Thousand Buddha Temple

Thousand Buddha Temple

Qianfo temple, also known as Xiaoxitian, is located on the top of Fenghuang mountain, one mile west of Xixian County, Shanxi Province. It is a Buddhist Zen temple. It was founded in 1629 by Dongming Zen master of Ming Dynasty. It got its name because there were thousands of Buddhas in the main hall. Later, it was renamed Xiaoxitian because of the title "Taoist Xitian" on the forehead of the gate. It was also named Xiaoxitian to distinguish another Ming Dynasty temple in the south of the city.

The temple of qianfo'an is built on the mountain. It is ingenious in design, different in height and different in arrangement. It can be used as a whole. In particular, the hall of Daxiong hall is full of wood, bone and mud hanging sculpture art, with gold and color, resplendent and exquisite. The colorful paintings on the beam frame are rich and elegant, which are quite characteristic. It can be called "the best of hanging sculpture" in the history of Chinese sculpture art More than 4% of the colored sculpture works of Ming and Qing Dynasties in Fujian Province, and these masterpieces are only molded in a small hall with an area of 169.6 square meters, which can be called the treasure of Buddhist colored sculpture art. The official edition of qianfo'an temple, Ming Yongle northern collection, has become a rare treasure to study the history of Chinese Buddhism, the history of Tibetan scriptures, ethics and even folk customs. In 1996, Xiaoxitian was announced as the fourth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. In the same year, it was approved as a place for religious activities by the religious Department of Linfen City.

The origin of history

According to the inscription of Qian fo'an written by Li Chengxiang in the 24th volume of Xizhou annals of Kangxi, the Xiaoxitian project "started in his own year and handed over to Jiashen", and according to the "Qian fo'an, built by Shi Daoliang in Chongzhen's own year" in Shanxi Tongzhi of Guangxu of Qing Dynasty, it was built in 1629 (Chongzhen's second year of Ming Dynasty). During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, Dongming, a monk of Wutai Mountain Fire temple, traveled to Xi county. He saw that the earth mountain in the northwest of the county looks like a Phoenix, with dense trees and quiet environment, which is suitable for building temples. Therefore, he had a strong desire to build a thousand Buddha nunnery in this mountain, looking forward to the prosperity of Buddhist statues in the future.

After that, the Zen master of the eastern Ming Dynasty started construction in the early years of Chongzhen. It took 15 years. In the 17th year of Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty, the main building, including Manjusri hall, Puxian hall, Weituo hall, the second floor of the bell tower, the East-West corridor room, the parapet and the Chishan bridge at the foot of the mountain, was initially completed.

According to the inscriptions of qianfo'an, it is said that "monk Yan lived in Xizhi mountain and changed his name to Fenghuang. But gradually, the danger will disappear It was 1629 and 1644 respectively. In addition, there is an inscription board under the ridge purlin of the Ming Dynasty in the main hall: "when Chongzhen was seventeen years old, Renshen was born in July. On the 27th, Renzi was born in Shangliang Daji at noon. Geng Chen, a Fengzhi official, wrote the inscription in ink with the following words:" he was granted the title of "Zhizhou Zhizhou Zhexi Ge Yong Zhong" by the imperial government, and Guo Congshan, an official. ".

It took more than 15 years to build Qianfo temple from the 40th year of Wanli to the 2nd year of Suizhen. The initial construction of Qianfo Temple lasted 15 years from the second year of Chongzhen to the 17th year. The main hall of the upper courtyard of the nunnery was founded in the 16th-17th year of Chongzhen period. The hall was filled with painted sculptures from the 8th to the 13th year of Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, which took about five years to draw. It took about 14 years from the construction of Moji hall to the completion of the painted sculptures, during which the work was stopped for about 7 to 8 years.

Temple layout

This temple, divided into two chambers, is famous for its novel layout, exquisite and exquisite style. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the river in front of the temple, the ancient trees are towering and the clear stream is trickling down. The earth cliffs of Fenghuang Mountain are like cutting, and Xiaoxitian stands on the top of the mountain. After crossing Zichuan rural area, Xinshui River Bridge, Tianchi river bank, Tongtian fairy bridge, more than 240 stone steps, and 10 meters of Dongtian, we will enter the so-called western holy land.

The lower house is the main body of the temple. The Wuliang hall in the courtyard is built to the East, with dozens of bronze Buddha statues and wooden pavilions. It is a Buddhist hall for monks to chant sutras. On the opposite side of Wuliang hall is Weituo hall. Weituo statue is carved by a whole block of Nanmu. It is powerful, lifelike and exquisite. From both sides of the back of Weituo hall, you can reach gutongfeng by entering "no doubt road" and "another heaven". The two corners of the peak are divided into the second floor of the bell and drum. At the top of the peak, there is a Moyun Pavilion, where Guanyin Bodhisattva is worshipped inside and kuiguangwenxing is worshipped outside. The garden is picturesque and fascinating. There is a rare Ming edition Sutra in Beifang of the lower court, which contains more than 7000 volumes and is well preserved.

Confrontation between the left and the right

The upper house is the essence of the whole temple, the front is the hall of the great hall, and the two temples of Manjusri and Pu Hun stand on each other.

