Chongqing Temple in Xinyu City, Jiangxi Province

Buddha leaves clouds, Zen Pass hides the moon

Nie Peng

Since ancient times, Xinyu, Jiangxi has abundant natural treasures and outstanding people. It not only has a longer history of spreading Buddhism than Jianxian County, but also has a long Buddhist cultural tradition. As Buddhism spread eastward, Buddhism blossomed all over China in Chixian County, and the Xinyu area was also bathed in the fragrance of orchids. As a result, eminent monks and Dharma disciples and dragons and elephants emerged one after another. Famous ancient temples and Buddhist temples and Buddhist temples shone in the clouds, springing up like bamboo shoots after the rain. emerge. The most famous one is Chongqing Temple, a thousand-year-old ancient temple that has experienced vicissitudes of life.

In his two travel poems, the poet Fu Ruojin praised the newly built Chongqing Temple for its "blue pillars bright with spider webs, green lotus reflecting the jade platform", "half a mountain of tin flying in the morning, all the flowers in the sky day and night" Majestic and wonderful scenery. In the Renchen year of the late Yuan Dynasty (1352), the temple was destroyed by war. In the third year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1370), the former Tianwang Hall, Daxiong Hall, Hou Pilu Pavilion, Huayutai, and left and right Bell and Drum Towers were rebuilt. It is connected to Lantang Publishing House in the east and Muyu Mountain Hill in the west. It is the most beautiful place in the city. Liu Song, a native of the city, has a couplet that says: "The ancient mountains of Longquan Temple are connected to the country, and the moon is full in the Huayutang Hall."

In the early Ming Dynasty, the people who left the world and the scholars knew each other and worked hand in hand. A good story about building Pilu Pavilion. This monk is the son of the Zhang family of Chaoxi. His name is Rock. He has a peaceful nature and has the style of the ancients. He is also self-sufficient in meditation and can use the Tathagata to prove the fruit of the Tathagata. He was the abbot of the temple at that time. The scholar in this story is Zhang Gu, a young minister of Dali Temple before he became an official. He often came to the temple and got acquainted with the rock. Yan Yan always said: "The monk (self-proclaimed) knows people quite a lot." He advised Zhang Gu to study and practice hard, and he did so to the extent of perseverance. Zhang Gu admired his sincerity, so he used the Pilu Pavilion in the temple as a place to rest and study hard. From then on, Yan Yan treated Zhang Gu more respectfully. Soon, Zhang Gu passed the imperial examination. Yan Yan still hoped that Zhang Gu could make further progress and promised that his knowledge and strategy would be verified. In the fourth year of Xuande (1429), Zhang Gu passed the Jinshi examination again. After the banquet between Qionglin and Qionglin, Yan Yan even wrote a book to Zhang Gu with great fanfare and left a message as a souvenir. Zhang Gu declined modestly and said: "The Baosha has been a scenic spot in the past. Its location does not need to be expanded, and its dragons and elephants do not have to be decorated." Why did I keep a record of it? Moreover, all the gentlemen in the county have already spread the teacher's Dharma in poems and articles, so why bother to keep it in mind? But the rock said: I have entered Buddhism, and my fame is not what I deserve! Moreover, although I do not want to talk about the wisdom of others, but I know a familiar saying, why not pass it on, "Let's let future generations do meditation." Therefore, the two of them worked together to renovate Pilu Pavilion to show that they would not forget it. Zhang Gu donated his life as a craftsman, and Shi Yan was responsible for the construction. Within a few months, the construction was completed. When you look around, you can see that the Pilu Pavilion is connected to the Main Hall in front of it, the Muyu Mountain of the temple is pillowed on the west, the Huayutai is behind, and the Orchid Hall Bookstore of the temple is reflected on the east. The four surroundings are connected and seem to be made by nature. Zhang Gu couldn't help being happy. He held the hand of the rock and said, "This is where the teacher lives. I think it is the teacher's resting place. Is it pleasant or not to write this acquaintance?" The rock said: "I must carve a stone to hang it down." immortal. So Zhang Gu wrote the "Inscription of Rebuilding the Pilu Pavilion" and erected the stone in front of the Pilu Pavilion.

