Neijiang Shengshui Temple

Neijiang Shengshui Temple

Sichuan provincial cultural relics protection unit, also known as "Shengshui Xingci Temple", is located in the suburb of Neijiang City, Sichuan Province. It was first built in the Xiantong period of the Tang Dynasty, i.e. 860-870 A.D. because of the spring overflowing from the back mountain, it is regarded as "Lingquan" and "Shengshui" all the year round. After the expansion in the early Song Dynasty, it was renamed "Xingci Temple" and renamed "Shengshui Temple" in the late Song Dynasty. Neijiang Shengshui temple is located in haozikou, northwest of Central District of Neijiang City, Sichuan Province, on the right bank of Tuojiang River, about 2km away from the urban area. It is one of the eight jungles in Sichuan Province. It is known as "the first Zen forest in Zhongchuan". Because of its long history, historic sites and eminent monks, it enjoys a high position in the Buddhist circles in Sichuan. It was first built in Xiantong period of Tang Dynasty (860-873).

brief introduction

Shengshui temple has been repaired since Tang and Song dynasties. It was destroyed by war in the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. The temple covers an area of more than 20000 square meters, with a construction area of more than 6000 square meters. There are more than 170 temples and rooms, and more than 300 monks live in the temple. It is known as "the first Zen forest in Zhongchuan". The existing main buildings are distributed in the East, West and middle. In the East are the Tianwang hall, the Daxiong hall, the Sutra collection building and the Yuanjue building. In the west is the ancient great compassion hall, and in the middle is the saying hall. There are 67 niches and 450 bodies of cliff statues since Tang and Song dynasties. There are cliff statues of avalokitesvara of the late Tang Dynasty, 8 meters high and 8 meters wide,. 

There are also 20 stone arch bridges, stone squares, and stone inscriptions of celebrities in the song and Ming Dynasties. The ceiling of the dizang hall is painted with a picture of Xuanzang's Buddhist scriptures.

Shengshui temple covers an area of 20000 square meters, with a construction area of more than 8000 square meters, more than 200 Temple rooms, and more than 50 monks and nuns.

The temple is a mountain building with courtyard layout. It is divided into four main courtyards: Yuanjue building, sutra collection building, Daxiong hall and Tianwang hall, which are arranged from west to East on the central axis, all of them belong to Ming and Qing Dynasty style; on both sides of the central axis are cloisters, including guest hall, Wuguan hall, Chan hall and nianfo hall; on the left side of the temple are jade Buddha Hall, Sansheng hall and pharmacist hall; on the left side are Guanyin hall and dizang hall; on the right side of the temple, the ancestral hall is the main body to form an independent courtyard .

There are 67 niches and more than 450 stone carvings in Shengshui temple, with a total length of more than 60 meters. From the age, it can be divided into Tang, song, yuan, Ming and Qing stone groups; from the content, there are those who explain and teach people, those who promote Buddhism, those who educate people, those who inspire people to pray; from the theme, there are religious and secular ones. Among them, the stone sculptures of thousand handed Guanyin and the twelve Yuanjue statues of Yuanjue tower represent the different styles of stone sculptures in Tang and Song dynasties. In addition, the stone arch bridge, the free life pool and the Sutra building in front of the Sutra building built in the Ming Dynasty have high historical value. At the same time, Shengshui's calligraphy is more beautiful. In particular, Zhao Zhenji, a famous scholar in Ming Dynasty, wrote "Shengshui Temple" and "shushengshui rock", which are unrestrained, elegant and handsome, with high artistic value.

Eminent monks in the temple

In the history of Shengshui temple, there were several eminent monks, including Zhangxue, moye, Kezhuo, Qingde and Wang Enyang.

Zhang Xue

Zhang Xue, a poet monk in Shu, was born in the 38th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty and passed away in the 34th year of Kangxi. He has been handed down such works as biography of lanterns in royal guards, collection of green pines and chapter on the aged. After Shenxiu and Huineng of Tang Dynasty, he was a great master of Zen in Central Sichuan, and played a certain role in the development of Buddhism in Sichuan.

How clumsy

Monk Kezhuo is a native of Liyang, Jiangsu Province. He is a disciple of the founder of Shuanggui hall in Liangping. During the reign of Emperor Kangxi of Qing Dynasty, he came to Shengshui Temple alone and led the monks to repair the dilapidated temple and preach precepts. Shengshui temple has reached its peak. It is one of the eight jungles in Sichuan Province. It covers an area of more than 30000 square meters and has more than 120 monks. At that time, there were towering trees in the temple. On the side of the Tuojiang River, there was a forest of Phoebe trees. On the back of the mountain, there were ancient cypresses and incense.

Wang Enyang

Wang Enyang is a famous Buddhist scholar in recent years. In 1942, he came to the forum to give lectures and actively prepared the "Oriental culture and Education Research Institute" with some famous people in Neijiang. In 1944, with the support of several other residents, the Academy was finally completed, and the next year it opened in Shengshui temple. The Institute is divided into inquiry department, research department, study department and correspondence department. Nowadays, the eminent monks in many areas of Southwest China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were all the students of Wang Enyang. His works with hundreds of thousands of words are scattered all over the world, and many articles have become the focus of people's research.

Qingde

Master Qingde was born in Zizhong County, Sichuan Province in 1925. In 1945, he became a monk in jiufengshanhai hall, Pengxian County, Sichuan Province. In 1958, he graduated from China Buddhist College in Beijing. He once served as abbot of Shengshui temple, President of Neijiang Buddhist Association, now abbot of Yunfeng temple, Yingjing County, Ya'an, vice president of Sichuan Buddhist Association, executive director of China Buddhist Association, and member of provincial and municipal CPPCC. For decades, monk Qingde believed in Buddhism and studied Buddhism. He was deeply loved and respected by his disciples. Since 1986, he has actively assisted religious departments to implement religious policies, raised funds for temple maintenance, and done a lot of work for the restoration of Shengshui temple. He has been praised by provincial and municipal governments and religious departments. He has also had friendly exchanges with the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and other countries and regions.

Temple Law Society

Because Shengshui temple is a place where pilgrims and Sangha worship. From April 14 to May 14, 1997, with the support of Sichuan Buddhist Association, Neijiang Shengshui Temple held "the eighth Sichuan Provincial preaching Association", which is also the first large-scale religious activity legally held since the founding of the people's Republic of China. This time, the Dharma Association received 298 Buddhists from all parts of Sichuan and neighboring provinces and cities, and successfully completed all the work, which was highly praised by the Chinese Buddhist Association and all walks of life.

Nowadays, Shengshui temple is full of incense and wisdom, which has become the resurgence period in history.

Address: Zizhong County, Shizhong District, Neijiang City, Sichuan Province

Longitude: 105.0412350522

Latitude: 29.592566276777

Tel: 0832-2085298

Chinese PinYin : Nei Jiang Sheng Shui Si