關於 道教世界總廟 ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

『法國人眼中的媽祖』

讀資料時發現這位在台灣的法國記者ALICE HÉRAIT 文章挺不錯的。有興趣可以找來讀 。而且她也在法國獨立媒體Mediapart寫文...同道中人 :D

以下是她寫的有關媽祖進香，很適合介紹給家裡的法國人， 以後帶去媽祖廟安太歲就不用多解釋了🤭

----隨手翻譯如下---

Le festival de Mazu à Taïwan : un culte populaire au cœur de la vie politique
臺灣的媽祖慶典：政治生活核心的民俗信仰

大甲媽祖進香是臺灣最古老和最大型的宗教遊行活動。每年農曆三月，航海人的女神媽祖都會離開位於台中鎮瀾宮的家，前往嘉義的奉天宮。海神信仰帶來了節日氣氛，也帶來了政治爭議。在此回顧一下臺灣最受歡迎的慶典歷史。

4月9日晚，臺灣台中市郊區大甲的鞭炮聲響起，天空中彌漫著煙霧。晚上11點05分，鑼鼓和煙火響徹雲霄，朝拜媽祖雕像的儀式正式開始。人群漸漸圍攏，越來越緊密。時間越接近，越難以靠近鎮瀾宮周邊，這個著名旅程的起點。媽祖就像我們的母親，她的精神是純粹的慈悲，她是我們的信仰。50多歲的邱俊宏，一位志願者說：「當我們面臨困難時，我們向媽祖祈求，她會保佑我們，保護我們。」他和他的團隊每年一起來到這裡，為媽祖的朝聖活動維持安全。根據主事機關的說法，今年有30萬人參加了慶典活動，比往常多了三倍。

在寺廟前，不同的陣頭接踵而至，舞獅、舞龍、著戲服的女子表演......都是來向聖潔的女神致敬的。巨大的人偶代表著道教和佛教的神靈，由不同的劇團操作。晚上，蔡英文總統和各方政治人物也在媽祖聖像離開前趕來參拜。前國家元首馬英九--一個因與中國簽署自由貿易協定而讓人又愛又恨的人物--出現時，仍然令人驚訝。現在是晚上11點05分，關鍵時刻，眼前這一幕極為虛幻：前總統被人群粗暴地推搡著，假裝抬著剛走出鎮瀾宮的媽祖神轎。

「媽祖是我們所有人的母親，她保護著臺灣」，一位女信徒在媽祖離開鎮瀾宮幾分鐘後感歎道。這位50多歲的女士慷慨地將印有神像的小禮物分發給想要的人。「我的生意很好，這要歸功於媽祖的保佑」，在人群散去後，另一位在寺廟前集合的朝聖者坦言。

「今年有很多朝聖者，很多年輕人加入了慶典活動，他們往往很有創意」，邱俊宏說。這位保安也是一位忠實的信徒，他對這個慶典的歷史充滿熱情，對於與一位外國記者分享他的回憶和照片感到興奮。2021年對大甲媽祖慶典來說是很特別的一年。由於Covid-19疫情在5月前出乎意料地控制良好，當時無法出國旅遊的臺灣人轉而進行在地旅遊。雖然沒有來自國外的朝聖者，但據說參加人數翻了三倍。數位外交協會的成員說：「這個節日是為全世界人民的健康和福祉祈禱的機會」，這個非政府組織在媽祖進香的第一天組織了一次國際巡遊。不過命運的諷刺來到，臺灣本身將經歷一波確診疫情。即使就目前而言，狀況是有限的。

在臺灣流行的宗教中，媽祖信仰是迄今為止最重要的。據說此信仰在10世紀左右起源於福建省的一個島嶼--湄洲，一開始只是一種地方性的信仰，並在宋朝時得到正式許可。許多故事都圍繞著媽祖的身影展開，不過大家都同意媽祖在世時姓林，是一個年輕通靈者(chamane)，能幫助窮困者預測天氣。漁民在上船之前，媽祖會告知天氣是否惡劣。在焦慮的時候，她會出現並拯救漁民。根據一些故事，她救了溺水的父親和兄弟，或者沒能拯救其中一個。還有人說她為了救他們而淹死了自己。「很多故事參雜在一起」，INALCO(法國國立東方語言文化學院)的中國文學教授Vincent Durand-Dastès 戴文琛說。「該宗教的傳播速度相當快，沿著中國海岸線傳開，然後傳到臺灣，並傳至所有海外華人。[…]正如宗教在中國傳播時經常發生的那樣，在不清楚原因的情況下，受到地方和國家當局許可。」

在蒙古時代，忽必烈授予媽祖《天妃》(la concubine céleste)的稱號。 清朝康熙皇帝將她提升為《天后》(la concubine impériale céleste)的稱號。戴文琛說：「這是一個常見的現象，一旦一個宗教被註冊並開始發展時，一個神靈就會得到晉升」。戴文琛教授提到了官方寺廟的設置，如建於1732年雍正皇帝治下的鎮瀾宮，以及臺灣的非官方寺廟：「有官方的信仰，也有自發性的崇拜。[......]當清國到達臺灣時，他們來到了仍然有很多原住民的宜蘭，並在那裏建立了關帝廟和媽祖廟。同時也有許多來自福建沿海想避開國家控制的移民，帶著他們的媽祖前來。」

與歐洲人的想法相反，經濟發展和思想自由化並沒有讓臺灣人離開他們的宗教。相反地，在1970與1980年代國家經濟繁榮時期，以及隨後的民主化進程中，宗教慶典的重要性開始上升。臺北中央研究院現代史研究所的研究員康豹（Paul Katz）說：「大型朝聖活動在1980年代初才開始。它們的發展有多種原因：臺灣的經濟增長使人們，特別是婦女，有更多的休閒時間」。

研究員康豹繼續說：「為了獲得選票，一個政治人物必須對他的選民表明同理心。在農村地區，去寺廟是一種方法」。1987年戒嚴令解除，臺灣的宗教民俗學開始進入一個新時代。1970年代末期開始的地方選舉和隨後的全國選舉，讓政治人物受邀參與寺廟活動。寺廟成為政治集會和爭論的場所。

女神挑戰兩岸現狀

1987年也是臺灣海峽兩岸恢復朝聖活動的一年。鎮瀾宮趁機確立其成為第一座供奉媽祖寺廟的合法性，表明恢復湄州和臺灣之間的宗教交流。進香路線經過香港，因為當時還不允許兩岸直航。

2000年陳水扁當選後，媽祖成為政治爭端的核心。來自民進黨的第一任總統以支持獨立的立場而聞名，他被泛藍聯盟和其他幾個贊成與中國統一的政黨推動，組織了一次從臺灣到湄州的直航進香之旅。福建的中國官員加入這場論戰，並取得金門和澎湖小島同行的支持，他們意識到從臺灣直接前往中國的進香者可以為臺灣的政治格局帶來象徵性的意義。民進黨的知名人士，如當時的副總統呂秀蓮，抨擊鎮瀾宮委員會的成員利用宗教達到政治目的。而陳水扁總統則認為直航進香團會對中國的宣傳有利。

