Temple of the Azure Clouds
ERHAPS the most typical of the many hill temples near Peking is the glorious Buddhist monastery located some half dozen miles west of the Summer Palace, known as the "Temple of the Azure Clouds." Ever since the days of Mongol supremacy the Pi Yün Ssū, as it is called by the Chinese, has stood as one of the most richly endowed monasteries in the land, and beautiful though it is to-day, we are told that it is a mere shadow of its glorious past. The most impressive, though perhaps less usual, approach to this famous temple is along the mountain track that leads from the "Eight Great Places," over the ridge of the hills, dropping down into the valley by the walls of the old Imperial Hunting Park "Traveling along this path one commands a landscape which for extent, beauty, and historic interest may fairly rank among the great panoramas of the world." From the foot of the valley the tall pagodalike spires of the marble "stupa" appear above the deep green of the trees, "like a ghost or a dream of a monument, deceptively close in the clear air." For we climb two more miles of stony pavement before we approach the lion-guarded gateway leading into the outer courts of the temple. We approach the threshold of this outer gateway by a flight of broad stone steps. The threshold is raised a couple of feet above the top of this incline, "a device," says Mr. Hubbard, "to defeat bad spirits in their attempts to enter the temple, as any diver gence from the level is well known to hinder their passage. Should an enterprising sprite surmount this initial obstacle, he would, on entering the gatehouse itself, be faced with a far more terrible check Two horrific 'Guardians of the Gate' stand on either side of the entrance, huge ferocious monsters poising fiery darts above their heads, ready to dash down on trespassets. The creatures are so realistic in the dim half light that one shrinks back instinctively and it is easy to believe that no evil ghost would dare to run the gauntlet." Having braved these terrifying "guardians," we climb another lot of steps which lead us into the "Hall of the Four Great Kings." These huge figures of wood and plaster, hardly less formidable than the "Guardians of the Gate," are "seated in pairs to the right and left of the passageway." Our plate shows the great marble "stupa," chief glory of the temple, which, standing at the rear of the compound, surmounts and overshadows all other lesser temples and shrines. It was added to the monastery in 1748 as a gift from Emperor Ch'ien Lung who loved to come to this quiet spot among the hills. Here also he built a little "traveling palace" as a refuge from the cares of state. For a continuation of this story of the Pi Yün Ssữ, turn to page 108.