After that, Zhang Chun, the imperial servant, visited the Pilu Pavilion one evening and wrote a poem praising the sunset. The beautiful scenery of Qingsi and Yuemanpilu Pavilion has the saying "Climb the forest and step on the pavilion to attract the same tune, and look at the clouds while walking in the moon, it is not a foreign land." During the Chongzhen Period (1628-1644), the Wudang Palace was built behind the temple. After many wars, only one or two of the temples and verandas survived. In the Renxu year of Kangxi (1682), the monuments were completely destroyed. In the Dingmao period of Kangxi (1687), Jizhou monk Yupu was stationed here and the Pilu Pavilion was first restored the following year. Funds were also raised to build the main hall and the upper and lower left and right corridors of the front hall. The Buddha statue at the mountain gate was renovated. At the same time, trees were planted, support fields were added, and the pig hog ridge was restored as the branch of the temple to Longshan. It was established by Emperor Kangxi in 1698. ) In the spring, Li Tingzai, the magistrate, built a pavilion at the old site in the west of the temple. One summer day, Li Tingzai went to the countryside to teach farmers and cultivate mulberry trees. When he came to the temple, he became very popular with poems. He praised the temple scenery and said: "The green mountains are surrounded by a Zen environment, and the green bamboos and thousands of poles calm the Dharma King." After that, the county magistrate Zhang Jingcang rebuilt Hanbi Pavilion behind the mountain. Zhang Jingcang had a lot of experience in Buddhism. He once stayed in the temple and read the poems written by Xiaolian Zhao Diyun on the wall, so he wrote four poems in the order of Zhao Yongyun. Sing and poem. The poem uses scenery to transform emotions, and there are some beautiful lines full of Zen meaning such as "The dew is far away from the clear place, and the flowers are fragrant in the stillness".

Because Chongqing Temple is loved by the beautiful atmosphere of heaven and earth, it has become a scenic spot in Xinyu County in the past, attracting many literati and elegant guests to come here, and left many eloquent words, such as "The frost deceives people and urges the chrysanthemums to grow old, and the sound of chimes makes them grow old." "I can't bear to go back" ("Zhang Zhongying Passes Chongqing Temple and Walks Between the Walls") "The courtyard is full of green curtains and jade plates, and the sky is filled with flowers and rain, and there are golden ropes" ("Li Yue Guang Geng's first spring meal at noon" in Chongqing Zen Forest).

Mr. Fu Baoshi, a famous painter in modern my country, was originally from Xinyu. His early works were all set in Chongqing Temple. He followed the guiding principle of "learning from the hearts of the ancients, not from their traces", combining tradition and He made unique achievements in innovation and created a new era of the "traditional Chinese painting" genre in my country.

In 2001, Xinyu City moved Chongqing Temple to Jiulongpo in Yangtiangang in the north of the city. It is surrounded by mountains and has a magical momentum. In June of the same year, Master Tongneng of the Jiangxi Buddhist Association was invited to Yun) came to Xinyu to preside over the reconstruction work. Thanks to the high attention and strong support from leaders at the provincial, municipal and district levels, as well as the active support from the two monks of the temple, the elders of mountains at home and abroad, the Buddhist lay community in Yushui District, and other Tanyue believers from all directions. At the end of 2002, the first phase of the project (Main Hall, Zhaitang, Monk Residence, and Haihui Pagoda) was completed. In 2005, the second phase of the project (Tianwang Hall, Mountain Gate, Bell Tower, and Qibao Pond) was completed. Currently, there are 20 resident monks. The remaining people. In order to improve the quality of monks, several young monks were selected to study in Buddhist colleges in Fujian and Guangdong. In addition to practicing morning and evening exercises, going to the hall, sitting incense, reciting precepts, and going out on the slopes, the monks in the monastery also pay attention to self-study, chanting sutras, and reciting the Buddha's name... The management of the temple is gradually improved in strict accordance with the jungle regulations. In the past few years, while doing a good job in the construction of the temple, it has also actively participated in social welfare undertakings such as earthquake disaster aid.

On July 10, 2005, Elder Yicheng, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Vice Chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, President of the Chinese Buddhist Association, and President of the Jiangxi Provincial Buddhist Association, visited Chongqing Temple to inspect and received his approval. He praised it and wrote a couplet: "The ancestors were taught to build the new site of Jungle Longquan to open up the Buddhist domain; during the celebration, they established regulations to revitalize the ancient temple and kowtow the holy bell."

Since its reconstruction, through the active efforts and support of the two people in the temple and Tanyue believers, it has been rated as a provincial "Five Best" religious activity site and listed as a provincial key temple, becoming a place where Xinyu Buddhism flourishes. important points.

Attachment: A collection of poems about visiting Chongqing Temple:

1. Two poems from "Fu Ruojin's Visit to Chongqing Temple"

"Encircling the temple and connecting to the city, the new Gong brings wealth; axes and clouds gather outside; the palace hall opens in the middle of the day; the cyan pillars are bright with spider webs, and the green lotus reflects the jade platform; knowing the dragon and elephant method well, they finally rely on the pillars and beams to prosper and build. , the golden wheel turns the cart; the country is like Yanxiang, the monks are like home when they arrive; tin flies in the morning on the mountain, and rain flowers appear in the sky all day long; the forest and spring are thick and lustrous, and the city is suddenly suspicious of credit."

