In Xi 'an, there are many scattered temples. They used to be brilliant or legendary, and they mentioned a wonderful story of royal aristocrats and monks and poets that could not be finished. However, for most people, nothing is known except those famous temples. Those temples are quietly hidden in the corner of Xi city. After the carving of the axe of time, even many old Xi people who were born and raised have disappeared.
Ming Jiang's Wangji Temple
The beauty of Xi 'an is always inadvertently revealed in the resplendent walls and gates, and the cypress forest under Wenchang Gate is also stained with its ancient charm. Looking through the antique city from a distance, the gate of Wolong Temple is opposite. Strangely, even in the cold autumn, there are pilgrims in Wolong Temple early in the morning. There are not many people, but they are all very religious. No matter why you come, there is always fate.
Wolong Temple, known as the "First Zen Forest in Northwest China", was built in the era of Emperor Han Ling (168~ 189). It is the earliest temple in Xi and one of the three earliest temples in China. The Sui Dynasty was called "Fu Ying Temple", which was over 1800 years ago. In the Tang Dynasty, the Guanyin statue painted here by Wu Daozi was preserved in Yin Si, also known as "Guanyin statue". During the years of Tang Yizong, Xian Tong (860) and Xuanzong Ganfu (874), there was a classic stone carving of Toronyi in the temple. In the early Song Dynasty, Hui Guo, a monk, entered the abbot of the temple and lay high all day. At that time, people called him "Wolong monk". Therefore, Song Taizong finally renamed the temple "Wolong Temple".
Wolong Temple is known as the living fossil of the confluence of the three religions. The gate of Wolong Temple is actually the Maitreya Buddha Hall, in which Maitreya Buddha and Bodhisattva are the main statues. Different from other temples, the Maitreya Hall and the Tianwang Hall of Wolong Temple are separate. On both sides of Maitreya Hall are two generals of fire and water. The two generals of fire and water refer to the two generals of tortoise and snake, who were originally the protectors of Taoism and stood on both sides of Maitreya Buddha.
Tennoja in Wolong Temple continues to maintain the characteristics of the confluence of the three religions. The Lord inside turned out to be Master Guan, and the four heavenly kings stood on both sides. The god of Confucianism entered the main hall with great momentum and was guarded by four heavenly kings, vividly reappearing the situation of the unity of the three religions.
Different from pious pilgrims, for ordinary people, Wenchang Men Site site is called the Forest of Steles Museum. What happens when you accidentally "break into" this pure land is what Buddhists call fate. If you happen to be predestined friends, in addition to seeing many Buddhist treasures, the clarity and tranquility in the bustling city may be the harvest of visiting Wolong Temple.
Perhaps many people know the name of Wangji Temple because of a folk singer named Ming Jiang in Xi. When clear and clean folk songs linger in our ears, perhaps many people will wonder, what place is Wangji Temple that can make singers who have been away from home for a long time unforgettable?
Wangji Temple is located in Paofang Street, Dongguan, Xi, not far from the north gate of Xingqing Palace. This temple was built in the first year of Shenlong in the Tang Dynasty (705), with a history of 1300 years. The word "Ji Wang" is taken from The Book of Songs to express children's infinite filial piety to their parents.
There are three main reasons for saying that Wangji Temple is a "temple with great influence": First, it is a royal temple built by Princess Taiping of Zhenguo to pray for her mother Wu Zetian. Second, a group of eminent monks in the Tang Dynasty settled in this temple several times to practice. 3. In 82 1 A.D., the Tang Dynasty and Tubo established a monument-repairing alliance (known as "Changqing Meng Hui" in history), and the alliance ceremony was held in Wangji Temple.
The names of Princess Taiping and Wu Zetian naturally need no explanation, and the historical significance of such landmark events as "Changqing Meng Hui" in promoting national integration is well understood. The monk and his party in the Tang Dynasty, whose names seem strange, are actually first-class people. He holds a number of "invention patents" for astronomical observation instruments, and is the first person in the world to measure the length of the prime meridian by scientific methods. At the same time, he is also the leader of Tantric Sect. Together with two other eminent monks, he compiled the Tantric authoritative work "The Great Sun Sutra", which was worshipped by later generations, especially Japanese monks.
