The Jizu Mountain worshiped the Buddha statue of Shakyamuni, and on both sides of the Buddha statue were statues of Ananda and Kasyapa. Jizu Mountain was the dojo of Maha Kasyapa, the holy land of Buddhism in Southeast Asia. The temple on Jizu Mountain also had statues of Patriarch Bodhidharma and Six-armed Guardian King. He had held a Buddha statue consecration ceremony at the Jade Cloud Temple on Jizu Mountain. In addition, there was a huge building complex called Zhusheng Temple on Jizu Mountain, which worshipped Buddhist Arhat Buddha statues.
The temples preserved in Jizu Mountain were mainly Zhusheng Temple, Jinding Temple, Huayan Temple, Huideng Temple, etc. Zhusheng Temple was the most famous and well-preserved temple on Jizu Mountain. It was located at the foot of Alms Bowl Peak, in the center of the mountain. Jinding Temple was located on the peak of Tianzhu Peak. There was a Shurangama Pagoda in the temple, which towered over Jinding Peak at an altitude of 3220 meters. Shizhong Temple was the oldest temple in Jizu Mountain. It was built in the Tang Dynasty and was one of the main temples of Zen. Other temples included the Kasyapa Temple, Xuyun Temple, and Biyun Temple.
There were many legends related to Jizu Mountain. The legends about Jizu Mountain included the following: 1. Legend had it that Jizu Mountain was the dojo of Kasyapa. According to legend, Sakyamuni's eldest disciple, Kasyapa, chose Jizu Mountain as his dojo. He guarded his clothes here and meditated, waiting for the birth of the future Buddha Maitreya. This legend made the Hall of Kasyapa on Jizu Mountain known as the "Ancestral Court of the Monasteries in the Mountain", with a high status. 2. Another legend was about the plaque of the "Spirit Mountain Meeting". According to legend, 2,500 years ago, Brahma presented the Golden Polo Flower to Buddha during the Spiritual Assembly of the Spiritual Vulture Mountain. The Buddha smiled as he plucked the flower. No one could understand the true meaning of it. Only Maha Kasyapa understood it and was chosen as the first disciple. This legend was also related to Jizu Mountain. 3. There was also a legend about the Huashou Sect of Jizu Mountain. According to legend, Kasyapa was in meditation on Jizu Mountain, waiting for the birth of Maitreya. It was said that Huashou Gate was the place where Maha Kasyapa meditated. It was embedded in the cliff on the southwest side of Tianzhu Peak of Jizu Mountain. It was said that devout Buddhist believers only needed to kneel down seven times to avoid the pain of reincarnation. To sum up, there were many legends related to Jizu Mountain, including the dojo of Kasyapa, the allusion of Spirited Mountain Association, and the legend of Huashou Gate. These legends made Jizu Mountain a holy place for Buddhist believers to worship.
The Crown Prince Buddha Statue referred to the image of a Buddha statue depicting the story of the Crown Prince sacrificing himself to feed a tiger. It could be understood that the story of the Crown Prince sacrificing himself to feed the tiger was a story that advised people to worship Buddha. In it, the Crown Prince was willing to sacrifice his own body to save the hungry mother tiger and cubs. This story was common in Buddhist art, but it was usually depicted simply and directly, emphasizing the bloody scene of eating. However, there were some murals that displayed the determination and responsibility of the Crown Prince in a more touching way. Therefore, it could be speculated that the Buddha statue of the Crown Prince might be an art form depicting the story of the Crown Prince sacrificing himself to feed the tiger, but the specific image description and style needed further information to confirm.
The Three Pure Buddhas were not symbols of Buddhism, but the highest gods of Taoism. The Three Pure Ones referred to the three gods in Taoism, namely Heavenly Lord Yuanshi, Heavenly Lord Lingbao, and Heavenly Lord Dao De. These statues were usually worshiped in the Three Pristines Hall of the Taoist temple. The Heavenly Lord Yuanshi held a spiritual pearl, which symbolized the state before the world was opened; the Heavenly Lord Lingbao held a jade light Ruyi, which represented the supreme virtue of the Jade Emperor; the Heavenly Lord Dao De held a fan of the Yin and Yang Mirror, which symbolized the evolution of the world and the division of Yin and Yang. The order in which these statues were placed was fixed. Heavenly Lord Yuanshi was in the center, while Heavenly Lord Lingbao and Heavenly Lord Dao De were on the left and right. The image of the Three Pure Buddhas was different from the Buddha in Buddhism. The Buddha was usually depicted wearing a golden kasaya and holding golden Buddha beads. This reflected the different interpretation and expression of gods in Taoism and Buddhism.
Jizu Mountain Xuankong Temple was located in the middle of the cliff of Cuiping Peak on the west side of Jinlong Gorge, Hengshan Mountain, Hunyuan County, Datong City, Shanxi Province. It was built more than 1500 years ago and was about 50 meters high from the ground. It was the first wonder of Hengshan Mountain in the north. Xuankong Temple was famous for its precipitous architectural features. It was known as " strange, suspended, and ingenious." The temple was the only unique temple in China that combined Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. It was one of the earliest wooden structures built on the cliff in the world. Xuankong Temple's attractions included meditation rooms, Buddhist halls, Three Buddha Halls, Taiyi Hall, and so on. Xuankong Temple was a key cultural relic protected in China, and it was also the " first scenic spot " of the 18 scenic spots of Mount Heng. Xuankong Temple was selected as one of the top ten most dangerous buildings in the world by Time Magazine in 2010.
Jizu Mountain Xuankong Temple was located in the middle of the cliff of Cuiping Peak on the west side of Jinlong Gorge, Hengshan Mountain, Hunyuan County, Datong City, Shanxi Province. It was built more than 1500 years ago and was about 50 meters high from the ground. It was the first wonder of Hengshan Mountain in the north. Xuankong Temple was famous for its precipitous architectural features. It was known as " strange, suspended, and ingenious." The temple was the only unique temple in China that combined Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. It was one of the earliest wooden structures built on the cliff in the world. Xuankong Temple's attractions included meditation rooms, Buddhist halls, Three Buddha Halls, Taiyi Hall, and so on. Xuankong Temple was a key cultural relic protected in China, and it was also the " first scenic spot " of the 18 scenic spots of Mount Heng. Xuankong Temple was selected as one of the top ten most dangerous buildings in the world by Time Magazine in 2010.
The ticket price for Jizu Mountain was 60 yuan per person (document 1) or 55 yuan per person (document 3, document 8, document 9). Therefore, the price of a ticket to Jizu Mountain in 2024 was 60 yuan or 55 yuan.
The pagoda on Jizu Mountain was called Shurangama Pagoda.
On the top of Jizu Mountain was Jinding Temple.
The best time to travel to Jizu Mountain was the first month of the lunar calendar. The first lunar month was a festive holiday, and it was also the best time to make a pilgrimage to Buddha. At this time, Jizu Mountain was often sunny and had a wide view. One could enjoy many natural beauties. In addition, the summer vacation from July to September was also a good time. The rainy season was coming, and Jizu Mountain was hidden in the clouds, like a fairyland. One could also enjoy all kinds of wild mushrooms and beautiful rainy season scenery. In autumn and winter, the sunrise and sunset of Jizu Mountain were very beautiful. If one stayed in Jinding, they could see the stars or the huge moon that could not be seen in the city. Of course, if they were lucky enough to encounter snow, it would be a beautiful winter scene. In short, according to the information provided, the first month of the lunar calendar was the best time to go to Jizu Mountain.