A Millennium-Old Temple Under the Golden Autumn Ginkgo Trees

Stepping into this ancient temple with a history of over 1,400 years, time seems to slow down. The inverted Guanyin statue in the Mani Hall made me pause for a long time—her compassionate gaze looking down upon all beings, serene yet full of endless charm. Turning to the backyard, when I saw the 21.3-meter-tall bronze statue of the Thousand-Hand Thousand-Eye Guanyin with my own eyes, I almost held my breath. Sunlight poured through the gaps in the roof, shining on the statue’s slightly upturned lips. At that moment, the devotion of the craftsmen from a thousand years ago transcended time and touched my heart deeply. On the way back from Longxing Temple, I accidentally wandered into a place full of ginkgo trees. After asking around, I found out this was actually the site of North China University, the campus of North China University (the predecessor of Renmin University of China) in 1948. It was the church of French missionary Jean-Baptiste Régis from the eighth year of the Xianfeng reign (1858). It was also the royal palace on the pilgrimage route to Mount Wutai in the 47th year of the Kangxi reign (1708). The imperial well from three hundred years ago still remains, but the past has become empty, like a dream. After it was completely dark, I climbed the South City Gate. The ancient city at this moment was completely different from the daytime—the lights outlined the silhouettes of ancient pagodas, temples, and city walls, making the entire Zhengding look dreamlike. Longxing Temple, Lingxiao Tower, and Hua Tower shone brightly in the night, with modern lighting technology perfectly blending with ancient architecture, preserving the ancient charm while adding new ideas. Finally, I have to praise the hotel I booked this time. Hello Hotel was something I stumbled upon online by chance. I didn’t expect a casually booked hotel to exceed my expectations. When I opened the door, I was stunned. The room was much more spacious and brighter than I imagined, with floor-to-ceiling windows letting in plenty of light. This completely shattered my impression of a “randomly booked hotel.” It’s not luxurious, but every detail reveals the staff’s care and good taste, offering a “just right” comfort and appropriateness. It turns out the best surprises sometimes really lie in an “unintentional choice.” This hotel called Hello Hotel truly made my travel time stop at a beautiful moment. Next time I come, I definitely won’t “book casually” again—I will head straight here without hesitation.