CThere are many monasteries all over the country, but many of them are incessant and noisy, and some are even very commercial and quiet. Ancient fragrance, the original Zen temple has become less and less, but hidden in the mountains and rivers, far from the earthly temple is very few. This trip to Henan, I found such an ancient Zen Temple-Xichuan Xiangyan Temple.
"Qingfeng Fu Ling, hundred cliffs hold Cui", this is the best portrayal of Xiangyan Temple. Xiangyan Temple is located in Cangfang Town, Xichuan Shanghai to Nagoya flight County, southwest Henan Province. It is located on the west bank of Danjiang Reservoir, the largest artificial freshwater lake in Asia. It has all the natural conditions far from the earthly world. The mountains are surrounded by mountains, pine and cypress, dense forests, the terrain is like lotus flowers, the temple is just in the middle of Lianhuatai, the surrounding natural landscape is beautiful, the scenery of the four seasons is different. Xiangyan Temple, hidden in the old forest of mountains, still preserves its simple and secluded appearance.
Xiangyan Temple was built in Kaiyuan period of Datang Dynasty (AD 714). It has a history of more than 1300 years. It is known as the four famous temples in the Central Plains with Luoyang Baima Temple, Songshan Shaolin Temple and Kaifeng Xiangguo Temple. The temple used to be two Zen courts, the upper temple is surrounded by Baiyan mountains, the lower temple is located at the foothills of Danshui, 30 miles from each other, but the lower temple has long been flooded by Danjiang reservoir water, now only on the temple. Since ancient times, Xiangyan Temple has been a pure land for locals to make pilgrimage to Buddha.
After more than 1000 years of wind and rain Shanghai to Macau flight baptism, Xiangyan Temple, now there are only 144 houses, is the national key cultural relics protection unit. The monastery is built according to the mountain, and the main buildings are arranged on the central axis in turn. The scale is magnificent and staggered. It is the largest famous temple in Zhongzhou and one of the popular places for northern and southern monks.
Trace back to the history of Xiangyan Temple, which used to be the Taoist field of the two dynasties and the monarch of the emperor. According to the inscription of Chinese Zen master, in the second year of Tang Kaiyuan (AD 714), Master Shi Huizhong, one of the six groups of Huineng disciples of Zen Zongnan Zen School, chose to set up a Taoist field for an nunnery here for more than 40 years. In the 14th year of Tang Tianbao (AD 755), Master Huizhong was called to the capital by Tang Xuanzong Li Longji. He helped protect Tang Xuanzong, Tang Suzong and Tang Zong for three generations. He was loyal to the country, dedicated wholeheartedly, and was Suzong. The emperors of the two dynasties on behalf of the people's Republic of China were designated teachers of the country.
Tang Baoying, in December of the first year (AD 762), received the permission of Emperor Dai Zong to build a "Changshou Temple" in Baiya Mountain, Xichuan County, which Huizhong's Taoist teacher had built that year, and sealed the temple as a state setting up, and gave Xiangyan Changshou Temple and everlasting field. This is the predecessor of Xiangyan Temple. Later, because of the flow of people in temples, cigarettes curled up, which was called cigarette temple by the people. However, disciple Yu Yuan of Huizhong really thought that the word "tobacco" was too vulgar. In order to respect the Buddha and respect the teacher, he adopted the solemn word "strict" of Xiangguang and changed "tobacco" to "strict". Since then, the Changshou Temple given by the emperors of the two dynasties has been forgotten, but Xiangyan Temple is still in use today.
In addition, in the Tang Dynasty for five years (AD 840), before Tang Wuzong Li Yan succeeded, Li Yi, the king of fear of light, competed with him for the throne, constantly harming the king of light. In order to avoid killing, Li Yi came to Xiangyan Temple to cut her hair and take refuge for seven years. He was later known as Emperor Xuanzong, renamed Li Chen, the 16th Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. He ascended the throne for fourteen years, and the weather was smooth and the country was safe.
