The Hanging Monastery in Shanxi, China, a marvel of ancient architecture precariously perched against a sheer cliff face. Photo Credit: Dreamstime
China is home to the five most sacred mountains, Heng Shan in Shanxi province. As it is so incredibly blessed, monks hundreds of years ago were determined to worship there. In 491 AD, monks used highly inventive and structurally sound engineering techniques to build a monastery that literally clings to the cliff face. They first bored holes deep into the mountainside and then inserted whole, stripped trees into the holes to create anchor points on which the construction's remainder was built. These particular monks were highly dedicated to silence, including hearing the noises of everyday life. It's safe to say they didn't hear squat from up there.
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