Web Exclusive
Monks get new apartments in ancient temple
By Zhang Jiawei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-04-12 15:12
 |
Large Medium Small |
A six-story modern apartment has been set up in the Rongwo Monastery, a temple with a history of more than 7,000 years, to accommodate its 180 monks in Northwest China's Qinghai province, the Xinhua News Agency reported Monday.
Located in Qinghai's Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, the Rongwo Monastery is the most famous Buddhist temple in Qinghai and has 23 scripture and Buddha halls, but the monks' accommodation has always been a problem.
A monk who has lived in the Rongwo Monastery since he was 14 years old said there were only two Buddha halls when he first came to the temple, and dozens of monks had to sleep together in a 10-square-meter adobe house while some others stayed in nearby villagers' homes. "I can move into the apartment at the second half of this year," he said.
The Huangnan government allocated 8.5 million yuan ($1.25 million) to the temple for its new apartments in 2009.
"Each monk will have a well-equipped 38-square-meter room," said a person in charge of the temple. The government has also invested more than 10 million yuan for the maintenance of the temple, he added.
