Si'en Temple

Si'en temple is the only Buddhist monastery in Guangxi and the largest modern temple in South China. Located in the middle of Baiyun Mountain, backed by the Wuling mountains, the Xijiang River winds from northwest to Southeast not far ahead like a jade belt. The whole ancient architectural complex imitates the style of Ming and Qing Dynasties and is magnificent, which conforms to the Yin Yang cosmology and the symmetrical and steady aesthetic outlook. The planning pattern of the whole Buddhist temple is presented as seven platforms, implying the meaning of building seven levels of Fu Tu. The planning buildings include the steps to the temple, the heavenly king hall, the Weituo hall, the bell tower, the drum tower, the Daxiong hall, the East chamber, the west chamber, the Guanyin hall, the dizang hall, the Fatang hall, the Manjusri hall, the Puxian hall, the Sutra tower, the pagoda, and the Sutra reading Pavilion.

Si'en Temple

According to Xiao Jian, a famous contemporary Chinese scholar and cultural scholar, the predecessor of si'en temple is zizhulin temple in Qianjian, Wuzhou, Guangxi. It was built in 1939, and the original site was requisitioned for urban development in the 1990s. In 2001, zizhulin temple was rebuilt at the south foot of Baiyun Mountain. Mr. Zhao Puchu, former president of China Buddhist Association, gladly named the new temple "si'en temple." si'en "means three treasures, parents, territory and all living beings. The main hall of si'en temple is 16.8 meters high and magnificent.

The historical origin and development of si'en Temple

The construction of si'en Temple started in 2001 (the sixth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar). It is the first modern temple in Lingnan, covering an area of 65.7 mu, with a total construction area of 18000 square meters. The whole ancient building complex imitates the style of Ming and Qing Dynasties, with great momentum, in line with the world outlook of yin and Yang and the symmetrical and stable aesthetic outlook. The planning pattern of the whole Buddhist temple is presented as seven platforms, implying the meaning of "shengzao Qiji futu". The planning buildings include the steps to the temple, the heavenly king hall, the Weituo hall, the bell tower, the drum tower, the Daxiong hall, the East chamber, the west chamber, the Guanyin hall, the dizang hall, the Fatang hall, the Manjusri hall, the Puxian hall, the Sutra tower, the pagoda, and the Sutra reading Pavilion. Before its opening on September 27, 2006, the first phase of the si'en temple has been completed, with an investment of more than 30 million yuan (total investment of 70 million yuan), to build a large-scale main hall, East and West Wing rooms, bell tower, Drum Tower, memorial archway and other buildings. Other buildings will be completed as planned after lighting up. The main hall was built in 2003, covering an area of 1245 square meters and a construction area of 1489 square meters. Daxiong is the honorific name for the moral and magic power of Buddha. Specifically, it means that the Buddha has great power and can subdue the "five demons", "trouble demons", "death demons" and "the devil of heaven". There are three sandalwood painted gold Buddha statues in the middle of the main hall of si'en temple. The East and West Wing rooms, covering an area of 1240 square meters and a total construction area of 4190 square meters, are mainly used as guest hall, Zhai hall, Buddhist Scripture flow office, ancestral hall, Gongde hall and Yunshui hall, and the main hall square covers an area of more than 3000 square meters.

The main building and distribution of si'en Temple

main hall

The main hall covers an area of 1245 square meters and can accommodate more than 1000 people to hold ritual activities at the same time. The Mahatma hall is 25.6 meters high, and the statue of Sakyamuni is 9.5 meters high. Among them, the statue of Buddha is 6.6 meters high, ranking first in China, larger than the famous Mahatma Hall of Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou (the Mahatma Hall of Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou covers an area of 1030 square meters, and the statue of Sakyamuni is 5.3 meters high). There are three sandalwood painted gold Buddha statues in the middle of the main hall of si'en Temple: in the middle of the hall is Sakyamuni, the Buddha who is sitting down and has a peaceful expression. His left hand is placed horizontally on his left foot to make a "seal" to indicate meditation; his right hand is curved upward to make a ring to make a "seal" to show the moment when the Buddha speaks at the Dharma meeting. The Buddha sits on the lotus (the lotus, "out of the mud but not stained", is the symbol of cleanliness and pure land, and the pure land in the pure is the Western Paradise; the lotus is also the symbol of the female genitals, who return to the other after death and get rebirth); the elder on the left is the venerable Kaya, and the younger on the right is the venerable Ananda. This has become a fixed architectural form of the main hall. There are two dragon pillars in the front corridor of the main hall. The two dragon taps on the front of the dragon pillar are outward, which means to meet the public and the world's guests; the two dragon taps on the inside of the dragon pillar are inward, which means to protect the main hall and Buddha. There is a little dragon in the back, energetic and full of humanity.

bell tower and drum tower

The bell tower on the left and the drum tower on the right of the square in front of Da Xiong Bao Dian, each covering an area of 50 square meters, is a two-story Ming and Qing style building. The bronze bell of the bell tower is made in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. It weighs 6.6 tons and is 3.6 meters high. When it is knocked lightly, the sound is pleasant and the echo lasts for two or three minutes. The surface of the bell is carved with the Scripture of Vajra Sutra. To engrave the scriptures on the big bell means to carry forward the Dharma and let the Buddhist scriptures spread for a long time. When you strike the bell, every word sounds. It's like reciting the scripture once. It's of great merit. The mural of the bell tower depicts the story of journey to the West. The drum on the drum tower is made of buffalo leather from Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, with a diameter of more than 2 meters. Four carved lions are used to make the drum frame.

Pagoda (proposed)

Si'en temple will start construction in March 2012 to build a large Buddhist pagoda in the back mountain of the Sutra Pavilion. The tower is composed of enclosed wing room, tower body, large platform and upper platform steps. It is planned to be completed and put into use by the end of 2016. According to the publicity materials posted on Baiyun Mountain, the newly built si'en Temple Pagoda is located in Baiyun Mountain Scenic Area, with a total of 20 floors. Taking the square outside the tower as the interface, it is divided into two parts. Among them, the tower has 9 floors and is 46 meters high. Under the square, there are 11 floors of wing rooms, forming a large platform to support the tower. According to reports, the plane form of the tower is hexagonal, with stairs for people to go up and down, and the appearance of the tower body is made of imitation wood doors, windows, columns, Fang and Dougong. The total investment of the project is more than 29 million yuan. Master Cheng Qing, abbot of si'en temple, told reporters that as part of the overall planning of si'en temple, the pagoda will offer 10000 Buddha statues in the pagoda and open to the outside world. Believers and tourists can visit the pagoda.

Address: Shigu Road, Wanxiu District, Wuzhou City

Longitude: 111.32969963078

Latitude: 23.480506776356

Tour time: 1-2 hours

Traffic information: take bus No.23 or 33 and get off at si'en Temple Station

Ticket information: Free

Opening hours: 7:30-18:00

Chinese PinYin : Si En Si