II. "Zhang Chundeng's Poems on Pilu Pavilion and Eshan Brothers"

"The sun is setting in the vast spring suburbs, and the dense rain brings the fragrance of flowers; climbing the forest and stepping on the pavilion are in the same tune; looking at the clouds when walking in the moon is not a foreign land; looking eastward at the river Divide the swallow's tail, and go all the way around the sheep's intestines; for a hundred years, there is nothing but leisure, and many idle people are busy with things."

3. "Four Poems of Emperor Zhao Yun's Filial Piety and Lianness on the Second Wall of the Rain Altar in Chongqing Temple" by Zhang Jingcang. :

"But it is close to the city, and the depth is Penglai; although the Fujian Gate is idle, there are three paths to open; the heart of heaven is not easy to win over, and the power of magic is also difficult to recover; originally borrowed on the lotus platform, flowers rained for a while.

Staying in the western suburbs, living together with the monks; the dew is far away from the clear place, and the flowers are fragrant in the stillness; the Zen bed is cold in hot dreams, the leisure time is busy in the official world; at night there is a sacrifice in the altar, and the lamps and candles are on Brilliant.

The sound of the bell is so quiet that all worries are clear; there is no life and death in the Western Land, and there is no glory in the world; I sit in the middle of the night watching the stars, holding a branch against the wall; the most important thing is that the sun is clear outside the monk's window.

The bamboo courtyard is shaded with green, and the flower palace is not decorated with vermilion; I have no chance to be separated from immortals and Buddhas, and I just let the horses and cows roar; the mountain moon peeks into people's pillows, and the lotus breeze hits the guest's jacket; I have been knocking on the altar for five days, and I have stopped. Cangwu.

4. "Zhang Zhongying Passes Chongqing Temple and Walks Between the Walls":

"Leaving the country to find a quiet path, the sparse forest and idle bamboos hide the Zen door; sweep away the fallen leaves. There is no trace of dust, and new poems are spread out like wall clothes; the frost deceives people and urges the chrysanthemums to grow old, and the sound of chimes calls guests to watch the clouds fly; knowing that I have fallen into a cage, I linger for half a day and can't bear to return.

"

5. "Li Tingzai's poem about going out to the western suburbs to watch the rain in the summer and arriving at Chongqing Temple":

"I went to the Buddhist field to ask about the mulberry trees, and the pomegranates were in chaos at the gate of the temple; The green mountains are surrounded by a Zen environment, with thousands of green bamboo poles calming the Dharma King; the clouds are overcast and the heat of summer has dispersed, and the rest of the mind is sitting still calming down the way; the setting sun is all over the ground urging people to return to riding, and listening to the sound of bells makes them happy. "

6. "Zha Shizhu's Poems on Visiting Chongqing Temple":

"The uppermost reaches of Zige Gaozhai, temporarily admiring each other in Xianzhou; The cold meditation is closed around the bamboo tower; the mind has enough time to know the Buddha's nature; the palace has no complicated documents and faces the clear stream; I don't know who can get tired of the Xuan Mian; I have forgotten my purpose and am not free. "

7. "Li Yue Guang Geng's First Spring Dinner at Chongqing Zen Forest":

Looking for fragrance is to ask about the prosperity of the ancient Tang Dynasty. The scenery outside Guo seems to be condensed outside; the courtyard is full of green curtains The jade plate is like a golden rope in the world of flowers and rain; I am not hungry for food and meat when I live in a secluded place, so it is better to find a name than a monk; when I have a fragrant meal in the kitchen, my mood is bright, and I have forgotten the dust and am worried every day."

8. "Poems Using His Auspicious Bamboo":

"The Mengshan Mountains are rugged, and the Chongqing River is vast; in Yan's view, a Buddhist site was chosen in ancient times; the land is quiet and the paths are winding, and rows of bamboos are planted; at the end of the year, I am still young. Yang; two jade trees grow out of the sky, covering the west hall; high-altitude soaring clouds, like two phoenixes; the dining wind contains dew, soaring with wings; the elders of the city are called Jiaxiang; the emperor is sacred, and he admires Junliang; he pays close attention to Wu Chu, and is praised by the emperor. The ocean is flooded with water; the grain is enough for my ladies, and my warehouse is sufficient; the time is peaceful and the government is peaceful, and the people are prosperous; the heaven is a warning, and the grass and trees are in good condition; when I feel the deterioration, I cooperate with the general; the corresponding prosperity is also called Kong Zhang; I compose poems to express it. "Jiu, Yuan Fu Yuanxiang"

9. A couplet written by Elder Yicheng, President of the Chinese Buddhist Association:

Chongzu taught him to build the new site of Jungle Longquan to open the Buddhist domain;

At the time of the celebration, regulations were established to revitalize ancient temples and ring the bells.

