lingyanshan temple

lingyanshan temple

Lingyanshan temple, located in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, on the shore of Taihu Lake, northwest of Mudu ancient town, is located at the foot of lingyanshan mountain with an altitude of 220 meters (360 feet high), which is known as "xiujue crown Jiangnan". It was built in the Western Jin Dynasty, and is a solemn ancient temple with a history of more than 1600 years.

Lingyanshan temple, also known as chongbao temple, was named Xiufeng temple in Liang Dynasty, and was named today in Tang Dynasty. The temple was destroyed in Hongzhi period of Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in Kangxi period of Qing Dynasty; it was destroyed in war in Xianfeng Period, and the existing temple was mainly rebuilt by Yinguang mage in 1930s.

On the central axis of lingyanshan temple, there are Tianwang Hall (rebuilt in Gengshen), Daxiong hall and nianfo hall. In the East, there are pagodas, bell towers, Xiangguang hall and other buildings. In the west, there are gardens. Maitreya, the crown of heaven, is worshipped in the center of the heavenly king hall, followed by Wei Tuo, a sitting figure holding a pestle, and four colored statues of heavenly kings on both sides.

Lingyanshan temple, the main hall is 25 meters high and 20 meters wide. The Buddha statue of Sakyamuni, 6 meters high, is worshipped in the center. On both sides stand the statues of the two great disciples, JIAYE and Ananda.

Historical evolution

In the spring and Autumn period, lingyanshan temple was the site of guanwa palace built by Fu Chai, the king of Wu, for Xi Shi. In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Sikong Luwan once lived in lingyanshan. Because he learned Buddhism, he gave up his house as a temple, which became the beginning of lingyanshan.

During the Tianjian period of emperor Liang Wu of the Southern Dynasty (502-519), Zhiji came here to preach Buddhist scriptures and expand it into Xiufeng temple, and the construction of the Buddhist temple became more perfect. It is said that it is the Daochang of Zhiji Bodhisattva Yinghua described in Da Ai Jing (translated by Zhu fahu). In 503 ad, Duobao pagoda was built on the west side of the temple. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (742-755), daozun, the founder of Tiantai Sect, once practiced samadhi here.

In the early Song Dynasty, it was once a Luzong temple. In the Yuanfeng period (1078-1085), it was changed to Xiufeng temple. In the 21th year of Shaoxing, Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty (1151), Han Shizhong, a famous anti Jin general, was buried in the southern foot of Lingyan. Emperor Xiaozong of the Song Dynasty granted him the title of king Qi and granted Xiufeng temple the title of Xianqin chongbao temple.

Reconstruction period

In the early years of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty, Yongzuo temple was granted to serve the country. It was rebuilt in 1412. It was destroyed by fire in Hongzhi period of emperor Xiaozong of Ming Dynasty (1488-1505).

In 1649, the hall was rebuilt, and in 1675, the hall was built. In the tenth year of Xianfeng (1860), due to the war of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, most of the buildings in the temple, except the nine storey tower, were burned. In 1873, master Niancheng slightly restored it. In the third year of Xuantong (1911), abbot Zhenda and Miaozhen jointly revived the hall and gradually completed the temple. In 1926, it was changed into pure land Daochang, named "Suibao Temple", and became a famous temple in the south of the Yangtze River.

In 1932, master Yin Guang, a modern monk, changed it into "lingyanshan Temple". The couplets he wrote for Shanmen are as follows:

The pure land Dharma, the three universal sutras, is a wonderful way of beginning and ending;

Maituo vows to accept all the nine realms and show the hearts of all the people.

Related allusions

Master Yin Guang (1861-1940) was a famous figure in modern Buddhism. His original name was Zhao Shaoyi. He was born in Yingyang (now Heyang) of Shaanxi Province. He studied Confucian classics when he was young. He became a monk at the age of 20. He was named Shengliang by the name of Dharma. He was often called ashamed monk. He specialized in Pure Land Sect all his life. He preached scriptures in temples in Putuo Mountain, Shanghai and Jiangsu, and wrote a lot of articles about Pure Land Sect Ten thousand people are honored as the 13th ancestor of the Pure Land Sect.

