One of the Most Dangerous Structures in the World
The Xuan Kong Si Hanging Monastery, aka the Suspension Temple, built into the side of a cliff near Mount Heng, Shanxi Province, China, in the 8th century BC, is one of the great architectural and historical wonders of China. A trip to the Hanging Monastery is one of the most requested attractions offered by Beijing-based travel agencies. The Hanging Monastery is part of an online cyber tour which also includes Beijing, the Great Wall of China, and Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.
The Hanging Monastery is 246 feet (75 m) above ground level and is shared by three traditional Chinese religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. The Hanging Monastery has become a pilgrimage destination as a sacred place of divine inspiration, guidance, healing, and rest. The temple has 40 rooms and ritual chambers, and walkways, bridges, and corridors that connect them. The grounds feature 80 clay, bronze, and iron statues, and the temple is accessed via precarious walkways which bring tourists up from the ground level.
Perhaps most amazing is that the monastery has withstood the test of time, withstanding wind, rain, and storms as well as the often violent changes from one Chinese dynasty to another.
The following video provides a sense of what it’s like to visit the Hanging Monastery.
