Haibaota Temple

Haibao temple, located in the northern suburb of Yinchuan City, is an ancient temple with a history of more than 1500 years. It is also the only national key open temple in Yinchuan. The Haibao Pagoda in the temple is the oldest Buddhist building in Ningxia. Haibao pagoda echoes with Chengtian Temple Pagoda in the city. It is one of the eight scenic spots in Ningxia and is known as "ancient pagoda in the sky".

Haibao pagoda is located on a spacious square six base, with a total of 11 levels. It is 54 meters high. The body of the pagoda is square, with a backbone protruding from the middle of each side, in the shape of "Ya". It is one of the 16 pagodas in China. Since the opening of Haibao temple, every year on the 15th of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, the Yulan basin Festival has been held here. People from all over the world come in droves and are very lively.

Haibaota Temple

Haibaota temple, also known as "hebaota" and "heibaota" in history. Located in the north suburb of Yinchuan old city, Haibaota temple is about two kilometers away from the city. Because it is located in the north of the city, the local people also call it "North Tower". It is dignified and beautiful, simple and varied, unique in shape and style.

Haibaota temple, as an excellent ancient architectural heritage in China, has been standing on the Yinchuan plain for at least 1500 years. It has been praised as the "ancient pagoda in the sky" and listed as one of the "eight sceneries of Shuofang".

Temple History

Haibaota temple is one of the key Buddhist temples in China. Haibao Pagoda in the temple is the oldest Buddhist building in Ningxia, and is one of the first batch of key cultural relics protection units in China.

Haibin Pagoda Temple is an ancient temple with a history of more than 1500 years. It is not only the only national key open temple in Yinchuan, but also a scenic spot for tourism. The courtyard is full of trees, fresh air and beautiful environment. The red walls and yellow tiles are simple and elegant, and the bell rings are long, which can be heard for several kilometers. Haibao pagoda, the main building in the courtyard, is a key cultural relic under national protection. It is built on a square platform with a height of 5.7 meters and a side length of 19.2 meters.

architectural art

Haibao Pagoda Temple, the east side of the tower gate, on both sides of the secret road ladder, along which you can directly climb the tower seat. The tower has a height of 4.2 meters and a side length of 15 meters. This changeable passage reflects the superb architectural art of ancient China.

In the Sixteen Kingdoms period, he Liansheng (406-411), the king of the great Xia Dynasty, was a descendant of the southern Xiongnu and was a subordinate of Yao Xing, the emperor of the later Qin Dynasty. Yao Xing respected Buddhism, "Daying Pagoda Temple", and the area he ruled was "ten rooms and nine rooms for Buddhists".

In this historical context, it is entirely possible for Helian to build the sea pagoda. There are few records about Haibao Pagoda in history. The records about Haibao Pagoda in Hongzhi Nianwen (1488-1505) of Ming Dynasty and Jiajing Ningxia Xinzhi do not indicate the beginning of its construction. According to Qianlong's Ningxia annals, Haibao pagoda was damaged by earthquakes in 1712 and 1778, and was rebuilt twice.

Folklore

Haibaota temple, known as "Haibao Temple" in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, is located about 1.5 kilometers northwest of Yinchuan city. The temple is surrounded by luxuriant willows and shady trees. The environment is very quiet. It is said that a long time ago, it used to be a lake. The sea pagoda was located on a lake island. There were reeds growing in the lake and fish leaping in the abyss. On the fourth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar, people go out of Yinchuan City, take a boat to the north, cross the lake, and rush to the temple to attend the annual temple fair.

Haibaota temple is located in the west to the East. The main gate is a three Temple type gate. On the lintel plaque, there are four powerful characters "Haibaota Temple", inscribed by Zhao Puchu, the former president of China Buddhist Association. Entering the mountain gate, there are Tianwang hall and Daxiong hall, which together with the north and South Wing rooms form a courtyard, which is the front courtyard of the temple. This is the main place for Buddhist activities.

After that, there is Haibao tower on the high platform. After the tower base, it crosses the overpass and leads to Weituo hall and Wofo hall on the other high platform. The second Hall and the wing rooms on both sides form a courtyard, which is the backyard of the pagoda temple. Under the stage is the monastery. The buildings of Haibaota temple are arranged on an east-west central axis, with distinct levels and magnificent scenery. Since the opening of the temple, every year on the 15th of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, the Yulan basin Festival has been held here, and people from all directions have come in droves.

Layout structure

The Haibao pagoda towering in the Great Buddha Hall and Weituo hall is the main building of the temple, also known as the "black pagoda", commonly known as the "North pagoda". This is a square brick tower with nine floors and eleven levels of pavilions, with a height of 53.9 meters. The tower is built on a square and wide platform base with a height of 5.7 meters and a side length of 19.7 meters. There are blue brick walls around the platform, and stone steps in the middle of the East can climb the tower gate. The plane of the tower is square, with four walls out of the porch. There are ticket doors on all sides of each floor, which are slightly protruding outwards, forming a distinctive twelve corner shape.

Haibao Pagoda Temple is a square space connecting the upper and lower parts of the pagoda. The floors are separated by wooden boards. You can climb to the top along the wooden ladder. There are wind chimes hanging at the corners of the tower. The wind chimes ring, making it more peaceful and melodious.

