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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 nacked worriors 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.
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