然後，政治爭論出現了意想不到的轉折。在進香的前幾天，媽祖出現在國會議員曾蔡美佐的夢裡，她也是臺灣一個重要寺廟的董事長。據她說，媽祖建議採用間接進香路線以打破鎮瀾宮與政府之間的對立情勢。寺廟委員會成員隨後決定以平常方式進行進香活動。

（圖片是網路上找的，原文連結裡的圖片比較有趣）
https://asialyst.com/fr/2021/06/02/festival-mazu-taiwan-culte-populaire-coeur-vie-politique/

《 我和香的因緣之九 》
　
「我已近耄耋之年，但尚覺慶幸，如今頂上毛髮仍然未曾添加半莖霜雪，齒牙尚未動搖，眼尚可穿線自如，終年未曾有過頭痛腦熱或風寒之疾……這些如今想起全是我在年輕時，在北京曾經居住一段時間，經由友朋之介，曾和王維老道長學習過醫術和拳術，後來始知道，王師乃近代受人景仰之奇人異士，其門下高士亦多，例如譽滿國內外之武術大家杜心五，對其功夫和修養就極為讚賞，日後成為亦師亦友之交。」方老道談及這段因緣時，從他的臉上神情，彷彿有著感今懷昔之慨⋯⋯。
　　　
方老道曾經在六朝古都的北京駐停過數年，原本是受道觀師父之命至西區的白雲觀受戒，後來經由北京某一道友之緣，謁見當時遠近遐邇的高人，人稱神仙的王心齋道長。當時他住在一座老道祠裡，平日裡有著絡繹不絕來求助、求依、尋求解答人生疑難者多不勝數，當日去拜訪時，也是等了好幾個時辰之久，王道長一見方老道，二話不說直接指出身上所患之疾在何處？有何症兆？一一細說，毫無含糊，接著又跟方老道提及祖先某房有人跳井而亡，未受超度，靈魂飄蕩，並且問詢方老道，此亡者在其年幼時家人把其過繼予他⋯⋯？這段話說得方老道膽顫心驚、虛汗直冒，因為王道長所說的幾乎件件皆是一言中的⋯⋯，那天所有訪客中就屬王道長和方老道所談的時間最長，或許也是宿世之緣，王道長說方老道和他有些因緣，可以閒暇時從他處學習些醫科及傷科之技，後來方老道能夠對於傷筋動骨、矯治刀患，並且擅治內外一切諸傷或熱症、瘡癰、諸毒症，這些本事是否皆從王道長處習得就不得而知，但有幾次有些骨盆、脊椎、手足錯位等相關病者，有的困擾多年，影響生活品質極深，但似乎不用三次，方老道皆有辦法使其歸位，並且毫無痛楚之況⋯⋯關於此點，我曾從旁仔細觀察，奇怪的是有些病症，老道並未觸及患者膚骨，但為何有些病者會眉頭深蹙，似乎有股熱氣在其患處來回竄動，不消一會兒卻又平靜如初，進而活動自如，叩謝稱奇不已。我了然於心，方老道和我在他處幾位老輩高人所見皆同，應是菩薩心腸所致，用自身畢生之精氣神所聚之氣，療人之疾，解人之痛，若無悲憫之心，恐難達此。
　　
除了方老道之外，在過去所學道家尊宿師長所得之，香供在佛、道兩家都有其供香之道，在道教稱為太真天香，隨著所學傳承有別，也有聽聞過靈寶慧香、妙洞香⋯⋯等，整個道教所言道香其實所講的也離不開心香，一切都以心為主、為真，為精、氣、神之象徵，故稱德香，也稱無為香，因為和心神清淨度為重、為要，所求亦以心神統一、俯敬三清，不散亂，承事用敬，自然可得神助。
　　
在中國焚香、點香的習俗從周朝便有記載，也是世界上最早使用香的國家，因此在過去中國人的觀念總認為祭祀天人、神明，總要使神得知、得聞，因此尋找最好的香木，點燃香氣上揚，直達蒼穹，神明自然得聞，便會降福於民。漸漸地也開始講求香品的高低之分，這點從道教的宮廟中，一旦有任何法事、科儀以香齋天，便成了極重要的流程。隨著香煙騰空上供一切上、中、下三界中之高真諸神，都極為慎重⋯⋯。
　　
方老道年輕少壯之時遍歷各省洞天福地，因此，一切齋戒、科儀莫不嫻熟，每當諸佛菩薩、諸天神明聖誕之時，方老道便會在幾天前就把他私藏上品香塊取出，切成香片用以祭天，他的道壇上有早期上品沉香木塊所刻三清道祖，雖然佛身不長被盛供在一玻璃匣中，但因為年代久遠，三尊聖像上已經流透出溫潤黑金色光澤之油光，令人好生恭敬歡喜，方老道說：「這是標準的閩南刻工，是我早期剛到台灣時尋找當時最好的福建師所雕刻，當時還是用商船寄艙漂流來台，因為香木本身精貴取得不易，我為了怕木身受潮，還花了大半月訂製錫作為盛裝之器，煞費苦心。沉香怕潮溼，怕過於乾燥，也怕霉氣侵襲，再加上要乘船，海上漂流期間船上水氣、濕氣過重，擔心時間過久整塊木頭價值和香氣受影響，因此，我便在匣盒下層以蜂蜜及上等老沉香一起盛放相隨以養其木，隨船的尚有兩大箱香塊，以及沉香所雕觀音像、沉香所製佛珠⋯⋯等香品一起隨行⋯⋯」
　　
方老道在某日晚饍後一時談興大作，一邊啜飲著武夷老茶，一邊把自己所了解的心得和有緣者大談其道：「要選擇一塊好的香木真的是可遇不可求，並且要懂得判斷抉擇，例如：挑選時一定要挑選油質的含量愈高的，品級愈是上乘，若是把木頭丟置於大海之中，經由打撈上岸此香便成水沉，本身油脂也算高⋯⋯」（未完待續）
　　
王薀老師
　
✅歡迎點擊「發送訊息」，王薀老師將陪您解心愁

「地獄空」攝影集即將在八月中元節前出版，由知名設計師與攝影家黃子欽設計，內附在下二位高徒精美繪製符咒、心經版畫書籤、愣嚴咒牌、尊勝咒語...等，感恩十方大德助印，希望疫情退散，平安喜樂，後記如下：