1. The history of Chongqing Temple in Xinyu

Xinyu is famous for its treasures and outstanding people. It not only has a longer history of Buddhism spreading than the county was founded, but also has a long Buddhist cultural tradition. , and Chongqing Temple is the symbol of Buddhist culture in Xinyu City and one of the main places for Zen Buddhism activities in Xinyu. Chongqing Temple was originally located a hundred steps outside the west gate of the old county seat of Xinyu, now in the nursery of Xinyu Iron and Steel Company. It is the only remaining Buddhist building in Xinyu. It is a wooden structure with a bucket style and single eaves in the Qing Dynasty.

The founder of Chongqing Temple lived in Xinyu County in the Sui Dynasty. His surname was Tang and his name was Xing. He might have been a layman, or just an ordinary donor, or both. At that time, Jiangxi was the center of Zen Buddhism. During the period of Renshou (601-604), the third ancestor of Zen Buddhism, Monk Can, passed down the Dharma to the fourth ancestor Daoxin in Jizhou, adjacent to Xinyu. Daoxin lived in Jiangxi for more than 20 years and opened a The law was spread to Jizhou. During the great cause (605-618) after the Fourth Patriarch accepted the Dharma, Tang Xing donated his residence and converted it into a temple, named Tangxing Temple. It was renamed Anhe Temple during the Kaibao period of the Song Dynasty (968-976), and was given the title of "Chongqing Temple" in the fifth year of the Taiping Xingguo Period (980). Because the temple is close to Longquan, it is also called Longquan Mountain. In the middle and late Yuan Dynasty, Chongqing Temple was repaired. Fu Ruojin, a poet from the New Yuan Dynasty, praised the newly built Chongqing Temple in two of his travel poems: "The cyan pillars are bright with spider webs, the green lotus reflects the jade platform", "Half Ridge Morning Flying" Tin, the majestic and wonderful scene of rain and flowers from all over the sky day and night. In the Renchen year of the late Yuan Dynasty (1352), the temple was destroyed by a sword rebellion. In the third year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1370), the former Tianwang Hall, Daxiong Hall, Houpilu Pavilion, Huayutai, left and right Bell and Drum Towers were rebuilt. They were connected to Lantang Publishing House in the east and Muyu Mountain Hill in the west. It was the most successful city. Liu Song, a native of the city, has a couplet that says: "Longquan Temple has ancient mountains and mountains, and Huayutang has a false moon and a bell." He highly praised the ancient beauty of Chongqing Temple, the beauty of the moonlight night, and the beauty of the bells!

At that time, Buddhist temples also played the role of auxiliary education. Temples were often a place for poor scholars to study hard and realize their dreams. A historical figure from Xinyu—Zhang Gujiu, who once served as the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, forged an indissoluble bond with Buddhist temples, especially Chongqing Temple. A good story about building Pilu Pavilion. This person who came out of the world was an abbot of Chongqing Temple in the early Ming Dynasty. He was the son of Zhang's family in Chaoxi. His name was Rock Rock. He had a peaceful nature and had the style of the ancients. He is self-sufficient in meditation and uses the Tathagata to prove the fruit of the Tathagata. Before Zhang Gu became an official, he often came to the temple, got to know Yan Yan, and became very close to him. Yan Yan often advised Zhang Gu to study and practice hard, and he persuaded Zhang Gu to the extent of being tireless. Zhang Gu was forgiving and grateful for his sincerity, obeyed his wishes, and studied harder.

In the eighth year of Xuande's reign (1433), Zhang Gu passed the Jinshi examination. The latter two worked together to renovate Pilu Pavilion to show that they would not forget it. Zhang Gu donated his life as a craftsman, and Shi Yan was responsible for the construction. Within a few months, the construction was completed. When looking around, we can see that the Pilu Pavilion is connected to the Main Hall in front, the Muyu Mountain of the temple is pillowed to the west, the Yuhuatai is behind, and the Lantang Bookstore of the temple is reflected to the east. The four borders are connected and seem to be made by nature. Zhang Gu couldn't help being happy. He held the hand of the rock and said, "This is where my teacher lived. I thought it was his resting place. This is where I write my acquaintance. How happy it is!" The rock said, "I must carve a stone to hang it immortally." ." So Zhang Gu wrote the "Inscription on the Rebuilding of Pilu Pavilion", and the stone was erected in front of Pilu Pavilion.