There are five interconnected niches on the front of the hall. The "pharmacist", "Mitha", "Sakyamuni", "Pilu" and "Maitreya" and other Buddhas sit on the lotus platform, each decorated with brocade clothes, with a self-confident and kind face. The top ten disciples stand on both sides of the hall, with beautiful shape, vivid expression, implicit expression and lifelike.

On the South gable of the temple are the stories of Buddhist figures such as "the Four Saints" and "the four heavenly kings". On the North gable of the temple are the stories of "Ren Li Tian", the stories of Buddhism and the legend of Sakyamuni.

The eight King Kong on the beam are majestic and majestic, and the magnificent "paradise" is suspended on the wall between the beams. Many people are flying in the sky, divine birds, peacocks, parrots and cranes, swimming on the misty clouds. The twelve Yueji Bodhisattvas are light, gentle and noble, freely performing the "heaven" songs and dances. Throughout the hall, Tiangong Pavilion, layer upon layer, surrounded by clouds, PINK MAKEUP Luan, presents a charming scene of the fairy palace Buddha kingdom.

This group of treasures of the Ming Dynasty hanging sculpture art is valuable material for the study of clay sculpture art. Many tourists come to the "West sky" and forget to return.

Architectural structure

Most of the famous mountains and temples win by being tall and grand, but Xiaoxitian is unique in its small and exquisite style. Although the total construction area of the temple is only more than 1100 square meters, in the extremely limited space, there are many halls, such as Daxiong hall, Manjusri hall, Puxian hall, Wuliang hall, Tianwang hall, Weituo hall, dizang hall, bell tower, Drum Tower, etc., which are integrated, and the holes are used as doors to separate the upper courtyard, the middle courtyard and the front courtyard. In fact, two-thirds of the temples are of double-layer building structure, with layers of layers, twists and turns, and winding paths leading to seclusion. It not only has the pattern of general temples, but also has the charm of garden architecture

The architectural style and characteristics of Xiaoxitian can be summarized in four words: small, ingenious, exquisite and strange. "The height of this mountain is only a few hundred steps, and the size of this mountain is only a few tens of ears.". The scene here, everything happened in the small, everything is reflected in the small, it shows that she is "small" not vulgar. And "because of the setting, all kinds of beautiful", sculpture vivid, ready to come out, wonderful in the change of layout, shows her "clever" flexible. The temple is well arranged. The structure of the hall is meticulous, exquisitely carved and superb, which shows that she is exquisite. "Left to the ancient village, thousand Ren cliff, right with the west slope, mountains and green.". Together with the rare hanging sculpture in the world, it shows that she is "extraordinary". Such a delicate and unique pattern and quiet and elegant scene is really unique in the history of architecture.

Hanging sculpture art

The main hall of Shangsi has preserved the perfect hanging sculpture art. The whole hall color sculpture is one of the few color art groups preserved so far in China, which has immeasurable historical and artistic value.

In 1987, Zhao Puchu, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese people's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and President of the Chinese Buddhist Association, read a picture of Xiao Xitian's hanging statue and wrote a couplet for the main hall: "the East and the West are not separated by dust, and all things on earth and in the sky are solemn.". During his visit to the great hall, General Secretary Hu Yaobang repeatedly praised "good, good" and gave important instructions on how to protect the hall.

On May 25, 2002, Li Na, Chairman Mao's daughter, went out to take photos of the hall and returned to the hall. Most of the sculptures in the hall were painted between 1644 (the 17th year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty) and 1656 (the 13th year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty).

Covered with colorful sculptures

With a construction area of only 216.72 square meters, the hall is covered with painted sculptures. In addition to the five main statues on the Buddhist altar, thousands of painted sculptures are painted on the walls, sandalwood columns and even rafters. These colorful sculptures, with different poses and vivid shapes, are placed in the halls of the Buddhist kingdom. The height is more than 3 meters, and the small one is only the size of a thumb. It is complex but not miscellaneous, and sweeping but not chaotic. It expresses the great world of Buddhism in an orderly way. In many famous ancient temples in China, there are many kinds of hanging sculptures, but none of them is as colorful as Xiaoxitian, and none of them is as beautiful as Xiaoxitian.

If we say that the uncanny work of the hanging sculpture art in the main hall is breathtaking, then the painting in the beam frame of the hall is even more precious. This is the painting of dragon, Phoenix and seal made of asphalt powder and gold, which is similar to that of the palace. This kind of color painting belongs to the highest level of architectural color painting in Ming and Qing Dynasties, and belongs to the royal family. Due to the high grade and high cost, it is very rare to preserve the objects. However, it is a miracle that this kind of high-level color painting can appear in a small temple in a remote area.

Buddhism follows

Zen sect

According to historical records, Xiaoxitian is a typical Buddhist temple. In different periods, Xiao Xitian was divided into two schools of Zen: "Cao Dongzong" and "Linji Zong". The inscription on the stele of renovating the corridor and veranda is "the authentic Bodhisattva of caodong abstains from bhikhulongjian", which indicates that Dongming, the founder of Xiaoxitian, should be a monk of caodong. In addition, according to the Western holy land dengyou stele, there are "biographies"

Chinese PinYin : Qian Fo An