When I went to Wangji Temple, there were few pilgrims and tourists. The temple was very quiet and really separated from the bustling city by a wall. There are three courtyards in the temple. In the final analysis, it is a royal temple. The buildings and furnishings are well preserved, and the Buddha statues enshrined in the temple are very beautiful. According to pilgrims, there are about a dozen monks living in the temple, which can also accommodate some pilgrims from other places to practice. It is always a quiet place, suitable for meditation. Ming Jiang is afraid that he will never forget the purity here, so he can write a song and sing the joys and sorrows of life.
Xiaozhai may be one of the most prosperous areas in Xi. Walk past the crowded Xiaozhai overpass and walk a few kilometers to the west, which is Daxingshan Temple. It is just a wall away from the world of mortals, and it feels quite "hidden in the city".
Daxingshan Temple is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Xi, with a history of 1700 years. Founded in the Jin Dynasty, it was originally named Zunshan Temple. Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty expanded in Huang Kai in the second year, and changed its name to Daxing Temple. Indian monks once lived in temples to translate scriptures, which became the birthplace of China's tantric Buddhism and a memorable place in the history of Sino-Indian cultural exchange. 20 15, Indonesian Prime Minister Modi visited China, came to Xi 'an and went there specially.
There have also been "three heroes who opened the emperor" and "three heroes who opened the century". During the reign of Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty, he vigorously promoted Buddhism and established a translation hall in Daxing Shan Temple, making it the center for the translation of Buddhist classics in China. Na Yue Jueduo and Dharma Gupta, the eminent monks of Tianzhu, successively presided over the translation of Buddhist scriptures here, making outstanding contributions to the translation of Buddhist scriptures in China, and were honored as "three great scholars" by later generations. During the Kaiyuan period of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, the "three masters of Kaiyuan" Xu Bodhi, Jin Gangzhi and Bukong came to this temple to give lectures on tantric Buddhism, which became one of the three major Buddhist scriptures translation sites in Chang 'an at that time.
Through time and sea of people, into the temple, the world of mortals seems to be separated. In the outer court of the temple, there is a Buddha statue with a strong incense. The incense burner is full, full of humble and true expectations of all sentient beings. The impressions of two knees can be clearly seen on the red flannel mat in front of the Buddha. I stood by and watched the pilgrims who came by chance burn incense and pray in front of the Buddha. I can't hear what they are saying, but I understand those hearts that long for happiness.
From Chang 'an to Qu Wei, it is not difficult to find two pagodas on the half slope of Shaoling in the east. Seen from a distance, a pair of brothers stood straight there. The twin towers stand tall, but few people know that this is the seat of Huayan Temple, the ancestral home of Huayan Sect of Buddhism.
Huayan Temple was built in the 19th year of Zhenyuan in Tang Dezong (803), where the monk Du Shun founded Huayan Sect. His three disciples won the favor of Wu Zetian and were called "Master Hua Yanzong". Cheng Guan, a disciple of four schools, was honored as a professor monk, awarded the titles of "Master of Zhenguo" and "Master of Liangsangzu", and presided over the national Buddhist ceremony at that time. Therefore, Huayan Temple is a famous temple with high status in the Tang Dynasty. With the support of Wu Zetian, its status is certainly higher than other temples.
Huayan Temple, from its initial construction to hundreds of years later, has no record of tall halls and buildings, only a carved cave to accommodate Buddha statues and monks. Huayan Temple is a typical cave temple on the Loess Plateau. According to the records of the stupa, there used to be the tomb tower where Du Shun, the first ancestor of Huayan Zong, sat, the second ancestor Zhiyan Tower, the third ancestor Xianshou Tower and the fourth ancestor Chengguan Tower. However, during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the Shaoling Mausoleum collapsed, leaving only two brick towers, and all the others were destroyed. Among the two existing pagodas, the Guling Pagoda in Dushun in the east and the Guling Pagoda in Chengguan, the fourth ancestor of Huayan Sect, in the west.
