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Fahai Temple
 Fahai Temple, the ancient and solemn temple is located
at the southern foot of the beautiful, serene and secluded Cuiwei
Mountain in Moshikou of Shijingshan District of Beijing. It was
constructed in the 4th year of the Zhengtong Reign in the Ming Dynasty
and completed five years later. According to the record, the Temple
consisted of a large number of buildings grouped together in a compact
layout at that time. A great deal of vivid and spectacular murals with
high artistic value were painted on the walls of the main hall of the
Temple. Unfortunately, what have remained up to the present are only
Daxiongbaodian (the Precious Hall of Sakyamuni) and nine murals inside
it.
The three murals on the back of the niche depicted the
images of Guanyin (Avalokitesvara), Wenshu (Manjusri) and Poxian (Samantabhadra).
The best painted was the image of Guanyin watching the moon in the
water, with her half chest bared, a light transparent gauze draped
over her shoulders and wearing pearl and jade ornaments on her chest,
looking beautiful, affable, dazzling and divine.
The two murals on each side of the wall of North Gate
portrayed the scene of Buddhist worship and Dharma protection,
comprising 36 figures such as Lokapala, Heavenly Queen, various gods
and demons.
This large gathering of figures, among them, the
tallest is nearly 2 meters, and the lowest merely 50 centimeters, were
brilliantly depicted. The Heavenly Queen elegantly dressed looks
graceful, and the robust Lokapala, awe-inspiring with frowning brows
and glaring eyes, while the naked warriors covered with bulging bodily
muscles fully displayed their bold spirit. All these murals with very
high artistic value and their bright colors still intact even after
500 years up to now were done meticulously by imperial as well as folk
painters in the Ming Dynasty. |
