Chronicles of Qianming Temple
Qianming Temple is located at the east foot of Deshan Mountain and was built in the early Tang Dynasty. In the first year of Xiantong in the Tang Dynasty (860), Xue Tingwang, the governor of Langzhou, was ordered to rebuild the temple and invited Zen master Xuan Jian to be its abbot. Pei Xiu, the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, inscribed a plaque "Gude Chanyuan". In the temple, there are Diamond Pagoda, Huiguang Pagoda, Xunji Pagoda, Pilu Pavilion, Octagonal Pavilion, Broken Bridge, Tiejing Building, Bailong Well, Wulong Well, Boyu Spring, etc. Important inscriptions include the Tang Dynasty Pei Xiu's "Gude Chanyuan" inscriptions, the Tang Dynasty's "Deshan Xianhe Xiaota Inscriptions", "Song Deshan Qianming Temple Bell Inscriptions", Miti's "Treasure Stone Inscriptions", Zhang Shuo's "Shan Deshan" poem inscriptions wait. It was rebuilt in the late Qing Dynasty and inscribed by Wuling scholar Yu Jiaxi. It is a pity that these rare calligraphy treasures have been lost. The only cultural relics remaining in Qianming Temple are the Iron Scripture Building and two Song Dynasty steles. According to the "Changde Mansion Chronicles", the Iron Scripture Building was built by Xue Tingwang, the prefect of Wuling in the first year of Xiantong, Yizong of the Tang Dynasty. It was cast from pig iron, hence the name "Iron Scripture Building". "Jingzhuan". After many vicissitudes of life, it has been built and destroyed many times, but only the Iron Sutra Tower still stands and has become a rare treasure of Buddhism.
With the harmony of causes and conditions, all things come into being. In 2001, with the approval of the Religious Affairs Bureau of the Hunan Provincial People's Government and the Changde Municipal People's Government, 21 acres of land were allocated for construction. Monk Ming Chan restored and rebuilt it on the scale of Qianming Temple in the Tang Dynasty in an imitation of the Song Dynasty architectural style. After four years of construction, the net capital raised was nearly With an investment of 20 million yuan, the first phase of projects including the Mountain Gate, King Kong Hall, Guanyin Hall, Heavenly King Hall, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, and Ten Thousand Buddhas Hall have been completed. Qianming Temple is listed as a key project in Changde City. The Changde Municipal People's Government has allocated 40 acres of construction land for the second phase of the Qianming Temple project. The main buildings include Sutra Pavilion, Buddha Chanting Hall, Zen Hall, Patriarch Hall, Patriarch Statue, Huiguang Pagoda, Monk Laos, retreat houses, etc.
Today, Deshan Qianming Temple has a majestic gate. A large nine-dragon plaque inscribed by Pei Xiu, the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, hangs high to read "Gude Zen Temple", which matches the "Qianming Temple" vertical plaque inscribed by the contemporary eminent monk Foyuan. Echoing, unique. In the Vajra Hall, the Dharma protector Wei Tuo holds a precious pestle, which is majestic; in the Guanyin Hall, there are statues of the Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara and the thirty-two incarnations of Bodhisattvas, warning us that great kindness and compassion are the foundation of practice; in the Heavenly King Hall, just around the corner, you will find Maitreya with his bare chest and belly exposed. Buddha implies that people in the world have to be open-minded, treat others with tolerance, and let go of the troubles and trivial matters in the world, so that they can smile. The solemn Ten Thousand Buddhas Hall is dedicated to the pure Dharmakaya Vilochana Buddha, and on the back is the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, surrounded by children. There are 1080 small golden Buddhas, which can not only solemnize the Taoist temple, but also meet the needs of Buddhist disciples to cultivate fields of blessing. The ancient osmanthus is in full bloom in the courtyard, and the fragrance hits the mountain. There are green ancient trees and green cliffs. In the blessed land of Baoshan, all the virtuous people have gathered together, and there are dragons and elephants under one roof, where they can develop their talents. A cup of clear tea has a strong Zen flavor; a bowl of vegetarian food brings Zen to every grain of farming. The sound of bells, drums and Sanskrit chants reminds the world that this is the pure land of Buddhism and a paradise for learning Buddhism.