Xiangshan Temple

Xiangshan Temple

Xiangshan temple, located at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain in the west of Quanzhou County, Guilin City, Guangxi Province, was initially named "pure land courtyard". It is known as "prospering the Tang Dynasty and showing the Song Dynasty" and "the first famous temple in southern Chu".

Brief introduction to temples

Xiangshan temple, located at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain in the west of Quanzhou County, Guilin City, Guangxi Province, is known as "prospering the Tang Dynasty and showing the Song Dynasty" and "the first famous temple in southern Chu". It was founded by wuliangshou Buddha, an eminent monk in the Tang Dynasty in 756 ad. The four emperors of the Song Dynasty were granted five seals successively, and the Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty paid homage in person; Shi Tao, a famous painter in the early Qing Dynasty, lived in the temple for 21 years and left a picture of stone flowers; Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty personally inscribed "shoushiciyin" on the cliff. In Xiangshan temple, there are flying stones, Xibo spring, miaoming tower, shoufo hall, Yuantong hall, animal stone sculptures in free pond, etc. In its heyday, the temple covered an area of 18000 square meters.

Prosperous scene

Xiangshan temple, as the oldest Buddhist temple in Guangxi, attracts many tourists from home and abroad to worship and visit, especially the three major Buddhist festivals and the sea of people. Xiangshan temple was built in the first year of the Tang Dynasty (756) and was originally named "Pure Land Temple". Monk Quanzhen, a famous monk in Jingshan, Hangzhou, was the founder of the temple.

The scale

In the past, Xiangshan Temple covered an area of 2 square kilometers, with 48 halls and 108 rooms. The temple dates back to the Tang, song, Ming, Qing and Republic of China. It has been more than 1250 years. Although it was repaired many times during this period, it gradually declined in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and then suffered from repeated wars.

After war

Xiangshan temple was bombed by Japanese aggressors in 1943 and occupied by Japanese army in 1944. After the destruction of the temple and the remnant Buddha, Xiangshan temple was most severely damaged, with only more than ten squatters and miaoming pagodas left. After the catastrophe of the cultural revolution, the only remaining works of art are birds, animals, insects and fish carved from stone, as well as the seven story "miaoming tower" with a copper gourd top.

Reconstruction period

Since the reform and opening up, the religious policy has been gradually implemented. From 1986 to 1988, the government organized the design and construction of master Huaishan. The wuliangshou Buddha Hall, fangshengchi, Yuantong hall and three squatters were rebuilt. A new wuliangshou Buddha statue, three Guanyin statues, 25 Yuantong Bodhisattvas, one Manjusri and one Puxian Bodhisattvas were carved. The millennium old temple has taken on a new look and the Dharma lamp continues to burn. There are flying stones at the top of the mountain. It is said that they came from Xumi mountain. In the East, there are famous places such as Xibo rock and zhuanzhuangyan rock. It is surrounded by dense forests and deep caves. Standing in front of the temple, you can see the scenery of Quanzhou City.

Layout structure

Miaoming pagoda is located at the foot of Xiangshan temple. It was built during the reign of song Chunyou for the burial of the body of Quanzhen master. At that time, the incense was very popular. Huizong of Northern Song Dynasty came to pay homage when he visited Nanyue. Gaozong of Southern Song Dynasty awarded it miaoming pagoda, which is the oldest Pagoda in Guangxi. Miaoming tower is a seven level floating figure, 26 meters high and 6.8 meters in diameter at the bottom. It has a unique structure and is majestic and spectacular. It's octagonal outside, hexagonal inside, hollow, with curved wall and spiraling upward. Xiangshan temple has more than 20 inscriptions of past dynasties; the top of the tower is gourd shaped, with dozens of copper bells hanging; the wind blows and the bell rings, and it is pleasant to swing in the void; looking from the fence, you can have a panoramic view of qingfengyu, Yuhua mountain, sanjiangshui and the new appearance of the ancient city, which makes you feel relaxed and happy.

Cliff inscriptions

Miaoming tower is a "treasure house of art" with dozens of cliff inscriptions, poems, Fanglan steles, etc. in particular, the famous stone orchids of Shitao monk in Qing Dynasty are inscribed "Shou Shi CI Yin" by Emperor Kangxi, which is in harmony with the inscription "miaoming tower" by contemporary Quanzhou Wenqiao native Professor Wu chundao. Miaoming pagoda has been standing in the south of Chu for more than a thousand years. Climbing the tower for sightseeing has been a great pleasure for Chinese and foreign tourists. The existing Buddhist cultural relics in Xiangshan temple include various stone carvings, Guanyin statue, miaoming tower, etc. in addition, there is the famous natural heritage "xiboyan spring". Xiangshan temple had a great influence in Hunan and Guangxi in history, and the princes of all dynasties also attached great importance to it. In Song Dynasty alone, there were five royal edicts.

The emperor of the Song Dynasty granted monk Quanzhen the title of "master of benevolence, peace, and wisdom". Quanzhen is more than 160 years old. He has some strange deeds. He has repeatedly appeared Amitabha, which is said to be Yinghua of Amitabha. There are many eminent monks in the temple, such as the sixth generation of linjizong's founder, monk CI Ming, monk Chu Yuan, and monk Shi Tao of Qing Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty, the "Pure Land Court" was changed into "famous temple of Xiangshan Mountain". Up to now, the imperial court has granted it "the first jungle in southern Chu". Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty had his own imperial calligraphy "Shou Shi CI Yin" carved on the stone wall behind the temple.

cultural meaning

In the Wanli period of Ming Dynasty, Qingxiang County, where Xiangshan temple is located, was changed to Quanzhou, and Quanzhen monk's "Quan" was given the first name of Quanzhou. It is rare that the name of Chujiaren is used as a place name in Shibao, which shows the high cultural status of master Quanzhen and Xiangshan temple at that time.

Address: Guihuang Middle Road, Quanzhou County, Guilin City

Longitude: 111.061699

Latitude: 25.934316

Ticket information: market price: 10.0 yuan