Editor's note:

Suining's Guanyin folk culture has a long history and has gone far beyond the pure content contained in Buddhism itself. It is integrated with local ballads, legends, folk proverbs and local operas, forming a folk culture and customs with local characteristics and becoming an important content and manifestation of regional culture. After thousands of years of historical and cultural accumulation, Suining Guanyin folk culture has become a folk cultural phenomenon with extensive influence at home and abroad, which contains the purpose of improving people's moral psychology, moral personality and moral norms, thus beautifying life and society. In China, Southeast Asian countries and even the whole world, whether you believe in Buddhism or not, Guanyin belief is deeply rooted in people's hearts and widely respected. The faith of sympathy, salvation and kindness she represents has become the culture of all mankind. Like Venus and the Virgin Mary in the west, she is the messenger of peace, progress and development of mankind, the embodiment of truth, goodness and beauty, which is the starting point of Guanyin cultural brand and the market starting point of tourism brand. Suining's Guanyin cultural resources have great development potential, and it is entirely possible to become a world cultural resource brand and a world tourism industry brand.

"The three sisters of Guanyin Bodhisattva eat in the same pot and practice with each other. The elder sister is in Lingquan Temple and the second sister is in guangde temple. Only Third Sister was built in Putuo Temple in the South China Sea. " This ancient folk song is a household name in Suining. Every year on February 29th, June 29th and September 29th, the two Guanyin Dojo in Suining, Lingquan Temple and guangde temple, are crowded with pilgrims, the hometown of Guanyin and visitors from all directions. It can be said that "where there are willows, there are China people, and where there are China people, there is Guanyin". Belief in Guanyin has long been deeply rooted in people's hearts. The compassion, kindness, virtue, wisdom and wisdom she represents inspire people to pursue truth, goodness and beauty constantly.

In Suining, there is a beautiful legend about Princess Miaoshan.

Legend has it that a long time ago, there was a robbery in the western regions (now the north of Changji County, Xinjiang), and stealing the king was called solemn. They lived a nomadic life, and later moved to Suining to settle down, established a city-state, and robbed the king and changed his name to Miao Zhuang. Suining is the wall of Miao Zhuang Wang Jian on the Fujiang River.

King Miao Zhuang has raised three daughters, the first one is Miao Shu, the second one is Miao Yin, and the third one is Miao Shan. They were the three sisters of Guanyin, who were later widely circulated.

Miaoshan's birth is legendary. His mother had a blooming golden lotus and a pearl in her arms at the beginning of pregnancy. When Miaoshan was born, there were rare birds in unison, and the flowers were in full bloom, which was particularly fragrant. Miaoshan's practice is even more legendary. It is said that Princess Miaoshan has been a vegetarian since she was a child and is charitable. One day in Lingquan Mountain, she "suddenly saw Sakyamuni Buddha and devoted herself to practice" and "overcame many evil forces and finally became Guanyin Bodhisattva."

Miao Shu and Miao Shan were married one after another. After Miao Shan grew up, they recruited talents for them against the wishes of the king and decided to train horses. "Wangzhuang was as angry as Lei Zhen" sent Princess Miaoshan to Baique Temple, and asked the monks in the temple to do the most bitter and tiring work for her, hoping that she would change her decision after suffering and satisfy Wang. But Miaoshan carries water, chopping wood, sweeping the floor, washing clothes and cooking every day, and goes to work without regrets. When he has a little leisure, he still reads Buddha. The master of Baique Temple saw that the princess was intelligent and could not bear to delay her future, so she treated the princess well and provided convenience for her practice. Six months later, King Zhuang sent a "palace inspector" to Baique Temple for an unannounced visit. When he learned the truth, he was furious and ordered the Baique Temple to be burned overnight, killing 500 monks and nuns. Miaoshan was rescued to Putuo Mountain, with a tiger in his mouth, and then practiced meditation in Zizhu Cave. Houzhuang Wangsheng 500 is critically ill and refractory. He posted a list of seeking medical treatment. A monk wrote a prescription and needed his relatives to guide him with one hand and one eye. Big princess and the second princess of King Zhuang refused to give her hands and eyes and begged her father's forgiveness. The monk told King Zhuang that Yincui gorge was still alive and was willing to be filial. King Zhuang sent someone to Putuo Mountain. Princess Miaoshan knew the reason early and pointed out: "Your father suffered from a sore dragon, and 500 Boluo suffered from a sore. The sin of burning 500 monks is to be stabbed in the heart. " Then Miaoshan cut his hand and dug his eyes to treat his father. Miao Shan practiced hard in Putuo Mountain for nine years, often holding nectar in a pot to save the people. When the Buddha heard this, he named Guanyin Bodhisattva in Miao Shan as Guanyin Bodhisattva in Miao Shan. He was inspired by compassion and compassion. When father, sister and others came to Putuo Mountain to play, "princesses became thousands of eyes. Thousands of hands and eyes are Guanyin, and Purdue is forever passed down. "

