Chang'an temple in Shenyang

Chang'an temple is the oldest temple complex in Shenyang. It is said that it was built in the Tang Dynasty, so there is a folk saying that "first there was Chang'an temple, then there was Shenyang City". It is said that Chang'an temple is also the only temple that "the city is in the temple". Chang'an temple was renovated many times in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The temple faces south from the north. The main buildings are bell and Drum Tower, Tianwang hall, Daxiong hall and so on. It is solemn and majestic. In some old brick corners, it reveals the vicissitudes of the times. Nowadays, Chang'an temple has become an important place for Buddhist activities in Shenyang. It is a holy place for praying in the heart of Shenyang people.

Chang'an Temple

synonym

Chang'an temple in Shenyang generally refers to Chang'an Temple (Chang'an temple, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province)

Chang'an temple is located at No.6, Chang'an Temple Lane, Chaoyang Street, Shenhe District, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province. It is the oldest building complex in Shenyang, with an area of about 5000 square meters and a construction area of 2000 square meters.

It is said that Li Shimin, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, ordered Yuchi Jingde, the "door god", to supervise the construction of the temple when he passed Shenyang during his eastward expedition to Korea. It was named Chang'an temple, which implied "long-term stability". Therefore, it is said that "first there was Chang'an temple, then there was Shenyang City".

From south to north, Changan temple has the mountain gate, Tianwang hall, stage, worship hall, main hall and back hall on the central axis. There are two existing "Dazheng collection" and six stone steles in the temple. Among them, "rebuilding the stele of Chang'an temple in Shenyang" in 1487, the 23rd year of Chenghua in Ming Dynasty, has important cultural value.

In February 1985, Shenyang Municipal People's government announced it as a municipal cultural relics protection unit, which was officially opened to the public in September 1986. In December 1988, Liaoning Provincial People's government announced it as a provincial cultural relics protection unit.

history

In Chang'an temple, there are two "Dazheng collection" and six stone steles. Among them, "rebuilding the stele of Chang'an temple in Shenyang" in 1487, the 23rd year of Chenghua in Ming Dynasty, has important cultural value. The inscription not only records the title of Cao Ming, the commander of Zhongwei in Shenyang. Tested by experts, both Cao Fu and Cao Ming are the ancestors of Cao Xueqin, the author of a dream of Red Mansions. This is reliable evidence that Cao Xueqin lived in Shenyang. This monument is an extremely important historical material for the study of Cao Xueqin's family background. As for the relationship between Shenyang City and Chang'an temple, there has always been a saying that "first there was Chang'an temple, then there was Shenyang City", which also said: "the temple is in the city, and the city is in the temple." In fact, the temple is far away from the mountain gate. The temple is to the south of the north gate of Shenyang City and to the north of the bell tower, while the Mountain Gate of the temple is built on the Bank of Hunhe River fifteen miles away. According to legend, when Emperor Taizong of Tang dynasty founded the capital, Shenyang was still a wasteland. Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty came here on his East tour. He was very tired. He took a rest on the spot. He saw a mound in the distance. Although it was not high, there were many trees to block out the sun, so he began to build a temple here. So Yuchi Jingde was appointed as the supervisor to take charge of the construction of the temple.

In the process of preparation, the general got an emergency order and left the temple in a hurry. The monks didn't know where to build the mountain gate, so they sent someone to fly a whip and set off again. So the monks led the craftsmen to build the mountain gate at the place where general Yuchi's horse whip pointed on the North Bank of Hunhe River. passing of night. Between the gate and the main hall, Shenyang City was gradually built, forming a situation of "city in the temple".

There are six inscriptions in Chang'an temple in Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. Among them, the earliest one is the stele of rebuilding Chang'an temple in Shenyang in the 23rd year of Chenghua in Ming Dynasty. The stele not only describes the history of rebuilding Chang'an temple, but also mentions that Cao Fu was commanded by Shenyang Zhongwei in the 2nd year of Shun Dynasty, and Cao Ming was also named in Beiyin in the 23rd year of Chenghua This is another extremely important historical material for the study of Cao Xueqin's family background.

In February 1985, Shenyang Municipal People's government announced that it was a municipal cultural relic protection unit, and allocated funds for major renovation. After two years, it has restored its original appearance and established the Chang'an Temple Cultural Relic Management Office, which was officially opened to the public in September 1986. In December 1988, Liaoning Provincial People's government announced it as a provincial cultural relics protection unit.

