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Buildings
& Constructions
Welto
Temple
Through
the main entrance of Po Lin Monastery and walking along
the path on the left, one will arrive at the Welto Temple.
The temple is two-storey high; on the upper storey,
the eaves on the four quarters are designed in such
a way as to allow water to drip down. The long and winding
corridors and the uupturned eaves are esthetic display
of Chinese classic archeology. The wall in the lower
floor is covered with white granite; the yellow glazed
tiles on the upper storey are reminiscent of the radiance
of Buddha¡¦s Dharma glittering in the sun.
In spite of its relatively small area, the Welto Temple
serves as the sentinel of the Hall of Great Hero. On
entering the Welto Temple, one will be greeted by the
statue of the smiling Maitreya Buddha. At its back is
the Welto Bodhisattva who ¡§forfeited his post as a general
in pursuit of buddhahood; and became a sacred one committed
to warding off the demons¡¨. On both sides of the temple
the four deva-kings are housed . The one in the East,
the protector of the country, is holding a Pi-pa (a
Chinese musical instrument) in his hands; the one in
the South, representing proliferation, is holding a
sword in his hand; the one in the West, known as the
wide-eyed, is holding a dragon in his left hand and
a pearl in his right; the one in the North is famous
for his profound knowledge, and he is holding a pagoda
in his right hand. The things they hold represents ¡§wind¡¨,
¡§harmony¡¨, ¡§rain¡¨ and ¡§stability¡¨which are auspicious
signs according to Chinese Tradition
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