After that, Zhang Chun, the imperial servant, once visited Pilu Pavilion in the evening and wrote a poem to praise the wonderful scenery of "Chongqing Temple in the sunset and Pilu Pavilion in the moonlight". "Looking at the moon and looking at the clouds is not a foreign land". During the Chongzhen period (1628-1644), Wudang Palace and the back of the temple were built. At the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty, there were many wars and wars, and only one or two of the ten verandas of the palace survived. In the Dingmao year of Kangxi (1687), Yupu, a monk from Jizhou, stationed here and first repaired Pilu Pavilion. The following year, funds were raised to build the Main Hall and the upper, lower, left and right corridors of the front hall, and the Buddha statue at the mountain gate took on a new look. At the same time, trees were planted by hand, auxiliary fields were added, and pig and hog ribs were restored, which served as the branch of the Feng Shui of the temple to the Longshan Mountain and became the temple environment. In the spring of the Wuyin year of Kangxi (1698), Li Yanzai, the county magistrate, built a pavilion on the west site of the temple, planted trees, dug a pond, and planted flowers and trees. He came to the temple from time to time to use it as a place for recreation after working. In this way, Chongqing Temple became a place for government officials to visit, and its political status was higher than other temples. One summer day, Li Yanzai went to the countryside to teach farmers and cultivate mulberry trees. He came to the temple on the way and became very popular in poetry. In "Poems from the Western Suburbs to Watch the Rain in Summer to Chongqing Temple", he praised the temple scenery and said: "The green mountains are surrounded by Zen realms. Thousands of green bamboo poles calm the Dharma king." After that, Zhang Jingcang, the county magistrate, rebuilt Hanbi Pavilion behind the mountain. Zhang Jingcang had a lot of experience in Buddhism. He once stayed in a temple and read the poems written on the wall by Emperor Xiaolian Zhao, so he wrote four harmonious poems according to the order of rhyme used in Zhao's poems. The poem uses scenery to transform emotions, and there are some beautiful lines rich in Zen meaning such as "The dew is far away from the clear place, and the flowers are fragrant in the stillness". Because Chongqing Temple is the center of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, it has been a scenic spot in Xinyu County for generations, attracting many literati and elegant guests to visit. They often felt nostalgic about the past and left many good words and sentences, such as "The frost deceives people and urges the chrysanthemums to grow old, and the sound of chimes calls guests to watch the clouds fly" ("Zhang Zhongying Passes Chongqing Temple and Walks Between the Walls"), " The courtyard is full of green curtains and jade plates, and the sky is filled with flowers and rain, and the golden rope is bounded by it." ("Li Yue Guan Geng's first spring meal at noon in Chongqing Zen Forest") and so on.

Since its establishment, Chongqing Temple has gone through the Sui, Tang, Southern Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing and the Republic of China. During the 1,400 years of origin and destruction, it has gone through many vicissitudes. Prosperity and destruction. In 1958, the remaining halls and monks' residences of Chongqing Temple were converted to other uses. During the ten years of catastrophe, Chongqing Temple also suffered many misfortunes and was almost abandoned! In 2000, in order to implement the party's religious policy, to continue the wise life of Xinyu Buddhism, to restore the glory of the thousand-year-old temple, and to cultivate the diversity of Xinyu culture, and at the request of the majority of Buddhist believers, Xinyu finally implemented the plan that had been brewing for many years. According to the relocation plan of Chongqing Temple, it was moved to Jiulongpo in Yangtiangang in the north of the city in 2001, covering an area of ??33 acres. In June of the same year, Master Tongneng (also known as Master Daoyun) of the Jiangxi Buddhist Association was invited to Xinyu to preside over the reconstruction work. Master Tongneng is young and promising. He immediately started planning after coming to the temple. The entire architectural layout was built in strict accordance with the Buddhist jungle-style temple architectural plan. The main hall adopts the double eaves and hilltop style. Thanks to the great attention and support of leaders at the provincial, municipal and district levels, the elders of mountains at home and abroad, and the active support of Tan Yue, the Buddhist disciples of Xinyu City and other Dharma protectors of the ten directions, the construction of the Main Hall officially started in November 2001. Up to now, the Main Hall and the dormitories and restaurants on both sides have The hall and the Haihui Hall are basically completed, the Buddha statues, Guanyin and Arhat are roughly in scale, and the framework of the Tianwang Hall and the Mountain Gate has been erected.

Chongqing Temple is now the only temple in Xinyu City that has been registered and opened with the approval of the Jiangxi Provincial People's Government. The entire temple has a tranquil environment and ethereal demeanor. This is a rare Feng Shui treasure land, and it is also the spiritual home of the four disciples of Buddhism and all living beings! With its relocation, it will become a good place for people to relax, relax and meditate.

On New Year's Day and Spring Festival in the future, all citizens may hear the New Year's bell coming from Chongqing Temple!

2． The architectural nature and layout planning of Xinyu Chongqing Temple

When Xinyu Chongqing Temple was founded, it was a courtyard-style wooden structure building. Before the temple was moved to Yangtiangang, Chongqing Temple had been destroyed by natural and man-made disasters in the past dynasties. It also experienced reconstruction and expansion in the past dynasties and regained a new life. Later, it declined again. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chongqing Temple has maintained the style of its last reconstruction - a bucket-style single-eave wooden structure building in the Qing Dynasty. Only the main hall, the west side hall and the west monk's residence remain.

