Temples on High Mountain Peaks and on Steep Cliffs - Why?

[NotVoid]

We know the Incas and other peoples built villages and temples and that sort of thing on high mountain peaks and on steep slopes. Taoists and Buddhists also built a number of their temples on high mountain peaks and ridges, and even on very steep cliff sides high up in the mountains, or sometimes right into a cave. Was this just because it afforded good protection and isolation from dangerous animals, or from bandits and marauding armies, and provided good isolation from the general population? Or was there another reason? Is the qi much better on high mountain peaks and ridges and on cliff sides, or what else could it be? Ley lines? Geomancy reasons? Cleaner (but thinner) air? Why go to all that trouble to build temples in such places?

 

Here's a few examples, but I am sure there are lots of other examples.

 

Hanging Temple on Hengshan Mountain is thought to be from about 500 AD, and the original wooden pillars that are holding it up on the cliff still have not faltered, or so I have read.

 

 

 

 

Mianshan Mountain:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2014 by NotVoid

[Samurai Mountain man]

Ultimately, it's always because of the view.

 

I mean, who wouldn't want to wake up to the mountain breeze and look at the rising sun in the horizon, shining it's light upon all of creation?

[GreytoWhite]

I would say the most likely reason for it is how defensible those positions are from those wishing to wreak havoc. It's pretty hard to become a spiritual master if one has to fight off bandits constantly.

[ChiDragon]

We know the Incas and other peoples built villages and temples and that sort of thing on high mountain peaks and on steep slopes.

 

Taoists and Buddhists also built a number of their temples on high mountain peaks and ridges, and even on very steep cliff sides high up in the mountains, or sometimes right into a cave.

 

Was this just because it afforded good protection and isolation from dangerous animals, or from bandits and marauding armies, and provided good isolation from the general population?

 

Or was there another reason? Is the qi much better on high mountain peaks and ridges and on cliff sides, or what else could it be? Ley lines? Geomancy reasons? Cleaner (but thinner) air?

 

Why go to all that trouble to build temples in such places?

 

Here's a few examples, but I am sure there are lots of other examples.

 

Hanging Temple on Hengshan Mountain is thought to be from about 500 AD, and the original wooden pillars that are holding it up on the cliff still have not faltered, or so I have read.

 

It was known that Taoists and Buddhists like to be close to Heaven and integrated with Nature. Thus they build temple high above the cliffs and using the rocks as part of the foundation for the temples. The reason they called the Hanging Temple is because the pillars are hanging down from the floor of the temples. It was every deceiving to make people to believe they were the support of the temples. Actually, they are not the supports for the temples. It was only psychological which leads people to believe that they are safe to step into the temple. Those pillars are exposed to different weathers and required to be replaced occasionally.

 

What is really supporting the temples are the horizontal square beams underneath the floors of the temples. Those square beams are special treated with multi-process for weatherproof and insect resistance. The are place into the square holes on the rocks with extension to hold the temples in place.

 

The information was revealed from a documentary on a local Chinese TV channel.

Edited February 6, 2014 by ChiDragon

[NotVoid]

I can see how being in a very remote location could be helpful in various ways, but would you really have to be right up on a high mountain peak or steep ridge or sheer cliff to help avoid bandits and other unwanted guests? Maybe bandits were very determined in those days, although there probably wasn't all that much in a remote mountain temple that would be useful to bandits.

 

ChiDragon, thanks for the information on that Hanging Temple. I find it not so plausible that people would go through so much trouble to build a temple in such difficult locations for the fanciful notion of being closer to heaven, but I can see wanting to be away from bandits and marauding armies and possibly from certain dangerous animals as well however.

 

I am still inclined to think that there may have been other reasons for picking such specific and sometimes very difficult locations, but I don't know. It seems likely that geomancy (feng shui) would be used at least to some extent to help determine some of these locations, and that may possibly have been a very important factor in choosing the exact locations for many of these sorts of mountain temples, but I really don't know. Maybe in the view of feng shui such locations for temples are very desirable.

Edited February 6, 2014 by NotVoid

[ChiDragon]

Well, you are too much concerned about the bandits and wild animals. Let's put it this way. The Taoists and Buddhists live a simple life. The earnings are the offerings from the people who visit there. There is not much for the bandits to take. Besides, people do not want to rob any holy man. If the people can go to the temple to worship the deities, then, so can anyone including the bandits. Thus that was not the reason why the temples were built there because of the bandits. In regarding to the animals, there were not that many animals in those areas. Unless, it was close to the boarder of China. There are tigers from India. However, there are not that many wild animals at the inland of China.

In regarding to feng shui, again, the Taoist and Buddhists do not not need any luck to bring them fortune because of their austere way of living.

Edited February 6, 2014 by ChiDragon

[NotVoid]

Hi ChiDragon. I agree that bandits were likely not a major concern. I am more inclined to think feng shui and possibly some other related reasons may have been an important factor in picking these more difficult locations.

Edited February 6, 2014 by NotVoid

[ChiDragon]

Well, NotVoid. If one is thinking about feng shui, I can assure you those locations are the worse feng shui conditions for living quarters. It is out reach of the outside world. Indeed, the most concern of feng shui is to have the best convenient living conditions. It is obvious that those temples do not provide the best living conditions.

