There is an ancient Buddhist temple deep in the mountains.
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history
Abbreviation of 阿兰若, a transliteration of Sanskrit araṇya 'forest, wilderness' - i.e. a place of quiet practice away from settlements. In Tang poetry it's a stock setting; pinyin is irregular: 若 here is read rě, not ruò.
culture
Famous in pop culture as the haunted temple 兰若寺 of 倩女幽魂 ('A Chinese Ghost Story', 1987 film), which itself draws on 蒲松龄's Qing-era 《聊斋志异》.