野放台灣五十餘年，貪狼獨坐，三方四正殺破狼格局，少年多舛，白手起家，隨展覽雲遊四海，如閒雲野鶴常持各類底片機流連廢墟、山川、宮廟忘返，遂設幻影堂自詡堂主，一日三省「凡所有相皆是虛妄」，常宅於暗房沖片放大通宵、鍾情黑白世界之單純，彩色照片俗世繽紛花俏做作甜美甚至比現實更現實故少拍也。知天命之年有餘，了悟人生一瞬、眨眼即逝，雖非仙人，亦無道骨，初聞離垢地生清淨心，但離華嚴「不動地」尚遠，待修持也。
2017年盛暑拍畢《巨神連線》，心律不整差點心肌梗塞向閻羅王報到，意識死神隨伺在側，人生苦短，如何了生脫死、盡斷煩惱、無所罣礙、遠離顛倒……總不得解，蒙釋迦摩尼佛開示飆淚三晝夜，聞佛法數載始知自我渺如塵埃，甚感慚愧。閒暇乃參訪名寺古剎，禮敬焚香佛陀菩薩羅漢諸神天仙王爺媽娘，台灣宮廟千奇百怪、宗派錯綜複雜（佛教、道教、一貫道、天主教、基督教、齋教、回教＆大同教、儒教鑾堂、天帝教＆天德教、慈惠堂＆勝安宮、軒轅教、道院、理教、萬國道德會、會靈山……）、神棍橫行（依人不依法、偶像崇拜、斂財、邪淫），因歷史變遷、社會動盪、政治鬥爭、意識形態等因素導致佛道混雜，但地獄造景稀少，後專注拍攝各殿閻王、判官、陰司、獄卒、七爺、八爺乃至一切罪人，各寺造景巧妙、耐人尋味，意境乖張溢於言表，造型扭曲非常人所能塑也，然匠心獨運、自成一格，專研西方藝術數十載方知真誠樸拙最美，絲毫不輸喬托（Giotto di Bondone，1267～1337）乃至米開朗基羅（Michelangelo Di lodovico Buonarroti Simoni 1475 ~ 1564）矣。

創立於1986年的石門金剛宮風景優美可眺望北濱，雖主祀四面佛，儒釋道眾神尊也不含糊，可過七星橋解厄、繞行五百黝黑羅漢敲鑼印心、跪拜亞洲最大臥佛涅槃像，安太歲自不在話下，甲子太歲爺雙眼長出手掌印象甚深，1994年經閻羅王指示廟公建造一條肚內設極樂世界及陰曹地府之神龍，行走暗黑通道觸動感應機關，只見面容猙獰受刑者呼天搶地喊冤、身邊盡是血肉糢糊殘肢敗屍腦漿塗地，十殿閻羅各司其職、威儀攝人。新北市林口區青嶺湖北文紫祥宮包公廟則以壁面彩塑地獄浮雕獨步全台，粉嫩色彩搭配卡漫風格，尤為造型簡直恐怖到可愛透頂，該廟主祀森羅殿閻羅天子包拯（包青天），陽世冤屈者可至此參拜祭解，求破懸案者眾，逢中元普渡皆以紙紮船渡亡魂至彼岸，全台唯一閻羅天子巨像籌備中，四周環繞墓地，適合修不淨觀也。台灣首尊彰化八卦山大佛旁南天宮（1971）地府則是首座電動地府，規模精小但驚嚇度破表，略顯破敗但五光十色仍蠻凶悍，出自已故台南大道長金登富之作，而電動神明起始可追溯至1960年代北港朝天宮。倒是嘉義水上鄉白人牙膏觀光工廠「戴相府」、「將軍府」設置十殿地府出乎意料之外，乾淨亮麗、ㄧ殿ㄧ間、簡單樸實。由高雄蓮潭龍虎塔龍口入內可見全臺唯一交趾陶地獄牆面，尊尊栩栩如生，續入龍身乃進聞聲救苦白衣觀音大士三十三化身浮雕隧道，造型設色甚為古錐。高雄大岡山超峰寺入口處「西方三聖蓮池海會」（阿彌陀佛、觀世音菩薩、大勢至菩薩巨像）旁設靜態十殿閻羅（1970年代初），雖略為陳舊然韻味猶存，續往上行可抵「證菩提道－釋迦如來應化事迹」雕塑園區，一攬世尊畢生精華。如來年邁時，琉璃國王為報長期被釋迦族輕蔑之傲慢心，世尊雖三次單獨伽跌坐 阻擋大軍進攻之路，但因緣果報無法逆轉，昔日婢女所生王子瞋恨無以復加，還是滅了祖國。自持神通第一目犍連不忍無辜百姓慘遭屠殺，遂以缽盛救度五百族人，最終卻化為血水，佛言神通廣大仍不敵千百劫業力，因緣果報屢試不爽。其母死後墜入餓鬼道飢餓難耐，目犍連遂展神通救渡，但所食尚未入口皆化為赤火，佛陀囑咐農曆七月十五日僧眾解安居自恣日，於盆中設甘露美食供養十方僧眾，因此超度亡母。後世「盂蘭盆法會」乃至「水懺法會」、「瑜珈焰口法會 」皆為消業障、斷塵垢之超渡儀軌，既渡亡魂也自懺悔。

台南麻豆代天府規模宏大、造型豔麗，不但可遊十八層地獄尚可逛天堂（1979年興建，1983年開放)，燈光絢爛、聲響駭人，獨自漫步宛如觀落陰、地獄走一回。先過「心頭山」、入「清心池」、進「陰陽界」、抵「交簿廳」、達「鬼門關」、遊「補經所」、探「枉死城」、行「奈何橋」，至ㄧ殿泰廣王照「孽鏡台」現造惡原形，睹抱柱、火床等小地獄。二殿楚江王開「陰查簿 」判案定奪，觀糞尿泥、餓鬼、舞池、寒冰、膿血、鞭韃、舌犁、劍葉、戟腹拋接、砧截……等小地獄。三殿宋帝王刑罰為倒吊、銅鐵刮臉、挖眼、搗樁、倒烤、吸血、穿肋、抽筋、蛆蛀等小地獄……兼遊「四生（胎、卵、濕、化）回魂府」。四殿五官王掌管腰斬、拔舌、沸湯、刺嘴、剝皮、箭樹、車崩、射眼……等十六小地獄。隨五殿森羅王豋「望鄉臺」回眸親人最終眼後觀擊膝、誅心、刀山、飛刀火石……小地獄。六殿卞城王別稱「大叫喚大地獄」，轄火牛、虎啖、噬腎、鉗嘴含鍼、釘喉、磨摧、砍頭……等小地獄。七殿泰山王為「熱惱大地獄」，窺烙手指、抽腸、頂石蹲身、油釜滾烹、割舌穿腮……等十六小地獄。八殿都市王掌管「大熱惱大地獄」兼火狗、鐵汁、鐵蛇、鋸劈斷肢、釘板、灸脊、鐵丸、磅秤……等小地獄。九殿平等王直轄十八層「阿鼻大地獄」，直透地心、內中陰森、不見五指、滿溢地漿，皆為極犯，另轄紫赤毒蛇鑽孔、夾頂、鐵鴉、針雨、蜂蠍……等小地獄。至十殿輪轉王上「觀生臺」、「轉劫所八司」（查驗司 、稽善司 、考過司 、恩怨司 、壽命司 、支配司、掌劫司 、授生司）後至「孟婆亭」飲「醧忘湯」忘盡前塵往事，依前世功德過金、銀、玉、石、木、竹六種橋樑至「轉輪臺（紫河車）」入六道輪迴轉生投胎。據《十八泥犁經》記載，人過世後七七四十九天為「中陰生」，經閻羅王審判善惡業力判定去留或懲罰百千萬劫，犯五逆重罪則墮入「無間地獄（阿鼻地獄）」永劫不復。地藏王乃幽冥教主，統轄十殿閻羅，逢三曹普渡便在各殿設「講道所」超度尚存善根之鬼魂。