Huayan Temple looks at Nanshan in the south, and the poet Cen Can's "Thousand peaks in the south of the temple, overlapping peaks and green mountains" shows its best scenery. The natural scenery around Huayan Temple is not the world of Huayan described in Buddhist scriptures, but it is also a paradise of Huayan on earth. Today, the temple that has experienced thousands of years of loneliness has long since ceased to exist, but fortunately, it is still guarding this thousand-year-old homeland with the spirit of Du Shun and the second ancestor Cheng Guan.
Not far from Huayan Temple, there is also a famous temple called Niutou Temple. Go to Fan Chuan, go to Tuyuan, pass the tomb of the martyrs in Yang Hucheng, and arrive at Niutou Temple.
The name of Niutou Temple is very interesting and easy to remember. Among them, there is a story about the battle between the ancestor of Niutou Temple and Daoxuan, the founder of Green Sect, which became a case for later generations to discuss Buddhist practice. In the story, the skill of holding a cow's head to eat food is superior, and he has become the "cow's head teacher" in the eyes of future generations. The temple he founded also has the title of "Niutou Temple".
Niutou Temple, built in Zhenyuan period of Tang Dynasty, is a famous Buddhist temple in Tang Dynasty and one of the eight major temples in Fan Chuan. Amin writer Zhao Gan wrote in "A Tour to the South of the City": "(Niutouchan) Temple is stricter and more solemn than China." It can be more solemn than Huayan Zongzuting, and it also shows the prosperity of incense here from the side.
Niutou Temple is also a scenic spot in the south of Chang 'an, and there are places of interest such as Xinghuaping and Jiulongtan. In the poem "Niutou Temple" written by Si Kongtu, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, he said: "The best place in the south is to meditate on the blue clouds, the trees are quiet and the smoke is sparse." I wrote about the elegant and quiet scenery here. Wu Zetian also reveled in the scenery here. She once traveled here and wrote a poem "Swimming in Kowloon Pool", in which she wrote: "Two phoenixes on the top of the rock, swimming in Kowloon in the heart of the pool, bamboo leaves floating wine, and hibiscus writing cups." The elegant scene of holding a banquet in a beautiful environment is vividly written and fascinating to read. More than a thousand years later, Empress Dowager Cixi fled to xi 'an, and sent someone to fetch spring water from Jiulongtan for her to drink every day. I wonder if she has read Wu Zetian's sightseeing poems?
Next to the Niutou Temple, there is also a Duke Temple, which was built in memory of Du Fu, a great poet in the Tang Dynasty. Du Fu has a deep relationship with Shaoling, which can be seen from his name "Night Old Shaoling". This ancestral temple, built in the Ming Dynasty, together with the later tomb of the martyr Yang Hucheng, became a neighbor of the Niutou Temple and witnessed it for a long time.
traffic route
Wolong Temple: No.35 Baishulin Street, beilin district, Xi. The buses are 14, 23, 40, 208, 2 13, 2 16, 22 1 222, 258, 309, 402, 5 12, 704, 7 10, 800.
Wangji Temple: Take a bus to Xi 'an Dongmen Station, and walk 200 meters along Paofang Street.
Daxing Mountain Temple: Take bus No.26, 323, 52 1, K605, 70 1, 704, 7 16, 720, 72 1, 722, 6, 8 (6/kloc-.
Huayan Temple: Take the 9 17 bus to the TV Tower and get off at Chang 'an Normal School. You can get there according to the roadside signs.
Niutou Temple: Take bus No.923 at Chengnan Bus Terminal, get off at General Yang Hucheng Cemetery, 50 meters to the east, and there is a path up the mountain, which leads directly to Niutou Temple. General Yang Hucheng's Mausoleum, Niutou Temple and Dugong Temple are all together.