The upper end of the tower is a brick quadrangular cusp with a square peach shaped green glazed Tasha on top. Haibao pagoda has a unique architectural style. Its square body, four side doors, many edges and corners, and four corner spires are rare in ancient Chinese pagodas. It is regarded as a masterpiece of ancient Chinese architecture.

It has been rebuilt many times

According to the Ming Dynasty's Hongzhi Ningxia Xinzhi, "the black pagoda is located in Sanli, north of the city. I don't know why it was founded." In the new Annals of Wanli Shuofang of Ming Dynasty, "heibaota, Helian, was rebuilt vigorously." He Liansheng was the leader of Daxia in the northern and Southern Dynasties. He respected Buddhism and advocated building temples and pagodas. Therefore, the Haibao pagoda is also known as "Hebao pagoda", and the Qing Dynasty "Qianlong Ningxia Fu Zhi" also records: "Haibao pagoda It's the stuff between the Han Dynasty and the Jin Dynasty. "

Haibaota has been destroyed and rebuilt many times due to the earthquake. The 11 storey Haibao pagoda was rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. During the reconstruction, two floors were missing, and wooden ladders were used to climb to the top of the tower. On the top of the tower, you can see the southern scenery of Yinchuan.

After 1949, the government attached great importance to the protection of cultural relics and the maintenance of Haibao temple. Especially after the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Haibao temple was transferred from the original cultural department to the religious department. The government invested more than 2 million yuan in the comprehensive maintenance of Haibao temple, including the new bell and Drum Tower, the reconstruction of Buddha statues, the expansion of the temple, the preparation of magic weapons, the establishment of institutions and the completion of the temple He also organized the Sangha. State leaders also visited Haibaota temple.

Opening to the outside world

In 1962, Dong Biwu, vice president of the people's Republic of China, came to Haibaota temple to write an inscription and planted pine trees as a memento. Comrade Deng Xiaoping also visited Haibaota temple in the 1960s. In 1984, the Religious Affairs Bureau of the State Council approved Haibao temple as one of the key open temples in China.

Every year on the 15th of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, it is the traditional "Yulan basin" Dharma meeting of Haibaota temple. At that time, the majority of Buddhists gather in Haibaota temple to carry out Buddhist activities. At this time, the temple is surrounded by cigarettes, the bells are ringing, the music of monks, the chanting of monks, the juggling of the square outside the temple, and the Hawking of the city constitute a magnificent picture of peace and prosperity, which makes the Millennium ancient temple in a new era The historical period radiated new brilliance.

Related allusions

In October 1963, when Dong Biwu, vice president of the people's Republic of China, came to Nanjing to inspect his work, Zeng Jianbu climbed to the top of the tower and wrote a poem full of pride: "the northern Helian tower in the suburb of Yinchuan is isolated and dangerous, and wants to appear in the clouds; the square style is different, because of its natural color; it's not too steep to climb the 100 level, and it's very pleasant to look down on the three districts; all the farmers in the field form a community to celebrate the harvest." Over the years, the state has invested heavily in the maintenance of the pagoda and temple buildings. The bell tower, Drum Tower and wing room were added, the greenhouse and flower house were set up, the wall was expanded and whitewashed, the road leading to TASI was built, and the management department was set up. Haibaota temple has become an important tourist attraction in Ningxia with a new look.

Architectural style

It is a square brick tower with 9 floors and 11 levels of pavilions. It is composed of tower base, tower body and tower brake, with a height of 53.9 meters. The bottom floor is the tower base, with a coupons door in the middle, and a building in front of the door, highlighting the entrance of the tower. The rolling shed of Baoxia is very high and exquisite. Entering the room, the room is square. The second to tenth floors of the tower have the same plane form, but the dimensions of each part are different. Up the stairs, up to the top floor.

At the top of the pagoda, a huge peach shaped green glazed pagoda brake is placed on the top of the four corners of the pagoda, which is in sharp contrast with the gray pagoda body, making people feel dignified and bright in color. The temple covers an area of 18000 square meters. The main buildings are Mountain Gate, bell and Drum Tower, Tianwang hall, Daxiong hall, Haibao tower, jade Buddha Hall and reclining Buddha Hall. These buildings are arranged on an east-west central axis.

The main hall of Daxiong temple is the main hall of the temple, in which Sakyamuni's three body Buddha is worshipped, with lotus stands at the end and eighteen Arhats on both sides. Through the corridor bridge, there is the Jade Buddha Hall, in which there is a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. This jade Buddha was invited from Myanmar in 1992. It is 1.5 meters tall and carved with a whole piece of Golden Jade. The whole statue of Buddha is pure and shining. Haibao pagoda stands between Daxiong hall and jade Buddha Hall. It is the central building in the temple. Then there is the hall of reclining Buddha, which is seven and six meters long. The God bear is peaceful, and the whole body is covered with gold. The light is dazzling. Gongli, one of the top ten disciples of Buddha, gives people a sense of dignity and solemnity. The buildings in the temple are colorful.

Cultural Relic

Chinese PinYin : Hai Bao Ta Si