人類居於五趣（阿修羅、人、傍生、餓鬼、地獄）雜居地五濁惡世之堪忍世界，犯十惡業（殺生、偷盜、邪淫、妄語、兩舌、惡口、綺語、貪慾、嗔恚、愚痴）者必墮三趣惡道。如何出「三界」（欲界、色界、無色界）二十八天？凡人無此意識，別說能破「十二因緣」（無明、行、識、名色、六入、觸、受、愛、取、有、生、老死）還滅門，更別想斷除「四聖諦」（苦、集、滅、道）集地八十一品見惑與八十八使思惑（五利使-身見、邊見、邪見、見取見、戒禁取見、五鈍使-貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑），了悟「五蘊」（色、受、想、行、識）本空、「十二入」（眼、耳、鼻、舌、意、色、聲、香、味、觸、法）空、「十八界」空，破俱生我執與分別我執、法執甚至空執，生十一處「善心所」（信、精進、慚、愧、無貪、無瞋、無痴、輕安、不放逸、行捨、不害），降二十六處「惡心所」（貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑、惡見、忿、恨、覆、惱、嫉、慳、誑、諂、害、憍、無慚、無愧、掉舉、惛沉、不信、懈怠、放逸、失念、散亂、不正知），須知善根斷盡則陷永劫輪迴、無垠轉世之苦。

地獄可能空滅嗎？若地獄空乏人間多鬼怪，地獄淨空世間何嘗非淨土？若能證空性何處現地獄？

地獄曠古來便廣泛流傳各部族間，老死生滅為自然運行之基礎、宇宙意識之核心，然今文明昌盛如咱城邦並非慾望消弭之所，惡性所及實無可根除，礙於憲法國家法律社會軍隊企業公司學校家庭團體之層層束縛不亞於十八層，乃遁於壓抑、束己情懷，暗埋心底、日久貪嗔痴慢疑怨噌會疊穢。而六塵未熄，心多妄念，妖魔鬼怪魑魅魍魎孤魂閃靈出沒於荒郊乃至人間，會靈於曠野密林以增性靈乃出世高人修煉之舉，我等凡人擅闖宛如迪士尼般之人造地獄，三魂七魄尚不足以出竅，驚邪恐怖淒厲猙獰倒滿足了自以為是的慚愧，豈不謬哉？

病毒肆虐年半有餘，全球確診者逼近一億八千萬，枉死者近四百萬，堪比戰爭規模，望眾生發慈悲心、令往生者安息、善待其他物種、平等有情眾生。地獄本空，唯妄念生起一切羨慕嫉妒恨而地獄現前。盡以此書作為世界新冷戰獨裁者、超限戰者、暗網駭客、陰險狡猾冷嘲熱諷落井下石者之良知備忘錄矣。

姚瑞中寫於2021年端午節

Postscript

I have been living recklessly in Taiwan for more than fifty years. According to Zi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology), Tan Lang is the sole star in my house of Self. This star, which represents xxx, forms an equilateral triangle with that star Qi Sha and Po Jun on the square chart and constitutes a Sha Po Lang pattern. The pattern indicates a kind of turbulence and change, a life of wandering with ups and downs and it tells a lot about my life. After my ill-fated youth, I started from scratch and traveled around the world with exhibitions that I participated. Like a flaneur, I wandered around ruins, nature, and temples with every type of film camera obliviously. Thus, I founded the Hall of Illusion and claimed to be the master of the hall. Several times a day, I pondered a quote from the Diamond Sutra, “Everything with form is unreal.” In addition, I usually stayed in the darkroom developing film and enlarging those negatives overnight. However, I treasured the simplicity of the black and white world. The earthly, gaudy, garish, phony and pleasing qualities within colored photos make the images even more realistic than the real world. It is not my cup of tea, so I seldom took colored photos. In Confucian thought, the age of fifty marks the stage knowing the mandate of Heaven. I am now at my fifties and realize how ephemeral human life is. However, I am not an immortal, nor having sagelike characteristics. I just learned that the stage of stainless (the second bhūmi) and develop a pure mind that is free from doubt and defilement. However, I’m still far from the immovable state and need to practice.

In the summer of 2017, after filming the work Incarnation, I experienced a severe heart rhythm problem which almost triggered myocardial infarction and could have killed me. Consequently, I realized that death was waiting for me and the life is too short to figure out how I can liberate myself from the cycle of Birth and Death. I couldn’t comprehend how to be free from all afflictions and worries and how to avoid delusive ideas. I wept for three days and nights after being enlightened by Shakyamuni Buddha. Up to the moment, I felt ashamed that I failed to realize that the self is as insignificant as dust after these years learning and practicing Buddhism. Since then, I have visited famous temples and monasteries in my spare time, worshiping Buddha, Bodhisattvas, arhats, and all the deities and immortals. Taiwan’s temples are myriad with a enormous number of sects, including Buddhism, Taoism, Yiguandao, Catholicism, Christianity, Chinese religions of fasting, Islam& Baháʼí Faith, Confucianism, Tiandiism& Tian-De Teachings, Xiwangmu cult, Yellow Emperor Sect, Precosmic Salvationism, Liism, World Wide Ethical Society, séance cult, etc. Some people even claim that they can mediate communication between the deities or spirits of the dead with human beings, having their believer rely on themselves instead of the orthodox dharma or dogma and pay excessive respect and admiration for the mediums or objects, accumulating wealth through such an unfair means or even harassing their believer sexually. Due to Taiwan’s historical changes, social turbulence, political struggles, and ideological issues, Buddhism and Taoism are somehow mixed. However, there are few emphases on the concept of the hell. As I took photographs of Yama of each court, judges, wardens of the underworld, jailers, General Fan and Hsieh (the ghost escorts) and all sinners, I found few temples cleverly created hellish scenes that are intriguing, exaggerating, and extraordinary. However, the creations are unparalleled unique. I have been studying Western arts for decades and then I came to realize that simplicity makes the most beautiful works of art. These hellish scenes can even compete with works of Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337) and Michelangelo Di lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475-1564).