survey

Chang'an Temple faces south, three into the courtyard. From the south to the north, there are Mountain Gate, Tianwang hall, stage, worship hall, main hall and back hall on the central axis. The two sides of the central axis are symmetrically arranged with rooms, bell and drum towers, which are built on the brick high platform. Tianwang hall, three Ying, hard mountain style. The stage is closely connected with the temple of heavenly king, with a couplet and a rolling shed. Worship hall also volume shed Xieshan style, three Ying open hall. On the left and right sides are the side halls, each with five couplets and eaves in front. The hall of worship connects with the side hall, and the side hall connects with the stage. Hall three Ying, Xieshan style, and worship hall built together on a 50 cm high platform. The main hall is the main building of Chang'an temple, with the largest volume and the most magnificent shape. The back hall is located at the northernmost end of the temple, with three couplets and Xieshan style. The wooden components of the temple, such as beams, columns, Fang, forehead, purlin, rafters, flying wings and Dougong, are decorated with oil and painted with gold and powder. There are six inscriptions of Ming and Qing Dynasties in the temple, among which the earliest and most important one is the reconstruction of Chang'an temple in the 23rd year of Chenghua in Ming Dynasty. The inscription records the names of Cao Fu and Cao Ming, the commander of Zhongwei in Shenyang. According to the research, they are the ancestors of Cao Xueqin, the author of a dream of Red Mansions. They are important historical materials for the study of Cao Xueqin's family background.

position

Chang'an temple is located at No.6, Chang'an Temple Lane, Chaoyang Street, Shenhe District, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province. It is the oldest building complex in Shenyang. It is said that it was built in the Tang Dynasty, so there is a folk saying: "first there was Chang'an temple, then there was Shenyang City". It is the oldest building complex in Shenyang. In 1988, it was announced as a provincial cultural relics protection unit.

Chang'an temple covers an area of about 5000 square meters, with a construction area of 2000 square meters. According to the inscriptions in the temple, it was rebuilt in the seventh year of Yongle (1409), the second year of Tianshun (1458), the 23rd year of Chenghua (1487) and many times in the Qing Dynasty. In history, the incense of Chang'an Temple once flourished, but in the late Qing Dynasty, it gradually declined, and finally stopped, and the temple gradually disappeared. In 1842, Chang'an temple was rebuilt with money and loan houses, and became a financial trading place.

Temple structure

The temple buildings include Mountain Gate, Tianwang hall, theater, worship hall, main hall and back hall, which are all built on a central axis from south to north. There are three rooms in the mountain gate. After entering the mountain gate, there are the East and West Hall and the second floor of Bell and drum. In the middle of the north is the heavenly king's hall, which is three rooms wide and one room deep. It is made of small hard mountain, with gray tile top and exposed in the hall. There is a brick wall on both sides of the heavenly king hall, which is separated from the second courtyard. Entering from the corner gate is the second entrance courtyard. Next to the back wall of the heavenly king hall, there is a theater building with two eaves connected to form a whole. The front Pavilion of the theater building is smaller than that of the heavenly king hall, and it is a large square room. It is decorated with coupons, grey tiles and sandalwood, with a unique style. There are five side halls on both sides. Due north for the Chang'an temple, the main building worship hall and hall. In the space of Tianwang hall, dongxipeidian hall and Baidian hall, four cloisters were built to connect the buildings in Erjin courtyard.

The temple faces south and is rectangular. It covers an area of 5200 square meters and has more than 130 houses. The main buildings from south to north are: three mountain gates, with the East and west side hall, the second floor of Bell and drum, Tianwang hall, Daxiong hall, biqiu altar and Sutra Pavilion. Tianwang hall is mainly dedicated to the "Four Heavenly Kings", while Daxiong hall is dedicated to the "three saints of the west" and 88 Arhats. The main hall is a single eaves Xieshan structure, with grey tile roof and three warped and seven stepped arches. It retains the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty, with five rooms wide and three rooms deep. The hall is made in the open and has colored paintings on sandalwood. In the south, the hall of worship, which is next to the front eaves of the main hall, has a canopy roof with grey tiles. It is four rooms wide and one room deep. There are no walls at the front and back. On the walls of the East and the West are inlaid with two links of Steles rebuilt during the Daoguang period. The hall is made in the Ming Dynasty. There are colored paintings on the sandalwood, and the Dou Gong is three warps and seven steps. At the East and west corner doors of the hall of worship, four new steles were erected.

The third entrance to the courtyard is the rear hall in the north, with a single eaves and a grey tile roof. It is five rooms wide and three rooms deep. The hall is decorated with tanfang paintings. There are three auxiliary halls on the East and west sides, and an abbot's room in the northwest corner of the back hall.

Current Abbot

The current abbot, master Zhaoyuan, is a 61 year old man from Haicheng City, Liaoning Province. He became a monk in 1979, studied under master Mingfan, graduated from louxiashan Buddhist College, and concurrently served as vice president of Liaoning Buddhist Association, member of Liaoning Provincial CPPCC and member of Haicheng municipal CPPCC.

Tourism related

Ticket price: free; opening hours: 09:00 ~ 16:00; transportation route: take Metro Line 1 in Shenyang and walk to Zhongjie station.

Address: No.6, Chang'an Temple Lane, Chaoyang Street, Chaoyang Street, Shenhe District, Shenyang

Longitude: 123.46148395538

Latitude: 41.802764287145

Tel: 024-24847440

Tour time: 1 hour

Traffic information: take bus No.117, 222, 228 to Chaoyang Street commercial city station, and walk for about 5 minutes

Ticket information: Free

Opening hours: 8:00-18:00

Chinese PinYin : Shen Yang Zhang An Si