From 1937 to 1940, master Yinguang avoided living in lingyanshan temple and devoted himself to chanting Buddhism, creating the Pure Land Sect. He formulated five regulations, which required monks to insist on "no recruitment, no meeting, no preaching, no accepting, no preaching, no preaching, no exchanging sutras and confessions. It's the same as the general practice of seven lessons every day After the promotion and advocacy of master Yin Guang, Pure Land Sect prevailed in China and Southeast Asia. Lingyanshan temple has also become the most famous pure land Taoist temple in the south of the Yangtze River.

In 1966, the temple was destroyed, and the monks were expelled. Ten years after the catastrophe, lingyanshan temple was in ruins. Master Mingxue, who was then in charge of lingyanshan temple, inherited master Miaozhen's last wish and led the only monks to repair the damaged Buddhist temple, Buddha statues and other magic weapons.

On March 18, 1980, when the painter Xie Xiaosi and other comrades accompanied Zhao Puchu, President of the Chinese Buddhist Association, to lingyanshan temple, president Zhao inscribed "lingyanshan Temple" on the mountain gate and wrote poems to express his elegance. The poem said: Xin followed Xie Gong's clogs and went back to Wu Wang Tai; Hu Shan's view of mountains and lakes, the rise and fall of trees. The fan Bai is broken and continued, and the compassionate birds scatter and return; the willows see the spring color, and the painting scene spreads by the clouds. At the end of 1980, lingyanshan branch of China Buddhist College was founded.

In 1983, the temple was designated as China's key temple in the Han nationality region. Now it is the abbot of the Ming School. When the lingyanshan temple was revised in 1981, the five statutes made by master Yin Guang were still listed in the first place and strictly implemented. At present, there are more than 100 monks in the temple. They "concentrate on chanting the Buddha, and do not engage in any religious activities except fighting the seventh Buddha and chanting the Buddha.". They practice daily, recite in class in the morning and evening, recite the precepts for half a month, and recite Buddhism in the hall. They are in constant heat and cold, and they go on normally.

On September 1, 1983, lingyanshan Temple held the ritual of Buddhist statue Kaiguang and Yinguang entering the pagoda, which were respectively presided over by master Mingxue, abbot of lingyanshan temple, and master Mingkai, director of Suzhou Buddhist Association.

Buddhist activities

In 1980, lingyanshan Temple opened the lingyanshan branch of China Buddhist College, which is divided into two kinds of educational system: specialized class and undergraduate class. Since its establishment, it has trained more than 100 patriotic and religious Buddhist talents.

The garden on the right side of the main hall is the imperial garden of guanwa palace in the spring and Autumn period, with many places of interest. There is a round Wuwang well, also known as rijing, which is said to be the place for Xi Shi's plastic surgery. There is also an octagonal Zhiji well, also known as the moon well. It was originally a well in the palace of the king of Wu. It was named Zhiji well after Zhiji dredging in the Southern Dynasty. There are flower pools and moon pools beside the well. At that time, Xi Shi used to watch the flowers and enjoy the moon and pick lotus for fun. In wuwangjing, there is a dressing table, which is the dressing house of Xishi. Now there is a longevity Pavilion on the dressing table.

In the west of the pool, there is a zither platform, where Xishi plays zither and drums. Here is the top of Lingyan mountain, and the scenery is excellent. "Overlooking Taihu Lake and Dongting West Mountain, the green is dripping, as in the world of silver". The scenery is beautiful, and visitors stop. The stone is engraved with the word "Qintai" and the calligraphy "Wuzhong scenic spot" written by Wang Wei, a Ming Dynasty bachelor. In addition, along the mountain road, there are many scenic spots, such as Jilu Pavilion, yingxiao Pavilion, Luohong Pavilion, Guanyin cave, Shichuang, Caixiang path, etc. Poets such as Li Bai, Liu Yuxi, Bai Juyi, Wei Yingwu, Li Shangyin, Su Shunqin, Gao Qi, Wen Zhengming, Shen Deqian and you dong all visited Lingyan mountain and left moving poems.