Jingang Temple Shimen District, founded in 1986, overlooks the beautiful North shore. Although the temple is mainly dedicated to Phra Phrom (the Thai representation of Mahabrahma), spirits of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism can also be founded in the temple. The worshipper can go cross the Seven Star bridge to relieve bad luck, walk along the five hundred arhat statues and knock on the gong to affirm one’s Buddha nature. Furthermore, the worshipper can also prostrate themself before Asia’s largest statue of Buddha in Nirvana (the Reclining Buddha statue) and pacify the Taoist Tai Sui deity of the year. I was impressed by the Jia-Zi Tai Sui General that a pair of palms grow out of his eyes. In 1994, the biō-kong (the person taking charge of the temporal affairs of a temple) received a divine inspiration from Yama (the King of Hell) that he had to build a sacred hall in the shape of a divine dragon, with the interior designed according to the World of Ultimate Bliss and the Underworld. When the visitor walks in the dark hallway, they will see the tortured people (dioramas, of course) scrunching their faces and crying bitterly and loudly in excessive grief as the visitor triggers the mechanism. One will even find them in the midst of flesh, body liquid and blood, mutilated limbs, and rotten corpses. While each of the ten Yamas are focusing on their own duties, showing their sacred dignity that collect visitors’ attention. The Baogong Temple in Linkou District, New Taipei City exclusively features colorful depiction of hellish scenes in relief in Taiwan. With its pastel shades and cartoon-like style, the relief is both grotesque and adorable at the same time. This temple is dedicated to Bao Zhen (also known as Justice Bao) representing the incarnation of Yama. Living people who have been treated unjustly can come worshipping Bao Gong and receive exorcism. Therefore, many people come here for seeking to solve unsolved cases. In Zhongyuan Festival (the ghost festival), the temple will burn the Zhizha (paper craft) boat to ferry the ghosts to the other shore, which is the shore of enlightenment. The only giant statue of Yama in Taiwan is still in the making. The temple is surrounded by a cemetery, suitable for meditating on the loathsomeness and impurity. Nantian Temple (1971), located next to the Eight Trigram Mountains Buddha in Changhua, features the first animatronic underworld. Despite the small size, the animatronic underworld is intensely shocking. Though it’s slightly worn, the colorful dioramas are still brutally ferocious. The creator was the late venerable Dao Zhang (Taoist priest) Jing Deng-fu while the origin of animatronic deities can be traced back to the 1960s Beigang Chaotian Temple. On the contrary, the Whiteman Toothpaste Tourism Factory in Shuishang Township, Chiayi, features ten Yamas with individual booth. The place is unexpectedly clean and polished yet keeps a simple and modest tone. Then, the Dragon Pagoda of the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas at Lotus Lake in Zuoying, Kaohsiung, holds the only relief of hellish scenes made of Kochin ceramic. All the figures are vivid and life-like. If one goes further into the pagoda, they will see a relief tunnel of the thirty-three incarnations of the white-robed form of Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara) on a white lotus, with a lovely and interesting design. Another Hall of Yama is built in the 1970s next to the entrance of Dagangshan Chaofeng Temple, located in the Alian District of Kaohsiung. Visitors will also see three statues of the Three Holy Ones of the Western Pureland (Amitābha, Avalokiteśvara, Mahāsthāmaprāpta) which assemble at a lotus pond. Although the hellish scene looks somewhat antiquated, you may still find its previous charm. If one goes further, they will reach the sculptural garden of “Attaining the Bodhi Way: the Incarnation of Sakyamuni Buddha,” where the visitor can see the essence of Bhagavato’s (meaning the Blessed one, one of the common epithets for Buddha) life. When Tathāgata (another epithet for Buddha) was old, the king of Kosala wanted to avenge the arrogance of the tribe of Shakyas who had long despised him, regarding him as a son of a maiden. Although Buddha has sat in lotus position alone three times to stop the army from attacking his tribe. However, one can never reverse the cause and following karma. The prince born of a maiden was so furious that he eventually destroyed his homeland. Maudgalyāyana (one of the Buddha’s closest disciples), who is said to have had supernatural abilities that surpassed the other disciples, could not bear to see the slaughter of innocent people. Thus, he saved five hundred people of his tribe with a pātra (an eating utensil of Buddhist monks). Unfortunately, everything he did was in vain, those who were saved eventually turned into a puddle of blood. The Buddha said that the supernatural abilities cannot surpass the power of karma. The cause and effect work all the time. When Maudgalyāyana’s mother fell into the path of hungry ghost, he used his supernatural abilities to save his mother from hunger. However, all the food turned into fire before being fed to his mother. Later, the Buddha commanded the monks to put nectar and dishes in a basin on the 15th day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar for the monks from all directions to free his mother from reincarnation. In later times, the Ullambana Dharma Service, the Compassionate Samadhi Water Repentance, and the Yoga Collection for Feeding the Searing Mouths Dharma Service are rituals to eliminate karmic hindrance and to cease to worldly delusions. Through such practices, one can free the dead as well as confess their repentance.

Madou Daitian Temple is a magnificent and colorful temple in Tainan. Not only can the worshippers visit the eighteen levels of Hell but also the Heaven (it was built in 1979 and inaugurated in 1983) here. The lighting and sound effects are stunning and frightening. When walking alone in the space, one may feel like taking a Guan Luo Yin trip (a Taoist necromancy which leads people’s spirits to hell and communicate with the dead ones) to visit the underworld prison. Before arriving the first court of the underworld, the visitor will walk through the Mountain of Heart Summit, the Pure Heart Pond, the Frontier between the Living and the Dead Realms, the Soul Registry Hall, the Portico of Demons, the Center for Complementary Teaching of Canonical Books, the Citadel of Premature Death, and the Bridge of Vanity. When one arrives at the first court, they will see King Chin-guang, who is in charge of the court, using the Mirror of Retribution to show the earthly form of evil creatures and also witness the sub-hell of Pillar-Holding and Fire Bed, etc. At the second court, King Chu-jiang collates the register of sins the souls of the dead have committed to impose the punishments. Here, you will see the sub-hell of Excrement and Urine, Hungry Ghost, Burning Dance Floor, Ice, Pus and Blood, Whipping, Tongue-Raking, Sword Blade, Stomach-Piercing, Chopping, etc. Next, the dead at the third court, ruled by King Song-di, will receive the punishments including inversion tortures, face-skinning with steel and copper knife, eye-wrenching, pounding, blood-sucking, rib-piercing, roasting, tendon-taking, being eaten by maggots. The visitor can pay a visit to the Palace of Soul-Resuscitation for the Four Forms of Creatures (birth from an egg, birth from a womb, birth from moisture, and birth by transformation). King Wu-guan is in charge of the fourth court. There are sixteen sub-hells at the fourth court including Waist Chop, Tongue Removal, Boiling Pond, Mouth-stabbing, Skin-peeling, Sword Tree, Burning Wheels and Cart, Eye-shooting, etc. Next, at the fifth court, sinful souls are allowed to ascend the Tower of Hometown-Viewing to take a final look of their family. The visitor will witness sub-hells of Knee-striking, Heart-slicing, Blade Mountain, Flying Swords and Burning Stones, etc. The King of Bian City takes charge of the sixth court, which is also known as the “Great Hell of Screaming,” with sub-hells including Fire Cattle, Tiger-Biting, Kidney-Eating, Mouth-Poking, Throat-Nailing, Iron Mill, Decapitation, etc. The King of Tai-shan is in charge of the seventh court, the “Great Hell of Heat and Fire.” The sixteen sub-hells at this court include Finger-Searing, Bowel-Hauling, Stone-Bearing, Boiling Oil, Tongue-Removal and Cheek-Piercing, etc. Next, the King Du-shi is in charge of the eighth court, the “Great Hell of Intense Fire and Heat,” and the sub-hells including Fire Dogs, Molten Iron, Iron Snakes, Dismemberment, Steel Spikes, Burning-Marrow, Iron Ball, Scale, etc. The ninth court is ruled by the King Ping-deng. It is known as the biggest court, Avici Hell (the Hell of Incessant Suffering), which if the lowest level of the hell realm and the interior is gloomily and terrifyingly dark. Those who committed the most serious evil deed will be sent to the Avici Hell. Sub-hells such as Poisonous Snake, Brain-Removal, Crow-Gnawing, Raining Needles, Wasps and Scorpions are included at this court. After arriving the tenth court, ruled by the Great King of the Reincarnation Palace, one can visit the “Observatory of Life on earth” and the “eight bureaus of the Reincarnation Palace” (including the Bureau of Judicial Control, the Bureau of Good-Actions, the Bureau of Bad-Actions, the Bureau of Debts, Gratitude, and Vengeance, the Bureau of Longevity and Destiny, the Bureau of Familial Ties, the Bureau of the Reincarnated, and the Bureau of Birth). The sinful one will be sent to the Pavilion of Mengpo and made to drink the Soup of Forgetfulness to forget all past affairs. According to the sinful one’s merits of previous life, they will go across one of the six bridges (gold, silver, jade, stone, wood, bamboo) to the “Reincarnation-Wheel (Wheel on the Crimson River).” Finally, one is able to reborn in the six realms. According to the Aṣṭadaśa nāraka sutra ( the Eighteen Hells Sutra), after one passes away, they will enter an intermediate and transitional state between death and rebirth, known as antarābhava in Sanskrit, for forty-nine days. The being will be evaluated by Yama, who will decide if one should get reborn or get punished at the hell. Those who committed the Five Grave Offenses (killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, killing an Arhat, shedding the blood of a Buddha, and creating a schism within the community of Buddhist monks and nun who practice for attaining enlightenment.) will be sent to the Avici Hell and stay there eternally. Kṣitigarbha is the Lord of the Nether World, ruling the ten court of Hell. The lord will set up the “Hall of Teaching” at each court to salvage those sinful ones who still obtain few merits at the offering rituals.