One of the evidences: expert writings.

Speech by Professor Chen Bing, Doctoral Supervisor of Institute of Religion, Sichuan University, at the seminar of Guanyin Culture Festival in China June 5, 2004 +065438+10/October 3;

"Guanyin, a woman in China, came from the western regions with the great national migration. The more authoritative is the legend that Wang's third princess Miaoshan achieved Guanyin, which is the legend of the three sisters of Guanyin passed down from generation to generation in Suining. "

Guanyin, a monograph by Xing Li, a professor at the Central University for Nationalities;

The historical relics of Guanyin practice in Suining legend are particularly unique, such as Guanyin Cave symbolizing Miao Shan's practice, Guanyin cypress symbolizing Miao Shan's worship of Buddha, Guanyin well symbolizing Guanyin's saving the world, the imperial archway symbolizing Guanyin Dojo's lofty status, and Guanyin jewelry seal symbolizing Guanyin's divine power. It not only shows the profound accumulation of Guanyin culture in Suining, but also shows its unique charm.

Professor Zheng Zhencheng's monograph Guanyin in China-Princess Miaoshan's hometown in Suining;

"Comparatively speaking, the earliest Guanyin Dojo in China is still in the west, Suining, Lingquan Temple and guangde temple."

At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, Indian Buddhism was gradually introduced into the mainland from western China through Xinjiang and other places. At that time, the Da Yue people who first introduced Buddhism into China moved to the Fujiang River valley under the jurisdiction of Suining, and established the kingdom of Xingning. Miao Shan, the third daughter of King Miao Zhuang, practiced in Baique Temple and Putuo Mountain successively, and finally became Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Evidence 2: Relevant historical facts

When Suining Lingquan Temple and guangde temple became the famous Guanyin Dojo in the country in the Tang Dynasty, the Guanyin Dojo in Putuo Mountain in the South China Sea had not yet been built-Lingquan Temple was built in the early years of Sui Dynasty (AD 58 1 year), more than 280 years earlier than Putuo Temple (863) and 100 years earlier than Xiangshan Temple in Henan Province, and it was known as the "Western Holy Land" in history.

Guangde temple was built in the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty and was awarded the title of 1 1 by the emperors of the Tang, Song and Ming Dynasties. The existing jade seal given by Song Zhenzong (101year) is engraved with "Guanyin Jewelry Seal of Guangli Temple".

The third evidence: folk manuscripts

There were more than 500 monks in Baique Temple in Xishan, Suining. It is said that hundreds of white magpies come here for pilgrimage every year, hence the name "Baique Temple".

There are 374 lines of seven-character poems in the folk calligraphy "Burning Baique Temple". The poem records: "There is a Baique Temple in Suining, which is famous for thousands of years." It was probably the Qin Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago. The king of Suining Xingning County has three daughters. "The older one has two wonderful voices, and the younger one is called Miao Shan." "Three girls Miaoshan is not engaged." "The National People's Congress is bent on practice."

The folk story of Guanyin becoming a monk: "Jiazi gave birth to me years ago and on February 19th. I don't want my father to recruit Xu, I just want to practice. Father heard resentment in his heart and suffered in the cold palace. There was a catastrophe in Baique Temple, and 500 monks and nuns turned to dust. The Buddha can't save me, and the seven-story pagoda recites the scriptures. " (End) (Reporter Wang Guilan)