Zhongmiao

Zhongmiao

Zhongmiao is also called shenglao temple

Zhongmiao is 48 kilometers away from Chaohu City. In ancient times, it lived in the middle of Chaozhou and Luzhou, so it was called "Zhongmiao", known as "the most beautiful place in the lake". Due to the strong fragrance in the past dynasties, it is known as "South Jiuhua, North Temple". The Zhongmiao temple was built in the second year of chiwu in the eastern Wu Dynasty. The temple, rebuilt in the first year of the Dragon era of the late Tang Dynasty, is extremely beautiful. In the second year of Baoda University in the Southern Tang Dynasty, it was rebuilt. There were 6 rows and 24 rooms in total. The statues of "red face, pink eyebrows and willow green eyebrows" stand in the treasure room and are listed in the incense altar. In the Yuan Dynasty, the temple base circle was arched into a bridge, which was called "Aobei cave", and a hall was built on the cave. In the Qing Dynasty, there were "Jiege, Baidian, Tingting and lanxie" in the temple. In the 15th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu, Li Hongzhang proposed to raise funds for reconstruction. There are three halls, namely the front hall, the middle hall and the back hall, with more than 70 rooms. The back hall has three storeys of Sutra Pavilion, eight windows, four corner cornices and corner bells.

geographical position

Zhongmiao

It is also known as shenglao temple and Zhongmiao temple. It is located in Chaohu City, Anhui Province, 48 kilometers away from Chaohu City. In ancient times, it lived between Chaozhou and Luzhou, so it is called "Zhongmiao". The temple was built in the first year of Dade in the Yuan Dynasty (1297) and rebuilt in the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty (1506-1521). It was a grand temple in Luzhou, and is known as "the first place of Lake heaven". There is a poem that says: "on the lake, tall buildings open on all sides, and the setting sun moves back to its head. Qi swallow Wu and Chu thousand sails fall, affect the stars five nights. Luo Yin's poems are still in the water hall, while Boyang fairy goes to shankuma. Long sky to see the clouds late, two armpits under the wind Fengtai (the name of the location of the temple is "Fenghuang terrace") and the poem says: "the famous temple is hehexiong. At the end of the river, people are surprised to see sitting roujia. The general tree is planted under the fragrant forest, but the imperial flower is only in the dandy path. It's surrounded by clear peaks, far away from Dai, and a lake full of autumn water.

Offering

The Zhongmiao temple is located on the jushiji, one of the five major freshwater lakes, on the North Bank of Chaohu Lake. Shiji was cinnabar color, burst into the lake, shaped like a Phoenix, known as phoenix platform. The ancient temple faces south, facing the lake bank, reflecting waves in the sky and clouds in the hall. On the gate of the temple, there are inscriptions of "temple in Chaohu Lake". The double eaves of the whole temple Pavilion fly out, like the crown of Danfeng, shining in the sunset. The temple is now dedicated to Guan Yu, Guanyin and the gods. It is said that there were Taishan jade girl and Chaohu jiaolao in the original worship. Zhao Puchu, former president of China Buddhist Association, once praised Zhongmiao as "the most beautiful place in the lake and sky".

Zhongmiao Temple

brief introduction

Zhongmiao temple, built in the Han Dynasty, has a history of more than 2000 years. Since the Han Dynasty, Zhongmiao temple has been abandoned and repaired for many times. In the 15th year of Guangxu, Li Hongzhang proposed to raise funds to build the temple. There are more than 70 temples. The third treasure hall in the back, the ZANGJIN Pavilion, is a three-story all wood structure with four specially large pillars. One can't hold it at all. The height from the ground floor to the bottom of the building is as high as 167 meters Unfortunately, in the winter of 1948, zangjinge suffered a fire and was completely destroyed. The third hall we see was rebuilt in the 1990s.

Roast meat

In the past, there was a popular saying that there was Jiuhua in the South and Zhongmiao in the north. In the past, incense was very popular here. During the pilgrimage to the mountains in the first month and the birthday party of the 18th empress in April of the lunar calendar, the pilgrims came here for dozens of miles. The Pilgrims' way of pilgrimage was very unique. Some burned incense, some carried silver bells and small benches, knelt and rang the bells as they walked. From shibada to the temple, shibada is the front of the eighteen bluestone steps. It is about 200 meters away from the Zhongmiao temple. The lightest way to burn incense is for those who burn fragrance to carry yellow sachets and pray all the way. In addition to burning incense and fragrance, there is also the most devout and almost cruel way of offering sacrifices, that is, burning meat incense - all grown men wear red clothes and trousers, and use a rusty copper wire to pierce their cheeks, making their mouth speechless, in response to the Buddhist's commandment of no raving. Two arms are hooked in the meat with steel hooks, and a small censer is hung below to light the fragrance. They kneel for hundreds of miles to show their piety.