Interestingly, it is said that when Emperor Xuanzong became a monk here, in order to avoid the pursuit, he fell into a deep valley in panic and fell into a deep valley. When the thieves heard the sound of chasing him, just as this critical call came, he saw the thick fog in the deep valley and obscured his sight. When the monks arrived, the thieves panicked and fled. In the monastery Tibetan scripture building, there is a 10-square-meter Reiki treasure land, which is the place of the deep valley where Emperor Xuanzong fell, which is now commonly known as the "disaster elimination treasure land" by future generations.
There is a stout male ginkgo tree in front of the monastery, which has been more than 1300 years old, 2 meters in diameter and 6 meters in circumference. It is rare in the Central Plains. There is also a female ginkgo tree by the bamboo forest outside the courtyard, which can not be hugged from afar, and there are still moving legends. According to legend, in the ten years of the Tang Dynasty, Huizhong was silent, and ten princes sent Buddhist bones back to Xiangyan Temple to be buried. The princes nostalgic for the beauty of the temple, did not return to their lives for a long time, the princes lived in the deep palace for a long time, and Sifu came all the way to find his husband. But women can not enter the temple, they can only plant ginkgo trees in the bamboo forest, send Acacia from afar.
The ancient Xiangyan Temple not only has many interesting historical stories, but also has some fastidious characteristic buildings. "passing through the Hall" is one of them. This small and exquisite building was built in the third day of March, the fifth year of Qing Dynasty Guang Xu, named after the hall, also known as the receiving hall. In the past, from the capital to the local principal officials came to Xiangyan Temple, the abbot greeted in front of the official hall with the highest etiquette, did not have to go down the steps, sent the official to the same end. In the national monasteries, only Xiangyan Temple has this building.
Daxiong Temple, located in the center of the central axis, was built during the Yongle period of Yu Ming, and the worship in the middle was Sakyamuni. There are 26 large columns around, each 7 meters high, eaves bucket arch, styled chic, unique, carved with dragons, Phoenix, lions, birds, all kinds of flowers and plants, carved with lion roll hydrangea on the carved bars and doors and windows, carp jump dragon gate, Erlong Zhuzhu and other patterns, merging the north and south architectural artistic style, is the largest wooden frame structure hall in the Central Plains.
Daxiong Temple has three unique treasures in the Central Plains, wood carvings under eaves, brick carvings on ridges and windows, stone carvings on tablets as "three absolute", and more than 400 square meters of ancient murals on the walls of Daxiong Temple are "one treasure." These murals are priceless treasures of Xiangyan Temple and a valuable cultural heritage of our country. The frescoes painted in the Ming Dynasty reflect the spiritual culture of Buddhism and Taoism. But now that they are in disrepair, some have gradually been damaged, hoping to be protected as soon as possible.
The building is called Wangyue Pavilion, and there are moving stories behind its romantic name. According to inscriptions, Tang Wenzong opened for five years, Wang Guangwang Li Chen potential Xiangyan Temple took refuge, cast under the door of Zen Master Zhi leisurely as a small monk, in the dead of night, Sami light Wang regular meeting here to look at the sky and bright moon. The thoughts of the palace and the struggle between the palace and the palace are pinned on the yearning for food and clothing and the thinking on the struggle between the palaces. Later, after Li Chen ascended the throne, he was even more in love with Xiangyan Temple. The monks missed him and built the Xuanzong Emperor Temple in the place where Li pillow Wangyue was built, and named it "Wangyue Pavilion."
Xiangyan Temple, a thousand-year ancient temple, as a famous historical and cultural temple in the Central Plains, has too many cultural relics and historical stories to appreciate and study. In addition, the surrounding environment is excellent. Since ancient times, it has not only been a good male and female pilgrimage to worship Buddha and ancient famous temple. It is also an excellent tourist destination for people to visit sightseeing and recuperation, which is very worth visiting.
