[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The ancient Hanshan Temple Bell Ringing in Suzhou is one of China’s oldest and largest New Year festivals. In traditional Chinese culture, the stroke of midnight is celebrated by ringing the great bells of Buddhist temples.
According to Buddhist legend, each layman has 108 kinds of annoyance per year, and each bell tolling can help people dispel a kind of annoyance. One who listens to 108 bell tolls on the New Year Eve will have good luck and happiness in the coming year.
On December 31 every year, thousands of tourists gather inside and outside the temple to listen to 108 bell tolls at the same time, praying for good luck and happiness in the coming year. At Hanshan Temple, an array of activities and performances have been arranged around the ringing to make it a fascinating and entertaining way to ring in the New Year.