Empress of the temple

The temple was first built in the Han Dynasty. It was originally dedicated to Bixia Yuanjun, a Taoist figure. It is said that she is the daughter of the great emperor Dongyue. Because she has lived with her father in the top of Mount Tai for many years, she can't stand on her own. Bixia girl yearns for a free life very much, so she gives her dream to a Taoist who goes up to the mountain to offer incense. The Taoist came from the shore of Chaohu Lake and promised Bixia girl in her dream to help her pursue a free life. The next day, just after dawn, the Taoist slipped into Bixia palace, carried the statue of Bixia Yuanjun on his back, ran all the way and settled down on the North Bank of Chaohu Lake. From then on, he was worshipped in this temple and became the supreme goddess in the temple for thousands of years - "Zhongmiao Niangniang".

From Taoist temple to Temple

In front of the temple, you can see a pair of head poles. The head poles are used by Taoist priests to hang incantations. Generally, it is unlikely that there is such a tall and symmetrical head pole in front of a Buddhist temple. Why is there a head pole in front of the gate of Zhongmiao? In addition, there is a statue of Guan Gong in the temple. Guan Gong is a general god worshipped in Taoist temple. So it is very likely that Zhongmiao was a Taoist temple in ancient times, not a temple. The reason why Zhongmiao became a temple should be traced back to the Wei, Jin, southern and Northern Dynasties. At that time, Buddhism began to prevail, Taoism gradually declined, so the original Taoist temple gradually became a Buddhist temple. We have entered the main hall, facing a couplet: "big belly can accommodate the world's difficult things, and then smile at the world's ridiculous people." then we know that Maitreya is worshipped in the middle. Enter the second hall, please pay attention to the wellhead. This well is connected with a cave, which is connected with the lake water, and the lake water naturally becomes well water. Do you think this well is the one with the largest water yield in the world. Located in these caves for 2000 years, Zhongmiao is a wonder.

Luban and Zhongmiao

From ancient times to the present, anyone who comes to the temple will find that there is a shortage of one end of the main beam of the temple, and an iron axe with a wooden handle is embedded on the eight base frames of the main beam. There is a legend about why there is such a spectacle

According to legend, in ancient times, Chaohu was originally a land, named "Chaozhou". Now Hefei, namely Luzhou, was once a vast ocean. At that time, the demons were rampant and the gods were angry, causing landslides. Chaozhou fell into a lake and Luzhou grew into land. In order to express the piety to the gods and the memory of Chaohu grandmother, people built temples on the Phoenix Terrace for sacrifice.

After 49 days and nights in 777, we burned incense for 49 days. We invited 4749 skilled craftsmen to build 7749 beams and columns. The temple was built, but the main beams were not right. What is the reason? The craftsmen were puzzled.

On this day, while all the craftsmen were pondering over the work of erecting beams, a man came from the outside with a wooden handle ax pinned to his waist. He looked like a carpenter. The craftsmen didn't care about the man's arrival, but the man said in astonishing words: "it's not difficult to build a beam, as long as you invite me." After hearing this, some of the craftsmen said that they had nervous problems, some said that they were boasting, and some said that they wanted to make a bowl of rice. However, an old man did not lightly assert that after thinking for a long time, he said to everyone, "let's let him have a try first. If things don't work out, it's not too late to theorize." So the craftsmen restored the beams according to the man's will. Just at this time, the wind was strong, the main beam on the rigid frame was shaking, the beam head was broken, and it was about to overturn. Just at this time, the man took out his axe and threw it at the beam. The axe fell on the tenon of the main beam of the eighth underframe. The end of the broken beam was connected, and the main beam swayed a few times, then it was firmly put on the local shelf. Almost at the same time, a mouse the size of an old cat was chopped off and fell off the beam. The man pointed to the fallen mouse and said to everyone, "this mouse is the demon of Chaohu Lake. If this demon is not removed, the beam will never be put on the shelf." It was not until then that people understood the reason why the beam could not be erected. After repeated inquiries, people know that this man is no one else, it is the carpenter's ancestor ax God craftsman public class. The axe still embedded in the beam of Zhongmiao today is exactly the Zhenliang divine axe left by Lu Ban at that time.

Traffic information

Bus: take No.10 bus to Zhongmiao station.

Self driving route from Hefei to Zhongmiao: from Yungu road to Huanhu North Road, follow the sign of the scenic spot to Zhongmiao.

Tourist bus: take the north line of Chaohu tourist bus from Hefei tourist center and get off at Zhongmiao.

Address: Zhongmiao Town, Juchao District, Chaohu City, Anhui Province

Longitude: 117.47338647898

Latitude: 31.591236335673

Tel: 0551-88578318

Ticket information: 5 yuan

Chinese PinYin : Zhong Miao