Menghai

Menghai (méng hǎi 勐海) is one of three counties of Xishuangbanna. One architectural attraction to be found in Menghai County is the Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion. This Hinayana Buddhist temple which was constructed jointly by the Han and Dai people at the beginning of the eighteenth century, in honour of Sakyamuni and served as a meeting hall. It is located on a hill in Jingzhen village (about 87km from Jinghong).

Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion (jǐng zhēn sì 景真寺)

The pavilion is a three tiered half timbered structure about 20 meters tall. Each side if the octagon is decorated with exquisitely carved designs of animals such as elephants and tigers.

The outside of the pavilion and its roof are in-laid with multi-coloured glass and silver chips which lends it a wonderful shimmering quality in the sunlight. These are thought to ward of bad omens. Inside, there are various gilded pictures as well as four beautifully carved doors directed to the compass points. There is also a copper statue of Sakyamuni contained within a niche. Legend has it that the design for the pavilion was modeled on the shape of the hat he used to wear. Built in 1701, it was destroyed during a war in 1852, the pavilion was painstakingly restored to its former beauty and it is now a protected site of cultural and historic significance.

Entrance fee is 10 RMB. (Reductions are available for groups). 8am-6pm.

Tengchong

Tengchong County (Téngchōng Xiàn 腾冲县) is situated in Baoshan City, western Yunnan Province, China. It is well known for its volcanic activity. It borders with Burma in the northwest with a boundary line of 151 kilometres long. It is 750 kilometres away from the provincial capital Kunming and 160 kilometers westward from Baoshan city.