Human beings live the Sahā world (sahāloka in Sanskrit, meaning “endurance of suffering,” a concept of mundane world in Mahāyāna Buddhism) where they share with other reincarnations (including beings of the hells, of the preta, and of malevolent nature spirits) with five turbidities (the Kalpa turbidity, the view turbidity, the affliction turbidity, the living beings turbidity, and the life turbidity). Those who commit the ten evil deeds (killing, stealing, adultery, lying, using immoral language, slandering, equivocating, coveting, anger, and false views) must fall into the three evil paths (animals, preta, and hell). However, how can one escape from the three realms/ twenty-eight heavens (including the six heavens of the desire realm, the eighteen heavens of the form realm, and the four heavens of the formless realm)? Worldly people who don’t have such an awareness cannot leave the cycle of the twelve nidanas (meaning causes or motivations), let alone eliminate the eighty-one afflictions (that have been produced due to misunderstanding regarding reality) and the eighty-eight illusions (including five afflictions of advanced practitioners, also known as five views: view of self, extreme view, evil view, view of attachment to views, and view of morality; and five unintelligent temptations: desire, anger, stupidity, arrogance, and doubt) of thought within the three realms and four Arya satyas (noble truths, including suffering, arising, ending, and path). They cannot realize that the essence of the five skandhas (referring to aggregates of clinging, including the matter of form, sensation, recognition, mental formation, and consciousness) , the twelve ayatana (meaning sense base, including six internal bases: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind and six external bases: visible objects, sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental objects), and the eighteen dhātavah (meaning compositional elements of human existence, including six consciousness, six faculties, and their objects) are the emptiness and the void. Furthermore, they cannot dispel the two reasons for clinging to the idea of the self and the attachment to elemental constructs and even believe in the two (false) tenets that that karma and nirvana are not real and that the ego and phenomena are real. As a consequence, they fail to develop the eleven wholesome mental factors (faith, energy, conscience, being ashamed, non-attachment, non-aggression, non-delusion, calmness, equanimity, conscientiousness, and non-injuriousness) and cease the sixteen unwholesome mental factors (desire, greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt, wrong view, wrath, enmity, hypocrisy, vexation, jealousy, parsimony, deceit, flattery, harming, ambitiousness, stupidity, lacking of faith, idleness, being unrestrained, forgetting, distraction, non-discernment, ). One must bear in mind that once all our virtuous roots are discontinued, they will be trapped in the never-ending reincarnation and the suffering of infinite continuity.
Is it possible that the hell will be empty one day? If the beings in hell will become extinct while evil spirits inhabit the mundane world, the world could be considered as a pure land. If we could witness the nature of the void, then hell will exist no more.
Since ancient times, the concept of hell has been widely spread among all tribes. Aging, death, beginning, and end are the basis of nature and the core of cosmic consciousness. However, the prosperous civilization as our island is not a place where desire can be eliminated. It’s impossible to eradicate evil nature. Since fetters brought by the constitution, the state, the law, society, the military, corporations, schools, families, and groups are not less than the eighteen levels of hell, the mortals repress themselves, bury their feelings. Day after day, greed, anger, stupidity, arrogance, doubt, and resentment are stacking. However, since the six dust (visible objects, sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental objects) has not yet been extinguished, people in the mundane world are still full of delusions. The demons, devils, evil spirits, and the wondering dead exist in the wilderness, while only advanced practitioners with transcendent would attempt to make contact with the dead in the wasteland and forest. Worldly people like us trespass in Disneyland-like man-made hell. It is absurd and ridiculous that the hellish scenes cannot stop us from perpetrating evil deeds, but the horrific and cruel scenes yet satisfy our self-righteous shame.

The pandemic has been boiling over for more than a year and a half. The number of infected patients worldwide is nearly a hundred and eighty million, and the death toll has risen to four million, which is equivalent to a war crisis. I hope that we can all be compassionate, give peace to the dead, treat all sentient beings well and equally. The hell is innately empty; however, deluded and misleading thoughts would give rise to all jealousy and hatred and then manifest the hell before us. This book merely serves as a memorandum of conscience for dictators of the world’s new cold war, supporters of unrestrained warfare, dark web hackers, and those who are cunning and contemptuous and maltreat others when knowing they have problems.

June 2021,

Yao Jui-chung

每周六晚上七點半上新的一集喔！

這次住朋友的民宿：

樸寓popinn
台南市安平區建平十七街243號


離開了阿里山，來到歷史悠久的府城台南，聽說這邊有一條大龍下藏了三個舊時代的類鬼屋設施，我們去看看吧！

前七集我從基隆出發，去了桃園的後厝港、苗栗的玉清宮、台中、南投橋聳雲天、雲林金光大佛和五年千歲暴龍公園、信仰堡壘北港朝天宮、嘉義的巨大三國英雄神像，試吃知名嘉義火雞肉飯！後來上了阿里山一探廢棄鐵道眠月線，迷路遇到了廢棄的學校，遇到了台灣特有的動誤，也好好的看了奮起湖和神社遺跡，還沒看的話別錯過前七集喔！


- 環島系列的由來 -

你也想過環島嗎？我想了很多次，但是一年拖過一年，擔心這擔心那，也懷疑自己真的能夠自己一個人在外面待那麼久不回家嗎？這一次，我不想再拖了，我是怎麼過這些日子的，影片裡好好一點一點的告訴大家吧！有疑問就留言吧。

台灣是我們的老家，藏著許多故事和美景，但卻常常被忽略，太可惜了。

我帶了許多自虐的攝影器材到了那些從小就好奇的城市、遺跡、海洋、山上、建築、信仰，想親自看看到底會遇到什麼樣的風景和人，跟我一起來吧！

環島共花了近一個月(有些素材則是更之前就拍了)，從基隆開始，走桃園、苗栗、台中等一路往南到墾丁再往東，值得去的地方太多，因此很多城市還是無法兼顧，我想以後還會有很多趟吧。


