NGS Picture ID:357412, 1980s (photo)

This temple was originally built during the reign of Emperor Cheng Di (325-343) of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It was destroyed approximately 16 times, the last time during the Taiping Rebellion, and was rebuilt in 1956. The present build ings are restorations of Qing Dynasty structures. Here can be seen the Guan Yin, the Go ddess of Mercy, who is depicted sometimes in 33 different forms, one of which i s Yu Lan Guan Yin (Fish Basket Guan Yin). In one Chinese myth, Guan Yin emerge s from the sea on the head of the "ao," a huge legendary turtle, though another legend des cibes it as a giant fish. This Guan Yin was probably carved during the Yuan Dy nasty (1279-1368). REFERENCE: Robert Dunn, Chinese Area Specialist, Chinese a nd Korean Section, Asian Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540. Photo by Dean Conger