After the relocation, Chongqing Temple is located on Jiulong Slope of Yangtiangang in the north of Xinyu City. It faces north and is surrounded by mountains on three sides to the northeast and west. It overlooks the plains in the south. There are gurgling mountain springs in the east and Mingyue Lake under the mountain. It is as calm as Mirror, crystal clear. The mountain flowers are blooming, the forests are dyed, and the palace built on the mountain has soaring eaves, magnificent!

Chongqing Temple is a complex of buildings imitating ancient wooden structures. Its layout adopts a combination of courtyard style and mountain forest style. Its center is the Main Hall, with a terrace (also called a platform) to the south of the hall. There are wide and long steps to the south of the terrace. There are monks' dormitories on both sides of the main hall, and a dining hall is built on the southeast side of the monks' dormitory in the east. In the col behind the Main Hall, there is also a Hai Hui Hall (also called Hai Hui Tower). In addition, Chongqing Temple also hired Hubei Province Daye Yinzu Garden Ancient Construction Company to carry out planning and design. Chongqing Temple is carrying out the basic construction of the temple in accordance with the basic spirit of the planning map and the needs of field operations. The Pilu Pavilion behind the main hall , the Tianwang Hall, the Bell and Drum Tower, the archway-style mountain gate in front of the main hall and the pagoda in the back of the temple are also being gradually constructed.

3. The furnishings and carvings of the Main Hall

After the relocation, the Main Hall of Chongqing Temple (referred to as the main hall) is a double-eaves hilltop building with seven rooms in width, with the Ming Room in the middle and the East and Second Rooms on the east and west sides. West sub-room, East tip room, West tip room, East end room, West end room. The east end room and the west end room are cloisters, and the width of the hall is only five rooms. The main hall is about 29.8 meters wide and 19.8 meters deep. It covers an area of ??about 600 square meters including the cloister. There is a gourd vase in the middle of the roof ridge, with two dragons looking at each other across the vase on both sides. The roof is covered with brown-red colored glaze, and the body of the house is made of brown-red pillars, walls, doors and windows. The whole body looks warm and brilliant.

The two-story eaves of the main hall are surrounded by three-story brackets. The dougong is of a three-liter type, and is made of modern materials imitating the form of a wooden dougong. Therefore, it has lost its load-bearing function and only serves a decorative purpose, retaining a symbol of ancient Chinese architecture. The arch eye plate behind the brackets is decorated with fire beads. In the center of its pattern are three yin and yang beads arranged in the character "pin", and outside the three beads are golden flames. The large and small forehead beams under the brackets are all painted with Qing-style gold-carved ink stone and jade spiral paintings, and their colors are mainly blue-green. The bird painting between the pillars has a curly grass pattern, which symbolizes the auspicious meaning of lushness and longevity.

Looking from the house body, there are moon windows (round flower windows) between the east and west ends of the eaves wall in front of the hall, and there are moon windows (round flower windows) in the middle of the bright, east and west rooms. Doors and windows. Their horizontal draped windows are made of lattice strips to form a set of square patterns. The center of the shank fan is a meandering lattice window inlaid with square sheng pattern and double ring pattern. The skirt panel of the shank fan is also decorated with square sheng pattern. Fang Sheng, in ancient times, was used as an "auspicious thing" to decorate women's hair buns to ward off evil spirits, and it also means "beautiful" and "superior". The Fang Sheng pattern is a pattern composed of two geometric rhombuses with overlapping corners. On the one hand, it has the auspicious meaning of victory; on the other hand, the overlapping corners of its rows imply "one heart" and represent the four monks and lay disciples of Chongqing Temple. And the vast number of believers practice together in order to realize the true face of life on earth!

Looking at the plaque on the front of the hall, there is a plaque with gold characters on a black background donated by Mr. Chen Huiqin of Shanghai hanging on the door of the bright room. Among them, the horizontal plaque is inscribed by the late Mr. Zhao Puchu, president of the Chinese Buddhist Association, with the four characters "Mainxiong Hall". The couplet is a name-embedded couplet written by Master Yicheng, the current president of the Buddhist Association of China. The two-character "Chongqing" in the temple name of Chongqing Temple is separated and embedded in the first character of the upper and lower couplets. The first couplet is: "Revere the ancestral teachings, build a jungle, and open the new site of Longquan to the Buddhist domain"; the second couplet is "When celebrating the occasion, establish regulations, the ancient temples are highlighted and the holy bell is clasped."

