Songshan

Name : Songshan

Location : is one of the Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism and is located in Henan province on the south bank of the Yellow River in China. Its summit is 1,500 meters above sea level.

Description : The Historic Monuments of Mount Song have been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Tentative List.

Despite the mountain being one of the Daoist sacred mountains, the mountain is predominantly Buddhist today. It is home to the Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of Zen Buddhism, and even today the temple's collection of stupas is the largest in China. The Zhongyue Temple is also located here, one of the earliest Taoist temples in the country. The Songyang Academy nearby was one of the four great academies of ancient China. The mountain and its vicinity are populated with Taoist and especially Buddhist monasteries. The 6th century Songyue Pagoda is also located here, as well as Tang Dynasty (618–907) pagodas within the Fawang Temple.

Website : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Song

Heng Shan

Name : Heng Shan

Location : It is located in Shanxi province in China. At 2,017 m, it is one of the five tallest peaks in China Proper is one of the Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism. It is sometimes known as the Northern Heng Shan, and should not be confused with the Southern Heng Shan in Hunan Province. Both mountains have the same pronunciation in Chinese, and the Southern Heng Shan is also one of the Five Sacred Mountains.

Description : During the Han Dynasty, a temple called the Shrine of the Northern Peak (Beiyue Miao), dedicated to the mountain god was built on Hengshan's slopes. While periodically destroyed and rebuilt, this temple has an uninterrupted history from Han times to the present day.

The Hanging Monastery, built in 491, has survived more than 1,400 years. The extant monastery was largely rebuilt and maintained in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The most famous temple at Hengshan is not Daoist, but is actually the Buddhist Hanging Monastery (Xuankong Si). The Hanging Monastery stands at the foot of Mt. Hengshan and is one of the most dramatic sights at Hengshan - a wooden temple clinging to the cliff side, appearing to defy gravity with only a few wooden posts as support.

The buildings were restored in 1900 and there are 40 wooden halls and structures linked by an ingenious system of pillars, posts and walkways.

Website : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Heng_(Shanxi)

Mandar Hill Temple

Name : Mandar Hill Temple

Location : Mandar Hill is roughly 700 feet high. It is situated about 30 miles south of the Bhagalpur town in Bihar. There is an eastern railway line connecting Bhagalpur with Mandar Hill. Mandar Hill station is about three miles from Mandar Hill. There is also an all- weather road that connects Bhagalpur with Dumka.

Legends : Mandar is associated with
1) Amritmanthana which suggests that the hill was used by the gods to churn the ocean to procure amrit. The serpent, Basukinaga offered to serve as the rope and has left behind an impression of the coil on the granite hill.

2) It is believed that panchjanya, the conch shell used in Mahabharat War was discovered here in the Sank kund.

3) The puranas refer to various sacred places on the hill which is also believed to be the abode of Vishnu under the title of Madhusudana or the destroyer of a demon called Madhu who was killed by Vishnu and then covered by the Mandar hill. Kalidasa’s kumarasamahava refers to foot marks of Vishnu on the slopes of Mandar.
Besides inscriptions and statues there are numerous rock cut sculptures depicting various Brahmanical images.

4) The hill is equally revered by the Jains who believe that their 12th Tirthankara attained nirvana here on the summit of the hill.

Description : At the salvation place on Mandar Hill, a grand Jain Mandar Hill Temple is erected. A pair of feet images (about 3000 years old) are installed there.

There is a place where Lord Vasupoojya attained Kevalgyan (supernatural knowledge) near the place of salvation. Three pairs of ancient feet images are installed here.

Near the place of salvation, a beautiful cave temple is viewable with 5-feet-tall standing idol.

Website : http://bhagalpur.bih.nic.in/tourism.html

Pachaimalai

Name : Pachaimalai

Location : The temple is located in Gobichettipalayam, a quiet town in the Erode district. Gobi has two hill temples - Pachaimalai and Pavalamalai. This is considered to be a great reason to justify the town's ethics.

Legend : Once upon a time, Saint Dhurvasar reached Kunnathur that lies 18 KMs south of present Gobi town. He worshipped at Shiva temple at Kunnathur. Then he found out that a place called Modachur on the outskirts of present Gobi town is a good place to perform his routine worship of Shiva. While workshipping, he wanted to have Darshan of Lord Subramanya. Not finding a temple, he went into penance to find out the best place for the worship. He found through his penance that there is a Subramanya temple on a small hill at a distance of around 1.5 kms from Modachur and the main deity faced west. The saint reached the hill to find Lord Subramanya and continued his worship. He also learnt the similarities between the temple and Palani where the Lord is facing west as Dhandapani.

Description : The Poojai activities at Pachaimalai are renowned. The 'ArthaJama' poojai resembles the one at Palani. Arulmigu Balamurugan takes the simplest form with white clothes sans his ornamental jewels. This is the most peaceful scene, one can ever get in his life.

