Raw data
"Xuangongsi Hanging Temple (built 6th century onward)
The Hanging Monastery (Xuángong Si, or Temple Suspended in the Air or Void) of Hunyuan County, Shanxi Province is one of China’s unique and remarkable feats of architectural engineering. Sited about 50 mi (80 km) southeast of Datong, it is built about a third of the way up a vertical cliff in Jinlong Guan (Golden Dragon Gorge or Canyon), part of the long Hengshan (Heng mountain), one of the four sacred Taoist mountains. The monastery was founded during the Northern Wei period (386-584) in the 6th century, although much was reconstructed from the Tang through the Qing eras, as well as in more recent times.
The complex consists of forty caves, or rooms, including six main halls, but its characteristic feature is the elaborate wooden façade of pavilions and walkways precariously resting on timbers jutting out horizontally and vertically from the cliff."
http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/china/hunyuan/xuankongsi.php
Hunyuan, China Page
Other names: Khun'yuan',Hun-yuan-hsien,Hun-yüan-hsien
World:China:Shanxi Sheng
Lat 39.6961 Long 113.6806
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/24/Hunyuan.html
Hanging Temple coords 39.665833, 113.705
http://stable.toolserver.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Hanging_Temple¶ms=39_39_57_N_113_42_18_E_type:landmark
Input by: tmciolek, Dec 16, 2009
Final data (and their sources)
Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 2km from the point defined by the coordinates below.
General location of the Xuankongsi monastery, CN.
Lat 39.665833 Long 113.705
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2009.
Google Map link:
Final data - explanatory notes
1. Monastery's name
- Xuankongsi monastery - http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/china/hunyuan/xuankongsi.php
2. Monastery's modern country & province
- China:Shanxi Sheng
3. Monastery's alternative/historical names
- Hanging Monastery - http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/china/hunyuan/xuankongsi.php
- Xuángong Si - http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/china/hunyuan/xuankongsi.php
- Temple Suspended in the Air or Void - http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/china/hunyuan/xuankongsi.php
- Pending Monastery - http://www.numerals.de/Art/Pagodas/pagodas.html
- Xuankongsi 懸空寺 - http://www.numerals.de/Art/Pagodas/pagodas.html
- Suspending Monastery - http://www.china.org.cn/english/TCC/41689.htm
4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates
- Approx., Lat 39.665833 Long 113.705 - http://stable.toolserver.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Hanging_Temple¶ms=39_39_57_N_113_42_18_E_type:landmark
5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries
final data ….
6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village
7. The settlement's alternative/historical names
- Khun'yuan' - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/24/Hunyuan.html
- Hun-yuan-hsien - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/24/Hunyuan.html
- Hun-yüan-hsien - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/24/Hunyuan.html
8. The settlement's coordinates
- Exactly, Lat 39.6961 Long 113.6806 http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/24/Hunyuan.html
9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition
- Mahayana
10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition
final data ….
11. Date-early
- Est. in the 500s CE - http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/china/hunyuan/xuankongsi.php
12. Date-intermediate
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13. Date-late
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14. Details of contacts with other monasteries
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15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery
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16. Additional notes
final data (incl. details of the size of the monastic population)….
17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by
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