剪輯：Ouo Rastves
https://www.facebook.com/Rastves

封面文字：寒星
https://www.instagram.com/zizizizichan/
hanxxingchan@gmail.com

英文字幕翻譯：Cathy
英文字幕製作：Rayjay

喜歡的話記得留下你的感受和問題喔！你的支持，總是讓我很感動。


想看更多：

FB：https://www.facebook.com/XGVocal/ 電競說書人Vocal

IG：https://www.instagram.com/xgbboyvocal/


攝影器材：

機身：Canon EOS M50、iphone7+(成都、重慶vlog)、Canon EOS R(2019/10)、Osmo action(2020/01)

鏡頭：EF-M 11-22mm F4-5.6 IS、EF-M 22mm F2.0、EF-M 55-200mm F4.5-6.3、Bitplay HD超廣角2代(for iphone)、EF 16-35mm F4 IS L、RF 35mm F1.8 IS

穩定器：大疆Ronin SC(2019 8 )、智雲Weebill S(2019 11)

麥克風：Rode VideoMicro


Vocal與他的暹羅貓阿香：


Vol.1 接阿香回家 https://youtu.be/dKP-_PS4auU

Vol.2 同居生活開始 https://youtu.be/UA9xEYmlXzE

Vol.3 阿香吃雞了！ https://youtu.be/yaddB1rO-yo

Vol.4 貓生低潮！ https://youtu.be/iId1DVu6hdw

Vol.5 陽光小暹羅貓 https://youtu.be/Mcv-CqMh8ZI

Vol.6 阿香平時喝甚麼？ https://youtu.be/q5yQrDx1zPA

Vol.7 誰在跟蹤本貓？鬼鬼祟祟的！出來喔！https://youtu.be/hCE-x1JfgTI

Vol.8 小貓的第一次Petree自動廁所(貓砂盆)體驗！再也不用鏟屎啦！https://youtu.be/5XFKUa6qGz0

Vol.9 為了給貓跟我更好的環境，買了小米空氣清淨機！
https://youtu.be/UMb5hdFEzRc

Vol.10 誰說貓就愛吃罐頭的？
https://youtu.be/awvEPVzRdOk


人性系列：

Vol.1 除了加油，你還能怎麼安慰人？
https://youtu.be/QX3Dr6ThkrI

Vol.2 朋友？兄弟？閨密？你可以試試在出事的時候找他們看看。 https://youtu.be/ETB8QO8Td0A


旅行Vlog系列：

Vol.1 「凡事太盡，緣分勢必早盡。」 台灣人的四川成都風雲大佛之行！錦里吃擔擔麵！
https://youtu.be/yYcRpbZH2Co

Vol.2 穿過你家門口的霧都輕軌！台灣人的重慶「黃金甲」、「變形金剛」場景探險，老火鍋不能錯過！ https://youtu.be/hZgN-o3FJyI

Vol.3 警察出來洗地啦！去周星馳拍攝「功夫」場地玩，對比兩個不同年代，三個台灣小夥子的上海旅行！不可錯過的外灘夜景！ https://youtu.be/rrnlF6SsRsM

Vol.4 你受的了嗎？比猛獸還猛的孩子(氣)！三個台灣人的上海旅行最終章，超多汁的豫園小籠包！
https://youtu.be/-eViCDDNbgI

Vol.5 外內外跑法之北宜公路靈魂車手Feat小咖！一探隱密千島湖、坪林、基隆中正公園、通堂拉麵～
https://youtu.be/yy_pUDZMTCI

Vol.6 滿滿的台灣味就在這片！基隆人的侯硐貓村、九份、基隆廟口美食之旅。
https://youtu.be/y4LNW-q1qrY

Vol.7 台灣人的深夜驚悚北京上集，吃到平價但好吃的烤鴨！
https://youtu.be/6lC8V920Bh4

Vol.8 終於來到歷史中的帝王神宮紫禁城！三里屯、故宮之旅、懷念老歌金曲之北京下集
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gjLQ...