(1) Buddha statues and couplets in the main hall

In the center of the main hall, there is a large Buddhist niche. The base of the Buddhist niche is the Xumizuo, and the third generation Buddha is enshrined in the niche. There are three Buddha statues in this third generation Buddha. They all have golden bodies with spiral buns and identical faces. They all show the Buddha's unique "Thirty-two Appearances" and "Eighty Kinds of Good Accompaniments". They are all sitting in lotus position on a lotus platform. superior. Since the left foot is used to press the right thigh first, and then the right foot is used to press the left thigh, the sitting posture is the auspicious sitting position rather than the devil-conquering sitting position. The "three-generation Buddha" here is the "three-generation Buddha horizontally" rather than the "three-generation Buddha vertically". The main position of the Buddhist niche is in the pattern of "one Buddha and two disciples". The one enshrined is Sakyamuni Buddha. The left hand is placed on the left knee, the thumb and middle finger of the right hand are twisted together, and the other fingers are naturally relaxed to form a "Dharma" "Seal" handprint. There are east and west side attendants standing on the left and right of Sakyamuni Buddha. They are Mahakasyapa, who is known as the "No. 1 Tutu", and Ananda (also known as Ananda), who is known as the "No. 1 Hearer". In addition to the main position, the east and west positions of the Buddhist niche are respectively the Medicine Buddha of the Oriental Pure Glaze World with his hands tied in meditation seal and holding a pagoda on his palm, and the Amitabha Buddha of the Western Paradise of Paradise with his hand tied in meditation seal and holding a lotus platform in his palm.

Looking at the east and west sides in front of the Buddhist niche, there are two circular inner pillars (also called Lijin pillars). There are two curved wooden plaques with couplets hanging close to the cylinder. There are couplets in running script with gold characters on a black background. The first couplet is: "Knowing like this, seeing like this, believing, understanding, and upholding all this can all be accomplished"; the second couplet is: "Indescribable, immeasurable, and inconceivable merits can lead to the realization of Bodhi."

(2) Statues of Eighteen Arhats

Similar to other Buddhist temples in Han Dynasty, there are eight statues of Eighteen Arhats in the main hall, with nine Arhats on each side on the east and west sides. The full name of Arhat is Arhat. They are the enlightened disciples of the Buddha and are the highest achievement obtained by practicing Theravada Buddhism (it is said that when you reach the state of Arhat, you have cut off the troubles of the three worlds and are freed from the suffering of reincarnation forever).

Eighteen Arhat sculptures in the ten halls are all standing on the lotus platform, with a treasure cover hanging above. The name of each Arhat is written on the cover. There are countless small Buddhas in relief on the wall behind the Arhat. Different from other Han Buddhist temples, the Eighteen Arhats here have their own unique aesthetic impact and solemn effect. They not only express the various postures and expressions of the Arhats, but also unify these things in a wonderful rhythm!

(3) Three Bodhisattva statues and the statue at the back door of the main hall

Behind the main hall of Chongqing Temple, there is a row of three Bodhisattva statues. The abbreviation of Bodhisattva's transliteration "Bodhisattva" means "awakening sentient beings", which means to enable sentient beings to achieve enlightenment. In the center of this group of statues is Guanyin Bodhisattva, to the east is Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and to the west is Manjushri Bodhisattva. The Guanyin Bodhisattva in the middle is sculpted into the image of Guanyin on the head of the head, so it is also called the Guanyin of the head. Among the great Bodhisattvas in Buddhism, Guanyin Bodhisattva is even more famous for her compassion. Her compassionate aspirations are the greatest and most prominent. She uses the convenience of listening to the voices of all living beings to call on all living beings to recite her name when they are in danger. When she hears it, she immediately rescues them. .

The Aotou Guanyin in the main hall of Chongqing Temple is shaped into the image of an ancient Chinese lady, dignified, charming, beautiful and approachable. She wears a Buddha crown on her head, heavenly clothes on her head, a necklace on her neck, and a skirt on her waist. The middle finger and thumb of her right hand are twisted together, and the other fingers are naturally relaxed to form the "Dharma Seal". She holds the pure bottle in her left hand and puts it With the mouth of the bottle facing down, it looks like sprinkling nectar all over. To the east of Guanyin is the Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. She wears a Buddha-shaped topknot and a necklace on her neck. She holds a lotus pod and lotus buds in her hands. She sits in an auspicious half-lotus posture with her right foot on her left thigh. above the elephant. The Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's Samantabhadra means universal virtuousness, and his wishes are vast and unfathomable, symbolizing truth. Located on the west side of Guanyin is Manjusri Bodhisattva. She wears a topknot of the Buddha's treasure, a necklace on her chest, holds Ruyi in her hand, and sits on the green lion in a half-lotus position with her left foot on her right thigh. Manjushri Bodhisattva is known for his wisdom. He rides a lion because the lion is brave, which means that Manjushri Bodhisattva is wise and powerful.

The door facing the three Bodhisattvas in the main hall of Chongqing Temple is the back door of the main hall. The back door is located in the open room. The horizontal windows on the door are also made of square patterns made of lattice strips. The center of the door sash is also a revolving lattice window inlaid with square patterns and double rings. The skirt of the door sash is also decorated with Fang Shengwen.