Other deities residing in the temple are Vidya Ganapathi (form of commonsense, quick wit and knowledge), Maragatheeswarar, Maragatha Valli, Guru Dhakshinamurthy, Kalyana Subramanyar, Anjaneyar, Navagraham and Kala Bhairavar. Urchava Murthys are Dhandayudhapani, Shanmugar, Subramanyar Pradhosha Moorthy and Aiyappar. Golden Chariot and Golden Peacock mount have been donated by the public to the Almighty. A wooden chariot runs around the hill during Panguni Uthiram Chariot Festival.

Temple's Speciality : The temple is renowned for the 'Vaasthu' poojai where people bring the first brick to perform poojai at the Sannidhanam. 'Ayyappa Maalai' in Karthigai month is also started here. Couples who are in need of children perform their Sashti fasting here. It is a belief that the couple in fasting at Pachaimalai would get a child. Anyone who is not married pray 'Kalyana' Subramanyar and Guru Dhakshinamurthy for their requests to be answered.

Website : http://www.pachaimalai.in/Eng/ind.htm

Sacred Mountains of China

Name : Sacred Mountains of China

Description : The Sacred Mountains of China are divided into two groups.
1) One associated with Taoism and
2) Other associated with Buddhism

The group associated with Taoism is known as the Five Great Mountains, whereas the group associated with Buddhism is referred to as the Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism.

The Five Great Taoist Mountains
The Taoist Five Great Mountains are arranged according to the five cardinal directions of Chinese geomancy, which includes the center as a direction:

1. East: Tai Shan , literally Leading Peaceful Mountain, Shandong, 1,545 m
2. West: Hua Shan , literally Splendid Mountain), Shanxī, 1,997 m
3. South: Heng Shan , literally Balancing Mountain, Hunan, 1,290 m
4. North: (Bei) Heng Shan , literally Permanent Mountain, Shanxī, 2,017 m
5. Center: Song Shan , literally Lofty Mountain, Henan, 1,494 m

Alternatively, these mountains are sometimes referred to by the respective directions, i.e., as the "Northern Great Mountain" (Bei Yue), "Southern Great Mountain" (Nan Yue), "Eastern Great Mountain" (Dong Yue), "Western Great Mountain" (Xi Yue), and "Central Great Mountain" (Zhong Yue).

Legend : According to Chinese mythology, the Five Great Mountains originated from the limbs and the head of Pangu, the first being and creator of the world. Because of its eastern location, Mount Tài is associated with the rising sun which signifies birth and renewal. Due to this interpretation, it is often regarded as the most sacred of the Five Great Mountains. In accordance with its special position, Mount Tài is believed to have been formed out of Pangu's head.

The Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism

The Buddhist Four Sacred Mountains in China are:

1. Wutai Shan (literally Five-Terrace (Plateau) Mountain), Shanxi, 3,058 m
2. Emei Shan (literally Delicate-Eyebrow Mountain), Sìchuan, 3,099 m
3. Jiuhua Shan (literally Nine-Glories Mountain), Anhui, 1,341 m
4. Putuo Shan (literally Potalaka (Potala) Mountain), Zhejiang, 284 m

Website : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Mountains_of_China

Leshan Giant Buddha

Name : Leshan literally meaning "happy mountain"

Location : Leshan Grand Buddha sits at the confluence of the Mingjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers, in the Sichuan province of the People's Republic of China. Leshan is on the southwestern fringe of the Red Basin in southern Sichuan, about 120 km from Chengdu.

Description : Leshan Grand Buddha (Da Fo), sitting 71 meters high, is the largest Buddha sculpture of Maitreya in the world. The building project was begun in 713, engineered by a monk called Haitong and was completed in the 19th year of Tang Dezhong (803 AD). The statue has undergone a large amount of weathering over the years, and has had many "face lifts" and repairs added, including a water drainage system hidden on the inside. Nevertheless, there is still a great deal of erosion, and officials are worried about possible collapse.

It is a UN-claimed world cultural and natural heritage. State-protected site of cultural relics, State-ranked scenic spot, and one of the "Best Forty" tourist places of China.

Leshan Grand Buddha has beautiful surroundings of green hills and vast waters. Around it are numerous cultural and scenic spots. There are Mahao Cave Tombs of the Han Dynasty, Lingbao Pagoda of the Tang Dynasty, Lingyun Temple, Dongpo Tower Study, Yijing Annotation Cave, Moruo Memorial Hall, Wuyou Temple, and the Heavenly-Buddhist Kingdom. All there present us with a great painting of the nature. Visitors, no matter in boats or on the hill paths, will all enjoy it, I am sure.''

It is possible to walk from top to bottom (and back up again) along a staircase carved in the wall overlooking the Buddha. A popular activity near the head is for people to have their photo taken "touching" the nose or sticking their finger in the ear of the buddha, supposedly for good luck.

Website : http://www.thesalmons.org/lynn/leshan/