天津独乐寺英文导游词

天津独乐寺英文导游词

Temple of Solitary Joy is located at in side west city gate of Ji Coun ty,

Tianj in City. It is known for its refined architecture skill in Chann el's

an cie nt buildi ngs and has got the reputatio n of Six Best. These are: The

earliest Din gsha n Gate (Gate of Withsta nding Hill ) of the gro und hall

preserved now; The earliest Chiwei object on the Hill Gate preserved now; The earliest

plane distribution which took pavilion as the center on the architecture pla ne; The biggest

clay sculptured statue of Avalokiteavara in side a pavilion in China; The Avalokiteavara is

also the most ancient high storeyed one; The more precious fact is that the Temple of

Solitary Joy has stood un scathed after thousa nd years of rain, snow, wind and frost and

28 big attacks, hence the most durable ancient Mon astery of thousa nd years.

Entering the Temple , the first comes to sight is 10 m high gate, on

the arch of which there hangs a horiz on tal in scribed board: Temple of Solitary

Joy. The sin gle eaves ground hall roof was the roof buildi ng form duri ng the

period, western Tsin (AD265-316) and Southern and Northern Dyansty (420-589 )

which was called Siadading in ancient time and now it is called big roof. On the two ends

of the pla ne ridge, there are in ward Chiweis. Chi deno ted sparrow hawk in ancient time,

which is a kind of fierce bird. The stand base of the gate is comparatively low, but the hall

pinn acle is much higher above eaves and the pottery animal figures look sturdy; solemn

and sturdy. There is no ceiling in side the pinn acle, therefor the pain ted beam and

purlieus are visible. The whole piece is exquisitely wrought, simple arran ged and skillfully

done, for which people gasp in adm ini strati on.

Cross ing the gate, one comes to the core buildi ng - Avalokitesvara

Pavili on, 23 m in height. Form outside appeara nee, it is two storeyed, but

in side there is a hidde n storey, thus three storeyed in fact. On the eaves

corners, pottery unicorns are sculptured, on which little Buddha statues ride.

Copper bells are hung un der eaves corn ers, sway ing with the wind, a specially refined

(sets of scene. The most attractive thing is the structure of Dougo ng brackets on top of the colu

mns support ing the beams with in and roof eaves without each set con sisti ng of tiers of outstretch ing arms called Gong,

cushioned with trapezoidal blocks called Dou ) . It is made of overlapping

Dougong shaped wood blocks and bow shaped horizontal wood bars by adopting 24 forms

with each layer stretch ing out as bracket, big in upper part and small in lower part, thinly scattered, steady and sturdy. It makes eaves of the pavili on look like flying, far and deep

in the sky, a beautiful and magnificent view.

Entering the Avalokitesvara Pavilion, the very sight is a huge standing Avalokitesvara Statue. If one sta nds by it, his height is only up to her an kle.

The Statue, 16.27 m in height, is the biggest clay sculpture of Avalokitesvara

in China. Two statues of atte ndant Bodhisattvas un der the knee of Avalokitesvara are

also 3 m in height. On the crow n of the head of Avalokitesvara, there are 10 small Avalokitesvare's heads, hence it is called 11 faces Avalokitesvara. Reviewing around the

inner part of the pavilion, one can discover that pillars of high and low storeys are not

directly linked through, but the pillars of the upper storey are in serted into the arch head of

that of lower storey. The upper storey of the pavilion is in a form of six corners empty well,

while the lower storey is in a form of square empty well.

This kind of structure is not only beautiful and strong, but also adds the space of the upper

part of Budha statues. On the four walls in side the pavili on, colorful murals are pain ted,

the theme of which is the images of 16 Arhats and 2 Ming Dyn asty Emperors, which are

the earliest subjects of Buddhism. On he murals, 2 m high Arhats with 3 heads and 4 arms

are extremely lifelike and Ming Emperors on the four walls are full of power and gra ndeur.

On the upper part of the murals, there are mountains, forest, cloud and river, while on the

lower part, there are paintings of secular themes with vivid and n atural li nes, which

embody the superb the skill and arts of painting of ancient Buddhism in China.