There are plaques and couplets hanging on the upper end and both sides of the back door. Both plaques have gold characters on a black background. The colors are dignified and bright. The plaque reads "Ci Xing Pu Du". The content of the couplet is: "Sweet rain sprinkles all over the sky. I appear pure and quiet, saying equality." Dharma; Cihang transcends the other shore, using his own power to show his great supernatural powers. "There are moon windows (round flower windows) on each side of the back door.

4. The structure, furnishings and carvings of other buildings in Chongqing Temple

Except for the main hall, other buildings in Chongqing Temple have both the style of antique architecture and the characteristics of Buddhist temple architecture. They are introduced one by one as follows:

There is a terrace (also called a platform) in front of the main hall, and pilgrims can go up to the platform through wide and long steps. The terrace is about 29 meters wide, 20 meters deep, and covers an area of ??580 square meters. There is a five-story tower-shaped copper incense burner in the center of the terrace. The feet of the burner are three tripods with animal faces. The belly of the burner bulges into a tripod shape. On the front, there are four traditional Chinese official script characters "Chongqing Zen Temple" cast on the front. There are two tripod ears, and the sides of the tripod ears are decorated with cloud and thunder patterns. Above the mouth of the tripod is the tower-shaped furnace body, which looks like a pavilion-style tower. Each floor of the tower has a flat seat and eaves, and the corners of the eaves are decorated with flying dragons carrying beads. The Tasha is the top of the gourd, and the front of the gourd is decorated with an ancient coin set. The two coins in a set represent a steady stream of wealth and blessings. There is a flagpole in the southeast corner and southwest corner of the terrace, with the national flag and the Buddhist flag hung on the two flagpoles respectively.

There are monks' dormitories of the same size on each side of the main hall. Each monk's dormitory has three floors, with each floor covering an area of ??178.5 square meters, and the two monks' dormitories totaling 1,073 square meters. Among them, the East Senengliao is the office of the Buddhist Association. There is a sign of "Yushui District Buddhist Association" hanging on the south wall. The third floor is the abbot's room and conference room. All monk dormitories are residences for monks and temporary residences for single monks and nuns.

In the southeast of Dongsengliao, there is a two-story building with a simulated ceiling, which is generally called the Zhaitang. The lower floor is the Zhaitang and the upper floor is the Buddhist chanting hall. The building faces Mao to You. The specific orientation is 5 degrees east to north and 5 degrees west to south (265 degrees). It imitates the glazed tiles, sparrows and other components of ancient Chinese architecture, as well as modern architecture. railings and aluminum sliding windows. The door of the lower dining hall has a plaque with gold characters on a black background inscribed by Master Yanghui of the China Buddhist Academy and donated by Nanchang Buddhist disciples. In the middle of the horizontal plaque are two large regular script characters "Zhaitang". The word "Tang" is signed with the two characters "Yanghui". The frame of the plaque is a dragon with a red background. The couplet is also in regular script: "Don't come and eat when you have porridge." The time hides the face; the sound of the bell and the sound of the board always talk about life and death."

As the couplet says, the Zhaitang is a place for monks, nuns, lay people and believers to eat. In the middle of the dining hall, there is an altar table with Maitreya Buddha, incense candles and flowers. On the wooden wall behind it is hung a plaque of Master Yicheng's sixteen-character motto. Column:

“Be respectful to those above, be compassionate to those below, be kind to people, and be serious about things.”

Long tables and benches are neatly lined up on both sides of the dining hall. , monks, nuns, laypeople and believers sit on such benches to eat.

Beyond the dining hall is the Buddhist chanting hall. A portrait of Amitabha is hung on the north wall of the hall, and an incense table filled with incense candles and vases is placed in front of it. There are rows of worship mats neatly arranged in the hall. Going downstairs from the Chanting Hall, you can connect the south side of the first floor of the Zhaitang to the second floor of the Buddhist Laity Forest. The Buddhist Laymen's Forest is the earliest legal religious activity place for Buddhist laymen in Xinyu. It has two floors, with 9 rooms on each floor and 18 rooms in total. In addition to a 100 square meters chanting hall at the south end, the entire lay people's forest covers an area of ??400 square meters. It is the base for the relocation of Chongqing Temple and has a relocation headquarters.

In the mountain col to the east of the bamboo forest on the northwest side of the main hall, there is a three-story Haihui Hall (also called Haihui Tower). The Hai Hall is where the ashes of monks, nuns and lay people are stored after they pass away. It faces 10 degrees north to east and 10 degrees south to west (sitting direction is 190 degrees), with an area of ??1,600 square meters. It is a mixed Chinese-Tibetan building on the top of Xieshan Mountain. The roof is Chinese style, tall and thick, showing the style of Tibetan architecture.