'Cradle of Chinese Buddhism' embraces world (2)

"I love this idea. We can get a good look at foreign temples without going abroad," said Li Na, a tourist. But the 36-year-old bank employee from Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, said she expected more than just fascinating buildings.

"Right now, only the Indian garden is open, and it looks rather empty inside. But it's their cultures that interest me most," she said.

Tang, the tourist, said: "We come here to appreciate not only the architecture, but also the deeper Buddhist messages. Most of us are not familiar with Buddhism in India. Maybe Baima Temple can do more to help visitors learn about foreign Buddhist cultures, inviting monks from abroad to present their Buddhist practices during peak tourist seasons."

With the opening of more foreign gardens, some tourists worry that ticket prices will rise.

"They will stay at the present level, 50 yuan, for a few years, and no extra fees will be charged to enter the International Temples Zone," said Hu Xuanyan, an official from Luoyang religious affairs bureau.

The temple receives about 1 million tourists a year, which brings it an annual income of 20 million yuan.

"The foreign temples are great news for me. People can worship Buddha as is done in different countries - and I believe all the world's Buddhists belong to one family," said Shi Chengjuan, 46, a Buddhist and frequent visitor to Baima Temple.

Zhang Zong, a researcher specializing in Buddhist fine arts at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, also welcomed the move to build the International Temples Zone.

"It will be a center of communication among religious groups from different countries. Tourists will gain eye-opening experience and knowledge of the historical ties and development of Buddhism in China, Asia as a whole and beyond," Zhang said.