Puning Temple, located in the northeast corner of the Mountain Resort of Chengde, Hebei Province

Puning Temple, located in the northeast corner of the Mountain Resort of Chengde, Hebei Province, is a large temple built by Emperor Qianlong to pray for national peace. This temple not only integrates the traditional Han-style seven-hall layout but also cleverly imitates the form of the Samye Monastery in Tibet, presenting a unique beauty. The Mahavira Hall is the core building of Puning Temple, with a facade of seven bays wide and five bays deep, a double-eaved hipped-gable roof, and a roof of yellow tiles with green edges that glitters in the sunlight. Inside the hall, the Three Buddhas and the Eighteen Arhats are enshrined, and the colorful Buddhist story murals on the walls make one feel as if they are in a mysterious Buddhist world. Even more spectacular is the Mahayana Pavilion, a building that stands 36.75 meters tall and is the center of Puning Temple. At its four corners are four differently colored Lama pagodas, like four guardian deities, protecting the peace of the temple. Inside the pavilion, there is a 22.28-meter-tall standing statue of the Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara, meticulously carved from various types of hard and anti-corrosive wood. The exquisite craftsmanship and vivid representation are breathtaking. At Puning Temple, you can feel the profoundness of history and the magnificence of culture, and appreciate the solemnity and mystery of Buddhism. Here, there is not only the beauty of ancient architecture but also the profound cultural heritage of Buddhism. When you come to Chengde, consider visiting Puning Temple to experience the tranquility and solemnity, and let your soul be purified and elevated.