[yabyum24]

To allow the monks peace and quiet and a spiritual environment away from the busy distractions of the world. Many monasteries were built where solitary hermits used to hang out. As disciples gathered, and time passed, structures were added. The sites were considered holy or blessed - places of special energy etc.

[yabyum24]

SEEKING BUT NOT FINDING THE RECLUSE

Under pines
I ask the boy;

he says: "My Master's gone
to gather herbs.

I only know
he's on this mountain,

but the clouds are too deep
to know where."

 

 

 

Jia Dao (Chia Tao)(c.779-843) translated by Mike O'Connor

[NotVoid]

Well, NotVoid. If one is thinking about feng shui, I can assure you those locations are the worse feng shui conditions for living quarters. It is out reach of the outside world. Indeed, the most concern of feng shui is to have the best convenient living conditions. It is obvious that those temples do not provide the best living conditions.

 

Hi ChiDragon. Thanks for the reply. That sounds like possibly a rather narrow view of feng shui to me however. I suspect feng shui can be utilized for various different purposes and in different ways, for example, used to determine a good or ideal temple site used primarily for cultivation purposes, but used differently to locate a good site for a temple used primarily to serve the general population in a certain area. I don't know for certain either way myself, but I suspect you have no real training in feng shui as well, so I will leave it at that with you. I am just throwing some ideas out for general consideration. Although I have my own ideas, I don't really know, so that is why I am putting the question out, to see how other people are inclined to view it.

Edited February 6, 2014 by NotVoid

[NotVoid]

To allow the monks peace and quiet and a spiritual environment away from the busy distractions of the world. Many monasteries were built where solitary hermits used to hang out. As disciples gathered, and time passed, structures were added. The sites were considered holy or blessed - places of special energy etc.

Yes, those are probably factors in this as well. In general of course for temples built primarily for the purpose of cultivation, locations in more remote locations well away from distractions from other people would seem to be desirable, but some temples being located in very difficult locations such as sheer cliffs and very high and steep mountain peaks and ridges, and into caves on cliff walls as well, may sometimes at least be for more reason than just because a hermit practiced there or because it was remote or secluded, as in such cases something also may have compelled the hermit to practice at that specific location originally as well. It does seem reasonable to me however that different temples may well have been built in their specific locations for various different reasons. I personally do think it is at least possible that some locations may have been chosen because of special unique qualities beyond just being very remote, or because some noteworthy hermit practiced there. I really don't know however.

Edited February 6, 2014 by NotVoid

[NotVoid]

Hello Rainbowvein. Many thanks. That is very interesting indeed.

[ChiDragon]

 

Hi ChiDragon. Thanks for the reply. That sounds like possibly a rather narrow view of feng shui to me however. I suspect feng shui can be utilized for various different purposes and in different ways, for example, used to determine a good or ideal temple site used primarily for cultivation purposes, but used differently to locate a good site for a temple used primarily to serve the general population in a certain area. I don't know for certain either way myself, but I suspect you have no real training in feng shui as well, so I will leave it at that with you. I am just throwing some ideas out for general consideration. Although I have my own ideas, I don't really know, so that is why I am putting the question out, to see how other people are inclined to view it.

 

You are most welcome!

 

Well, if I knew nothing about feng shui, then I wouldn't have respond to your OP in anyway. What I am trying to let you know is that, feng shui is for the ordinary people who want to have a pleasant environment to live and bring them good fortune. The Taoist and Buddhist do not require to have such environment. I think post #9 by yabyum24 says all.

Edited February 6, 2014 by ChiDragon

[Taomeow]

I think the reasons are multiple, just like when you're looking for a regular residence for you and your family, you will take many factors into consideration, not just one. More like dozens!

 

I suspect a large part of the choice has to do with the fact that mountains make us stronger. I've experienced it myself. When I first arrived in a place where you had to climb up or down no matter where you went, many moons ago, at first I felt totally inadequate, getting very tired very easily (even though I was a teenager), coughing and panting from the thin air -- but I found my spirit was elated far above sea level too, maybe because no matter where I looked, I looked at majestic beauty. So I went ahead and climbed up and down, to exhaustion, every day, and in a couple of weeks I changed. I felt stronger every day, with room to grow opening up everywhere. There's no feeling like it. By the end of the month, I ran skipping along the same trails where I could barely crawl when I first arrived. So I suspect the choices our ancestors made when they could choose freely, countless moons ago, were largely dictated by who the places made them into. Mountains can make some of us into the best version of who we are I suspect, the most alive. Years later, my daughter reported exactly the same effects from her first exposure to a life in the mountains as I myself had experienced.

[joeblast]

[NotVoid]

Hi Taomeow. Ok in regards to the special attributes of mountains.

I think maybe I should try to spend more time up in mountains.

[Gerard]

Living in a mountain is like being in a state of constant standing meditation. Earth-yin to Heaven-yang and human in between drawing energy from both sources, like a massive superconducting magnet, initially cleansing of accumulated mental garbage from living in society is overwhelming. Perfect environment for cultivation. Society and cities? Horror.

