Sense of calm

Observing the murals of Fahai Temple is more than just a tourist experience, as they convey spiritual aspects of Buddhism. The giant Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, nearly 2 meters tall, stand with dignified and benevolent faces, their robes adorned with intricate patterns traced in gold.

"The brush strokes, smooth, free and soft, combined with the delicate and complete depiction, conveyed to me a peaceful Buddhist world, and a sense of calm," said Shen.

Angela Latham, a British journalist who explored Fahai Temple early last century, was amazed by the preserved Ming dynasty murals. "The vastness of the intricately-woven composition, its grace and dignity, seem the work of some divine artist," Latham wrote in an article published in the Illustrated London News in February 1937.