Tourist attractions

Lingyanshan temple is one of the famous pure land Buddhist monasteries in China. At the same time, it is also a famous Mingsheng historic site and scenic spot at home and abroad. It is located on the shore of Taihu Lake, adjacent to Mudu Town, 15 kilometers southwest of Suzhou City, with an altitude of 220 meters. From a commanding height, the scenery of lakes and mountains is magnificent. In the past, there were many strange stones like Ganoderma lucidum, so the mountain was called Lingyan; the southern cliffs were like a city, also known as Shicheng mountain; and because the mountain turned right like a retrospection, it was also known as Xiangshan.

Lingyan mountain was originally the site of Fu Chai Guan wa palace, king of Wu in the spring and Autumn period. It was also the place where the state of Yue offered Xi Shi. Today, there are still relics and historic sites of the king of Wu, such as the well of the king of Wu, dressing table, flower pool, moon pool, ring Gallery, Qintai, Xishi cave, Zhiji well, longevity Pavilion, Square Pavilion, etc. Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong built a palace on the top of the mountain when they visited the south. They were burned in the tenth year of Xianfeng. After the founding of lingyanshan temple, there were many eminent monks. Since the Song Dynasty, such as Yuanzhao, lovingkindness and Buddha sea in Song Dynasty, Shihu in Yuan Dynasty and hongchu in Qing Dynasty, they are all famous eminent monks. By the 15th year of the Republic of China, Zhuo xilingyan, the thirteen ancestors of the Pure Land Sect, had made great efforts to expound the Pure Land Sect.

After liberation, the party and the people's Government conscientiously implemented the policy of freedom of religious belief and gave more protection to lingyanshan temple. The monks and nuns are engaged in the net industry and the production of agriculture and forestry. The name of Lingyan pure land Taoist school has been heard at home and abroad. There are many places of interest in lingyanshan temple. Wang Wei, a poet of the Ming Dynasty, once inscribed a stone inscription on the top of the mountain, which is called "Wuzhong scenic spot".

Historical records of Humanities

There are many famous people who have climbed Lingyan mountain, such as Liang Jianwen emperor of the Southern Dynasty, Wei Yingwu, Bai Juyi, Liu Yuxi, Li Shangyin of the Tang Dynasty, Fan Zhongyan and song shiyuanzhao of the Song Dynasty, Wen Zhengming, Tang Yin and Gao Qi of the Ming Dynasty, Kangxi and Qianlong emperors of the Qing Dynasty, Bi Yuan, Tian Han and Deng Tuo of the modern times. Here are five of them.

The poem of Emperor Wen of Liang Jian when he ascended Qintai: Wu Jie practiced the path of the past and wanted to sing the Qin again. Sound and appearance of Wanchun, high name for thousands of years. Old trees grow on weak branches, and new streams are stained with old stones. When the river passes by, it will never come back. Bai Juyi of Tang Dynasty visited lingyanshan temple. Poem: Gao Gaobai went to the green forest on the moon, and the guests went to the monk and returned to the temple at night. Meat and blood can be removed from the wine, song bell release, leaving only the piano. There is no vulgar things as human eyes, but the sound of spring washes my heart. I love Xiaoting best, and Taihu Lake is green. Song Shiyuan living in Lingyan mountain: on the xiaosa Lingfeng, the dust is empty and the summer is cold. Songmengfu Cuiling, Dian tower towering clouds. Lingdongmen high down, Shanfang road qupan. There is no need to draw a picture. Lingyan mountain is just at Xukou, and the setting sun looks at Taihu Lake in the southwest. There are no sails or birds on the two islands. How can we talk about the past without seeing any experts. Be careful not to approach

Chinese PinYin : Ling Yan Shan Si