 

One of my favourite locations, can't wait to retire in a place like that:

 

 

Sumela Monastery, Turkey.

[Taomeow]

I think I"m between Rainbow and Gerard on this... middle ground.

 

Can't cultivate a mountain -- tao is in charge of that -- at least not until you are fully merged with tao and all her power. That would take you along a radical "leaving the human world" path.

Can't depend on external environment being perfect in order to cultivate "properly" -- must cultivate where you're at, working with what you've got, this is the traditional "coming into the world" path.

 

Walk between the two, the path is narrow and sharp as a razor blade... and that's what the "middle ground" really stands for. It's not a plateau, not a peak, not a bottom of anything. It is a razor blade!!!

[Taomeow]

double

Edited February 7, 2014 by Taomeow

[Taomeow]

And this is the place I was talking about earlier. The houses belong to a scientific facility, a glaciological station. My then-boyfriend worked there... The people I got to hang out with were all top level mountaineers and assorted hands-on (or rather whole-body-on) climate scientists, and every evening, after a day of assorted adventures, we would gather around a table of great food and plenty of booze, and they would start telling their never-ending stories of life and death. Every one of them had lost a friend, a mentor, a significant other in those mountains. I was floored every evening by what those people were living through... but they were easily the most vital and "together" group I've ever met before or after. Go figure...

 

[mYTHmAKER]

I think I"m between Rainbow and Gerard on this... middle ground.

 

Can't cultivate a mountain -- tao is in charge of that -- at least not until you are fully merged with tao and all her power. That would take you along a radical "leaving the human world" path.

Can't depend on external environment being perfect in order to cultivate "properly" -- must cultivate where you're at, working with what you've got, this is the traditional "coming into the world" path.

 

Walk between the two, the path is narrow and sharp as a razor blade... and that's what the "middle ground" really stands for. It's not a plateau, not a peak, not a bottom of anything. It is a razor blade!!!

Yes as the sage once said where ever you go there you are

[Gerard]

Alchemical elixir should be compounded on a special mountain, in an inhabited location, with no more than three people in the group. First fast for a hundred days and bathe in perfumed water; keep pure, do not approach anything polluted, and do no associate with vulgar people. The special mountains have righteous spirits guarding them, so they are good for making alchemical elixir. When Taoists go into the mountains to refine elixir, they first choose an auspicious day and go in armed with a talisman. Ge Hong "The Simpleton" (1. Opening the Dragon Gate; 2. Alchemists, Mediums, and Magicians (Stories of Taoist Mystics)).

I know some of those mountains and the 100-days-fast should be fun...the problem is making the alchemical elixir...this is the tricky part. Any ideas? What am I asking in here! This is very serious advanced work with only a handful of people in the world would have access to.

Auspicious locations:

La Pedriza - Spain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Place where I grew up spiritually (big thanks from here Gaia for sharing with me this wonderful location; I really miss you ). It is elemental "city." Very high level of energy, pure and pristine waters run in the creeks located in that place. You can meditate and do energy work for days non-stop without a hitch. The granite rock is hard, solid, pure, it emits a very high concentration of good Qi. Earth (granite boulders with auspicious shapes, ideal for purifying work/take the alchemical elixir), wood (hollies, maples and chestnuts), fire (sun is not harsh, very balanced), and metal elements (many quartz minerals inside the boulders (high gnome/elemental activity) are all up and running smoothly; plus all the running creeks (water) makes the ideal place to cultivate the 5 elemental energies. A celestial place on Earth. A Taoist Heaven (even though Taoists are traditionally connected to China) and intimately connected to Huashan. Most likely one of Gaia's Earth branching meridians.

 

The place which I will most likely go before I leave this earthly plane. In solitude, meditating and in peace, smiling. Best way of moving on.

 

Ordesa Valley - Pyrenees (Spain)

 

 

 

Similar to above. More Yin though. Excellent place to cultivate the Wood (fir, pine, oak, holly, birch and ash trees amongst many others) and Water elements.

 

Hand of Fatima - Mali, Uluru - Australia

 

 

 

Pure Yang. Ideal location to work on the Fire and Earth elements. Sacred sites to the indigenous people that inhabit in those areas. No Wood and Water elements present.

Edited February 15, 2014 by Gerard

[Gerard]

Mt Kailash - Tibet, Belukha Mountain - Russia

 

Kailash is home to Hindus, Jains, Buddhists. Belukha to mystics of all kinds, shamans, Buddhists, and possibly wandering Daoists.

Earth element and the Qian/Heaven trigram are well represented in both locations. No wood around especially in Mt Kailash which would be controlling the pure yang, hence it would weaken it.

Happy full moon!

To be continued.

[Gerard]

You don't necessarily need to spend more time in the mountains. You just need to know how to effectively connect to the energetics of the mountains.

 

You can do that at meditation level (Yin) but this isn't either healthy or balanced...you also need to nourish your Yang body. This is a must. Ask any hermits and ascetics living in the mountains if they would like to return to the cities and connect energetically to the mountains. What do you think would be their answer?