Are they fake or are they for real?

[danb]

China has her share of Temples. We have visited a few. After leaving them sometimes I get to wondering if they are real or are they fake.The first one that I visited and didn't have that question in the back of one head was a temple in Kumming a few years back. I saw a bunch of old folks practicing their religion in the temple. They were ordinary folk. Had their pray bead and some were praying for long periods of time.

 

There is an article on BBC about fake monks and temples in China and the government is going have some type of authenticity process that will be put in place to protect the general public. Here is a link to that story:

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-30344202

 

One of the first big temple complexs that I visited in China was Nashan on the island of Sanya. A beautiful place but defintiely over commercialized. When we were there they were building the third side monument of some women out in the water. We also saw the room that was filled with golden statues. It seem like there were a thousand gold statues. It was probably the first place where I thought that their were people in the China who were rich, really rich.

 

Several years ago we visited Lingyan Temple near Jinan, Shandong Province, That was such a great place to visit. Very serene and peaceful. It was just slightly commercialized. I am not a a guy who is normally into serene and peaceful settings but this place is a place that I would really like to revisit. I hope that place never becomes too commercialize. What temples have you visited and liked in China? Did you feel that they were real or fake? Danb

Edited December 7, 2014 by danb (see edit history)

[Randy W]

I don't see this as a real problem, since austerity is normally the word at these places. It's hard to imagine that there's much room for a serious rip-off. It's good to hear that they keep an eye on that, though.

 

"When we were there they were building the third side monument of some women out in the water." - is this the gal you were referring to?

 

[Thomas Promise]

Religous history has been full of suede shoe con men since the begiining of time. Be it the Pharoe's soo sayers, the phony stump preachers with their Rolex watches and jewel building wives to Rasputain courting the Russian Czar's inner court.

If your faith is there you will see through these charlatans. If you can't make the leap of faith at least hop to it.

[Randy W]

Between the topic title, and the forum name (the Middle Kingdom). I can't help but think of this poor lady

 

 

3-Boobed Woman ... A FAKE!

[Mick]

I visited many temples during my years in China. I loved the smaller temples in out of the way settings, like many that are nestled in the crags and hollows of southern Anhui, not too far from Yellow Mountain. In Shantou and Chao Zhou, the area I lived in located on the northeast coast of Guangdong, there were many, many temples. Some were funded and built by wealthy overseas Chinese from this area. I studied qigong at a temple complex, Dragon Springs, that was in walking distance of the campus where I lived. I know what you mean about the serenity in some of these places, especially the ones in busy, urban areas. You walk through the gates from a bustling, urban street and it is almost like entering another world. The Six Banyans Temple in Guangzhou used to be like that. I am not sure it still is. It was the home temple of Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of the southern school of Chan Buddhism and is a famous landmark.

 

My thinking on the authenticity issue is that for the most part, temples are genuine. If I ever visited a fake one, I am not aware of it. What I think will happen is this: The "Certificate of Authenticity" just provides another means for local officials to practice bribery. My fear is most "certificates" will be bought and paid for with little concern for "authenticity."

[Thomas Promise]

I visited a new church once and the preacher was self proclaimed faith healer. The preacher came up to me - I don't know why, maybe it was because I was a new person in the Church.
He laid his hands on my hand and said: "By the will of Jesus the Lord All Mighty, and the will of God, you will walk today.
I told him I was not paralyzed. He came back and laid his hands on me again, and repeated the same thing.
Again I told him there is nothing wrong with me.
After the sermon I stepped outside and lo and behold, my car had been stolen!