Where is the location of Xiangshan Temple in Quanzhou?
1. Looking at the top of the mountain
Standing at the foot of Xiangshan Temple, with Xiangshan Temple at its back and Linxiang Mountain in front, it is like a single sofa. There have been many famous mountain monks since ancient times, and Xiangshan Temple has a good reputation. Feng shui further highlights his development advantages.
2. Look back
As the first Zen forest in southern Chu, Xiangshan Temple has its own reasons and conditions for achieving its historical status.
One of the origins of Xiangshan Temple is its long history. With a history of more than 1,200 years, Xiangshan Temple has accumulated an immortal culture.
The second reason is that the emperor came to worship in person. Four emperors including Zhenzong and Ningzong of the Song Dynasty came to worship in person, and Emperor Kangxi wrote an inscription.
The third reason is that Xiangshan Temple is a national key cultural relics protection unit.
The fourth origin is the Quanzhen monk who presides over Xiangshan Temple, who is honored as Amitayus Buddha. He is the Sakyamuni Buddha in the East and has far-reaching influence.
The fifth reason is that the place names in Quanzhou were renamed because of Monk Quanzhen. The original name of Quanzhou was Qingxiang County, Xiangyuan County, etc. Later, due to Monk Quanzhen's great power and far-reaching influence, the government at that time changed Xiangyuan County to Quanxian County for the convenience of management and to remember Monk Quanzhen. This state is the only one in the country that changed its name because of a famous host.
The sixth reason is that historical dignitaries and literati came to worship and travel. Many political dignitaries such as Xu Xiake, Hong Chengda, Xie Jin, Jiang and Yubang visited this place. Shi Tao, one of the four great painting monks in the Qing Dynasty, worked here morning and evening for 21 years, "searching all the temple peaks to make drafts", which created its historical style.
The seventh reason is that Xiangshan Temple was copied in South Korea. South Korea also has a Jeonju and a Xiangshan Temple. The two cities have become sister cities. In history, South Korea sent six treasures including the Luminous Pearl and the golden "Huayan Sutra", which were later destroyed by Japan.
Third look at the stones of Xiangshan Temple. First, there is a release pond for national key cultural relics protection units, where various animals are lifelike. The second is Shi Tao’s orchid painting. The third one is personally inscribed by Emperor Kangxi. The fourth is various cliff stone carvings from past dynasties.
Fourth look at the bowl head of Xiangshan Temple. At its peak, Xiangshan Temple had more than 3,000 monks, and Xibo Rock Spring is a great witness.
Look at the heads five times. Xiangshan Temple is crowded with people on February 19th, June 19th and September 19th of the lunar calendar. There are 100,000 men and women from all over Hunan and Guangxi, and the scene is spectacular.
Sixth look at the writing tip. Xiangshan Temple has the writings of the great painter Shi Tao telling the history, the Kangxi Emperor's inscriptions, the modern calligrapher Wu Shundao from Quanzhou, and the wonderful writings of Quanzhou high school students describing their wonderful lives.
Look at the grave mound seven times. Miaoming Pagoda, as the place where the Buddha of Infinite Life attained Nirvana, has given infinite thoughts to future generations.
Look at the wall. The extraordinary history and exquisite religious art of Xiangshan Temple were burned down by the hateful Japanese army, and the stones left behind tell the heinous crimes of the foreign invaders.
Nine-look lucky numbers. Absorbing the aura of the mountains and rivers, the thousand-year-old ancient temple protects all living beings with its unique aura.
Xiangshan Temple, the first famous temple in southern Chu, is located at the foot of the gorgeous Xiangshan Mountain in the northwest of Quanzhou City. According to "Quanzhou Chronicles", in April of the first year of Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty (756 AD), The eminent monk Amitayus traveled to Xiangyuan County (today's Quanzhou) and climbed to the Xiangshan Mountain Bamboo Shooting Platform. Looking from a high distance, he saw the towering stone peaks of Xiangshan Mountain, surrounded by five flowers, three rivers converging, and Bo Yu Mountain on the left. There is Shengchan Ridge on the right, with a view of the city in front, and Xiangshan Mountain in the back. The green water is like a belt, the majestic mountains are like hairpins, and the graceful Zhongshan River has gathered the elites of heaven and earth, so they decided to settle here. "Cut the thorns to form the grass, and use the sheer to feed yourself." Founded the Pure Land Temple and spread Buddhism.
Xiangshan Temple is known as "prospering the Tang Dynasty and showing the Song Dynasty". During the Song Dynasty, the four emperors Huizong, Gaozong, Ningzong and Li Zong successively consecrated the Pure Land Temple five times and changed the name to (Jingde Temple ) and changed its name to Baoen Guangxiao Temple. In 1101 AD, Emperor Huizong visited the pagoda in person during his southern tour. Jingde Temple was designated as a famous temple in Xiangshan Mountain. From this, Xiangshan Temple got its name, became famous and entered its heyday. At that time, there were 3,000 monks every day. The stern and tall buildings of Xiangshan Temple spread all over Xiangshan Mountain and all the way to the Wanxiang River. It has a construction area of about 18,000 square meters and 31 strange rocks and caves. There are 12 clear springs and sweet wells for tourists to rest.
Devoted men and women from Hunan and Guangxi provinces gathered in the ancient temple with incense and bells. Due to its vast scale, Xiangshan Temple is known as the "No. 1 Zen Forest in Southern Chu".
"Before exploring the beauty of the thousands of peaks in Guiling, you must first see the wonders of Xiangshan Mountain." Luo Guanzhong, the author of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", also described the sacred scene of the marble monk traveling to Xiangshan Temple in "The Legend of Pingyao" . Huang Tingjian, Xu Xiake, Xie Jin, Wang Euzhi and other thousands of poets and poets all immersed themselves in the scenic spots and danced poems and splashed ink. In 1993, when the Seventh Red Army, which led the White Uprising, occupied Quanzhou City, they were invited to visit Xiangshan Temple. According to legend, during the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army in 1943, Bang, the "Red Imp" at that time, also stayed at Xiangshan Temple for one night. In 1943, the unprecedented tens of thousands of people's memorial service for General Dai Anlan, the famous anti-Japanese general, was held at Xiangshan Temple. It is a pity that during that period of ruthless suffering in China's modern history, Xiangshan Temple was completely burned down under the iron heel of the Japanese defeat in 1945.
The green mountains are still there, and the sunsets are red several times. The existing Xiangshan Temple also retains scenic spots such as the animal stone carvings in the Free Life Pool, Xibo Rock Spring, Shoufo Hall, Miaoming Pagoda, Feilai Stone, and Kangxi Cliff Carvings.
Information source: Quanzhou County People’s Government Website