Chengtian temple in Quanzhou

Chengtian temple, also known as platform temple, is located in the southeast of Chongyang gate in Quanzhou City, Fujian Province. In the Five Dynasties, this place was the South Garden reserved for the special envoys. Later Zhou Xiande years (954-960) rebuilt into a Buddhist temple, initially known as "South Temple.". In 1007, it was named Chengtian temple. In the reign of song Jiayou (1056-1063), it was once renamed "Nengren Temple", and in the seventh year of Zhenghe (1117), it was renamed "Chengtian Temple". In the Song Dynasty, Chengtian temple was full of incense and grand halls. There were ten sceneries, including banyan path in the afternoon, Yansong breeze, pagoda without bird habitat, Yaotai moon, rolling curtain in the morning, tupeng evening rain, plum shadow in Fangchi, bamboo sound in Xiaoan, Yingshan dusk cloud and stone like parrot.

Chengtian Temple

synonym

Chengtian temple in Quanzhou generally refers to Chengtian Temple (a temple in Quanzhou City, Fujian Province)

Chengtian temple, also known as platform temple, is located on the east side of Nanjun Lane opposite Chengtian Lane in the center of Quanzhou City, Fujian Province. It was built from the end of Baoda to the beginning of Zhongxing (957-958 A.D.) in the Southern Tang Dynasty. It has been rebuilt many times in the past dynasties. It is also known as the three jungles of Quanzhou together with Kaiyuan Temple and Chongfu temple. It has such wonders as "spotless" and "Mei Shi Sheng Xiang".

Chengtian temple was built from the end of Baoda period to the beginning of Zhongxing period (957-958) in the Southern Tang Dynasty. It was initially named "Nanchan Temple". Chengtian temple was named in 1007, the fourth year of Jingde in the Northern Song Dynasty. Its scale is second only to Kaiyuan Temple, and it is one of the three largest jungles in Southern Fujian.

Historical origin

Chengtian temple, also known as platform temple, is located in the southeast of Chongyang gate and the east side of Nanjun lane.

Chengtian temple has been built and abandoned for thousands of years, but the scale of construction is getting larger and larger. Together with Kaiyuan Temple and Chongfu temple, Chengtian temple is known as the "three jungles of Quanzhou". In its heyday, there were more than 40 temples, and many famous monks at home and abroad went out of their courtyards. During the cultural revolution, temples were destroyed, Maitreya hall, Fatang, bell and Drum Tower, veranda and mountain Pavilion tower were destroyed, and others were used as houses and factories.

Chengtian temple was rebuilt at its original site in 1985. Chengtian temple has a quiet environment, which is quite like mountains and forests in the city. It is a rare garden edge in downtown area. Chengtian temple, known as the "urban mountain forest", has ten unique sceneries: the breeze of Yansong, the plum shadow of Fangchi, the rolling curtain facing the sun, the afternoon shade of Rongjing, the bird without perch in the pagoda, the bright moon in Yaotai, the rainy night in tupeng, the sound of bamboo in Xiaoan, the parrot singing at dusk, and the stone like parrot. Wang Shipeng, the governor of Quanzhou in the Southern Song Dynasty, summed up the ten scenes and wrote ten "ten strange" poems, seven rhythms and ten poems. Later, Zhang ruitu, a calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty, engraved the ten scenes on the tablet and passed them on to later generations. However, some people think that "platform reflection", "spotless" and "Mei Shi Sheng Xiang" are each one of the ten scenes.

Chengtian temple, an ancient temple in Southern Fujian, is located on the east side of Nanjun Lane opposite Chengtian Lane in central Quanzhou. It was originally the South Garden of the Five Dynasties. From the end of Baoda period to the beginning of Zhongxing period (957-958), Nanchan temple was built in the Southern Tang Dynasty. Chengtian temple was named in 1007, the fourth year of Jingde in the Northern Song Dynasty. Its scale is second only to Kaiyuan Temple, and it is one of the three largest jungles in Southern Fujian. Because there is the word "platform" on the horizontal plaque of the first Mountain Gate of the temple, it is also called platform temple.

After many repairs

In the Yuan Dynasty, there was a seven level Pagoda in the temple. In the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, an additional tanyue temple was built. However, it was repeatedly burned by soldiers and repaired in successive dynasties. The existing temple was rebuilt in 1692. There are seven stone pagodas and stone Scripture buildings in the temple. There are two "release pools" in front of daxiongbao hall, and two "Feilai towers" beside the pools. There is also a legend about the origin of the two towers: it is said that in those days, there was a monk from Taiwan who held the two towers in his hands and made love in all directions. One day, the twin towers disappeared.

Later, the Buddha gave him a dream, saying that he could only return to the pagoda if he found the treasure temple and the real place to live. Later, the monk from Taiwan went to Quanzhou to find Chengtian temple, and settled there. Soon, as expected, the twin towers came and stood in front of the main hall. Hence the name "Feilai tower".

Folklore

It is said that when the temple was built, because of its large scale, it needed countless timber. For this reason, a monk named Dedao went to Shanshan mountain in Northern Fujian Province to seek alms from the mountain master. With a hypocritical attitude, the mountain Master said harshly, "if you can break the tail of those big fir trees you need, I can give alms and listen to you cut them down."

After the monk made an agreement with the mountain master, the practice of that night, the wind swept, the end of the giant fir was broken, the mountain master still sneered and said: "the tree can be cut down, and see how you carry it away?" However, monk Dedao bumped into the giant fir with his Zen stick, and the giant fir disappeared immediately. However, in the Dragon King well of Quanzhou South Zen temple, it floated out one by one, and the wood for building the temple was thus sufficient.

Address: No.36, Nanjun Road, Licheng District, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province

Longitude: 118.593731

Latitude: 24.907574

Tel: 0595-22278375; 0595-2

Chinese PinYin : Quan Zhou Cheng Tian Si