The Pinacle of Little Potala

"The Putuo Zongcheng Temple was originally dedicated to Qianlong in order to commemorate his birthday, as well as provide Hebei with a temple of equal size and splendor as the Tibetan Potala Palace. The Putuo Zongcheng temple served more functions than just Buddhist ceremonies and festivals; it was also the location that the emperor would gather meetings of different ethnic envoys from within the empire. The location served as a peaceful getaway in contrast to the bustling life of the capital Beijing, as well as complimented the nearby hunting grounds that the emperor would enjoy with his hosts." - Taken from Wiki.

It was in the early afternoon out here in Chengde and I was really glad as there were less than 20 visitors in this entire temple. The sun was going in and out of the clouds and the gusts of wind against the flags told me one thing. This is romantic and one of the best shooting conditions available.

This lady here was manning the little store selling the usual souvenirs. Perhaps she is the only vendor selling souvenirs for miles on that day. It was towards the end of May and it does get really cold, even in the afternoon.

The Putuo Zongcheng Temple, 普陀宗乘之庙.
Chengde, Hebei province, China.

- Jon K. Stoutlager