artistic displays. Colorful jade reliefs represent the beautiful scenery of the Putuo Mountain. Large, boxwood carvings recall mystical stories of Guanyin.

Visit

In line with its mission, the visit was very restful and peaceful. After an informative introduction by our local tour guide, we had time to explore the building on our own. Information provided within the highlights of the building made for an informative, self-guided tour. There is a gift shop along with a small snack/coffee bar in the lower level where we met our group at the end.

It was a pleasant, sunny day; I would have welcomed a bit more time to enjoy the spacious outdoor space. I enjoyed the views off of the picturesque bridges we crossed that led over the ponds to the altar. Our admission and guided tour were included with our Viking Tour excursion package. Independent online research revealed that one can easily book tickets online to match whatever package a visitor might want. Official address for The Guanyin Cultural Park is in the Zhujiajian scenic area of Zhoushan, East China’s Zhejiang province.

Sources

• Information plagues and brochures within and throughout the building
• Viking local tour guide information session
• Viking excursion guide lessons in pre-trip lecture on-ship
• Viking excursion description

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