電競解說：

Vocal的西安TGA吃雞手遊和平精英決賽解說精華
https://youtu.be/LXF421q1fpM

華麗登台？你錯了，電競主播(解說)其實是這樣的！跟我來工作一天吧！上集。(PUBG M/吃雞)
https://youtu.be/MyB3IvnfFBY


華麗登台？你錯了，電競主播(解說)其實是這樣的！跟我來工作一天吧！下集。 Feat 阿梅、美少女宅宅
https://youtu.be/gVGhpszvLbY

海公園位於中華人民共和國北京市城區的中偏北部，故宮和景山的西北側，始建於宋遼金時代，是世界上現存建園時間最早的皇家宮苑。北海的布局以瓊華島為主體，在島的頂端建有標誌性建築永安寺白塔，與南岸的團城、北岸的宮苑群遙相呼應，相互借景，構成園林的南北中軸線。1969年至1979年，北海公園以「保護中南海安全」為由關閉，禁止遊人入內。1979年後北海公園重新對公眾開放。1996年，北海被列入聯合國教育科學文化組織世界文化遺產後備名錄。北海全園占地約70公頃，其中水域占據了一半以上的面積。太池中有瓊華、團城和犀山台三島，分別象徵著蓬萊、瀛洲和方丈，體現了對蓬萊仙境的追求。是一座純粹的人工園林，布局以水為主體，在太液池中布置島嶼，用橋和岸邊相連。太液池的池水原經金水河直接引自玉泉山，明代起取自積水潭。池中有瓊華、團城和犀山台三島，分別象徵著蓬萊、瀛洲和方丈，體現了對蓬萊意境的追求。它的建築風格受到一些江南園林的影響，但總體上仍然保持了北方園林持重端莊的特點。園內宗教色彩十分濃厚，不僅瓊華島上有永安寺，在北岸和東岸還有闡福寺、西天梵境、小西天、龍王廟、先蠶壇等佛教、道教建築，因此是一座集宮室、宅第、寺廟、園林於一體的宏大帝王宮苑。瓊華島位於北海的中偏南部，太液池中，是整座園林的核心。金代稱瓊華島，元代曾一度改名為萬壽山。「燕京八景」之一的「瓊島春蔭」指的就是湖心的瓊華島。瓊化島上的白塔也成為北海形象的代表。著名兒童歌曲《讓我們盪起雙槳》中的歌詞「讓我們盪起雙槳，小船兒推開波浪，水面倒映著美麗的白塔，四周環繞著綠樹紅牆」描繪的正是泛舟太液池的景致。島上建築均依山而建，高低錯落有致，大體可分為東南西北四個部分。瓊華島的西坡山腰有琳光殿、甘露殿、水精域、蟠青室等組成的建築群。其北側的閱古樓是座皇家藏書樓，平面呈半月形，共有兩層，上下共25間，左右合抱，內有螺旋樓梯。在樓內牆壁上鑲嵌了《三希堂法帖》刻石495方，囊括魏晉以來134位書法家的墨跡精華，其中王羲之《快雪時晴帖》、王獻之《中秋帖》、王珣《伯遠帖》等三件墨寶都堪稱稀世奇珍，被乾隆帝譽為「三稀」。
山的北坡分為山麓和臨水兩部分。山麓建築有抱沖室、一壺天地、酣古堂、盤嵐精舍、得勝樓等。在山坡下，是臨水而建的漪瀾堂、道寧齋、碧照樓、遠帆閣等一組亭台樓榭，風格參照了鎮江的金山寺。其兩側有長300米的半圓形雙層長廊，東西分別連接倚晴樓和分水閣，與太液池北岸的五龍亭、西天梵境等建築隔水相望，交相輝映。在西北側的山坡上還有乾隆時建造的仙人承露盤，是雕刻在蟠龍石柱上的一尊以雙手承托露盤的仙人像，總高5.5米。山的東坡建築不多，有智珠殿、半月城和見春亭等。這一片林木成蔭，怪石嶙峋，崖洞深邃，景色幽靜。「燕京八景」之一的「瓊島春蔭」就是指此，至今林蔭內還保留著一塊乾隆帝題詩的「瓊島春蔭」幢形碑。清順治八年（1651年）在萬壽山上建造了白塔，故山又名白塔山。瓊華島的山坡的南麓以永安寺為主體，有山門、鐘鼓樓、法輪殿、正覺殿、普安殿、善因殿等。所有殿宇均為歇山頂，並覆蓋了黃、綠、藍等各色琉璃瓦，從山頂俯瞰下去，色彩斑斕、蔚為壯觀。電影《祖國的花朵》中的插曲《讓我們盪起雙槳》中所指的白塔即為此。
在永安寺的後部、瓊華島的最頂端，矗立著高達35.9米的白塔。它是一座覆缽式塔，外形與妙應寺白塔頗為相似，但更為秀麗。永安寺白塔始建於清順治八年（1651年），是在原廣寒殿舊址的基礎上修建起來的。康熙十八年（1679年）和雍正九年（1731年）兩次因地震倒塌，後來都進行了重建。塔的基座是十字折角形的高大石砌須彌座，座上置覆缽式塔身。覆缽的正面有壺門式眼光門，內刻「十相自在」圖案。塔身上有高大挺拔的塔剎。剎座是一個小型須彌座，其上置由十三重相輪組成的細長「十三天」剎身。十三天之上覆以兩層銅製華蓋，下層周邊懸14個銅鈴。塔的頂端是仰月和鎏金火焰寶珠組成的剎頂。
西天梵境原名大西天禪林，建於明代，清乾隆二十四年（1759年）重修後改為今名。山門前有一座精美的琉璃牌坊，門內為天王殿和大慈真如殿，供三世佛和十八羅漢像，殿周圍有六十七間迴廊環抱。西天梵境的西側有一塊彩色琉璃磚影壁，稱作九龍壁，建於乾隆二十一年（1756年）。壁面闊25.86米，高6.65米，厚1.42米，廡殿頂，底為青白玉石台基，上有綠琉璃須彌座。壁面前後各有九條在雲霧中翻騰的蛟龍，是由424塊預製的七彩琉璃磚拼砌而成的，色彩絢麗，古樸大方。
團城位於北海的南側，北海與中海之間，是一座相對獨立的小園林。它原是太液池中的小島，稱作圓坻（意為水中的小塊地）。金大定三年（1163年）至十九年（1179年），開始在島上營建宮殿。元代增建了儀天殿，明代重修後改名為承天殿，並將東南兩處水面填為平地，四周加築帶雉堞垛口的城牆，形成一座微型城池。清代又修建了玉瓮亭、古籟堂、敬躋堂、余情齋、鏡瀾亭等屋舍，構成中軸對稱的格局。團城占地4553平方米，城台高出地面約5米。東西兩側的城牆下各開一座門，上建門樓，內有台階可登城台。位於平台中央的承光殿是城內的主體建築，始建於元，初為半圓形，康熙二十九年（1690年）重建後平面呈十字形。它的中間部分為方形，面闊進深各三間，四面各出抱廈一間，南面有月台。殿頂為重檐歇山頂，覆黃琉璃筒瓦，色彩絢麗、裝飾豪華。
承光殿內佛龕中供奉一尊用整塊白玉雕成的釋迦牟尼坐佛，高1.5米，重約2.5噸，相傳是光緒二十年（1894年）明寬和尚從緬甸募化而來獻給慈禧太后的。1900年八國聯軍曾劫掠北海的珍寶古玩，至今玉佛的左臂尚留有當時的刀痕。在殿前有一座玉瓮，名「瀆山大玉海」，高0.7米，重約3500公斤，系用整塊墨玉雕成，是中國現存形體最大的古代玉器。它的原材重達5噸，元世祖忽必烈下令將其雕為玉海，於元世祖至元二年（1265年）完成，運至大都，放於廣寒殿內。大玉海顏色青綠，上雕龍螭象徵蒙古汗，羊、鯉魚、犀牛、海螺、河蚌、蟾蜍、馬、兔等在波濤中參拜龍王。明代末年，廣寒殿被燒毀，瀆山大玉海流落民間。後被北京西華門外真武廟的道人發現，以為是一個普通石瓮，遂帶回作為鹹菜缸。清代乾隆帝訪得後以重金收購，置於團城建石亭保護，並且還親筆撰寫了兩首詩歌銘刻在玉瓮上。承光殿四周松柏蒼鬱，不少古樹都有數百年的歷史，古代帝王曾封以「遮蔭侯」、「白袍將軍」等官爵。
景山公園位於中國北京市西城區的景山前街，西臨北海，南與故宮神武門隔街相望，是元、明、清三代的御苑。公園坐落在明清北京城的中軸線上，公園中心的景山，曾是全城的制高點。在元、明、清三代，景山及其附屬建築不僅是一座供游賞的皇家園林，還具有習射、停靈、祭祖、官學、躬耕、戲曲、宗教等多重功能。目前公園占地23公頃，園內松柏蔥鬱，遊人如織，是北京皇城內獨具特色的所在。

中嶽廟，道教著名宮觀，位於河南省登封市嵩山太室山東麓，始建於秦代，已有2000多年歷史。是世界道教主流全真道的聖地，也是歷代皇帝祭祀中嶽神的地方。總面積達11萬平方米，居中原各祠宇之冠，亦是五嶽中現存規模最大、保存相對比較完整的古建築群。2010年8月1日聯合國教科文組織將包括中嶽廟在內的登封「天地之中」歷史建築群列為世界文化遺產。中嶽廟始建於秦朝，西漢元封元年（公元前110年）漢武帝劉徹游離嵩山時命令祠官恢復其舊制。東漢安帝元初五年（118年）增建「太室闕」；南北朝時期曾兩度遷址廟宇於嵩山玉案嶺、黃蓋峰。大約在北魏時期改為中嶽廟，後廟址復有變遷。唐玄宗時又回歸原址重建，並有擴建。宋乾德二年（964年）增建行廊100餘間，祥符六年（1013年）又增修崇聖殿及牌樓等800餘間，當時雕樑畫棟，是極盛時期。明代崇禎十七年（1644年）中嶽廟毀於大火。現存廟宇為清代重修後的規模。2001年被列入全國重點文物保護單位名單，2010年成為世界文化遺產。