When you step into the gate of Huangze Temple, the first thing you see is the Second Holy Temple. In the middle of the main hall, the two saints are enshrined: Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian.
In the twenty-third year of Zhenguan (649), Li Zhi, Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, ascended the throne. When Li Zhi was the prince, he had an affair with Wu Zetian, a talented man of his father (Tang Taizong Li Shimin). After he came to the throne, he couldn't wait to make Wu Zetian his queen, but he was strongly opposed by a group of ministers. Li Ji (Xu Maogong) said, "Why bother asking outsiders about your Majesty's family affairs?" finally made him abolish Queen Wang in 655 and appoint Wu as his queen. In the last years of Xianqing (656-661), Emperor Gaozong suffered from wind-induced dizziness and severe headache, which made it difficult for him to see and handle government affairs. Empress Wu Zetian gradually took control of the government affairs, and they were called the "Two Saints" both inside and outside the court. From then on, Wu Zetian became the ruler with real power, while Gaozong was in a position of power. Historical records say: "After the first year of Linde (664), every time the emperor went to court to discuss matters, the emperor sat in the east room, and the queen sat in the west room. All the affairs, big or small, were heard, and all the power in the world returned to the central palace, deposing the emperor. , Killing is determined by his mouth, and the emperor just hands it over. This is a very rare phenomenon in Chinese history, which fully demonstrates Wu Zetian's outstanding political talents.
The left and right sides of the palace. On the side, there are nine famous ministers from the Gaozong and Wu Zhou dynasties, namely Li Ji, Li Yifu, Wei Yuanzhong, Li Zhaode, Di Renjie, Lou Shide, Zhang Jianzhi, Lai Junchen and Shangguan Wan'er. This is the Zetian Temple. This temple was built in the Tang Dynasty and was historically known as the "Empress Wu Zhenrong Hall" and "Zetian Shenghou Hall". Different from other "private" temples, Huangze Temple was built by imperial decree. There is no "Mainxiong Hall" in the "official" temple, so the Zetian Hall is the main hall of Huangze Temple. In the hall, there is a family diagram of the Wu family. According to historical records, Wu Zetian's father, Huò, was a native of Wenshui, Taiyuan. A Shanxi timber merchant joined the army for his ideals, met Li Yuan (Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty), and enjoyed official connections. In the third year of Wude (620), he was promoted to the third rank of Minister of Industry (equivalent to the Minister of Construction) and became one of the founding fathers of the Tang Dynasty. In August of the eighth year of Wude (625), the warrior Yi was deeply trusted by Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty and became an important official in the imperial court during the reign of Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty. He was told that he would only be released for half a year, but soon (the fourth day of June in the ninth year of Takeori), Li Shimin launched the Xuanwumen soldiers, Li Yuan abdicated, and all the important ministers in the court were replaced by Li Shimin's cronies. The warrior Yi was ostracized and could not return to the army again. Returned to the court. In August of the ninth year of Wude (626), Li Shimin ascended the throne and was renamed Zhenguan. In the second year (627), the warrior Yi was appointed governor of Lizhou.
About Wu Zetian. There are three theories about the time of his birth. The first is that he was born in the seventh year of Wude (624), the second is that he was born in the eighth year of Wude (625), and the third is that he was born in the second year of Zhenguan (628). . According to the first and second theories, Wu Zetian was born in Chang'an (today's Xi'an, Shaanxi Province); if according to the third theory, Wu Zetian was born in Guangyuan.
In any case, Wu Zetian spent his time in Guangyuan. During her childhood and adolescence, her father died when she was 12 years old, and she and her mother were abused by her clan brothers. In the eleventh year of Zhenguan (637), 14-year-old Wu Zetian entered the palace and became a talented person (the fifth rank) of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. At first, she loved her very much and gave her the name "Wu Meiniang", but soon she was ignored. Wu Zetian worked as a talented person for 12 years, and her status was never improved. During the period when Emperor Taizong was seriously ill, Wu Zetian and Emperor Taizong's son later became the emperor. After Li Zhi succeeded to the throne, Wu Zetian changed from "cairen" and "zhaoyi" to "empress". In 690 AD, Wu Zetian officially ascended the throne of "emperor" and became the only female emperor in Chinese history. The name of the country was Zhou. In that year, Wu Zetian was a 67-year-old woman. In 705 AD, Zetian returned to Zhou Dynasty, and Zhongzong succeeded to the throne. On November 26 of that year, Wu Zetian passed away and left a legacy: " She gave up her imperial title and was called the Great Sage Queen of Zetian. "
In the middle of the Zetian Hall, there is the only stone sculpture of "Empress Wu's true appearance" in the country. The Song Dynasty's "Nine Regions Chronicles" records: After Wu Zetian became emperor, "the temple was given to engrave her true appearance." The stone statue is 1.8 meters high and carved from a whole piece of sandstone. It is more than 1,300 years old.
I saw this empress of the Tang Dynasty with a square forehead and wide neck, a serene expression, wearing a Buddhist crown on her head, a monk's nun's robe, a plain silk draped over her shoulders, a necklace around her neck, her hands folded on her knees, making the Dharma Realm Meditation Seal. It is said that this is a portrait of Wu Zetian in her later years. Although she looks like a Buddhist attire, she has the aura of both human and god.
According to reports, this statue of Empress Wu suffered a disaster in 1949. It was pushed to the ground in front of the incense table and its head and body were separated. When it was restored in 1950, the neck of the stone statue was smaller than the original one. The statue is 1.5cm shorter. In addition, the paint on the clothes has faded, making it look even more aged. Fortunately, in 1993, Mr. Gou Shousheng, a Chinese from Thailand, donated 800 grams of gold foil, and the innocent statue was replaced with gold clothes, making it more and more golden.
There is a stone portrait stele of Wu Zetian in the hall. On the stele, it is engraved that the empress is wearing a crown, wearing royal clothes, surrounded by clouds and mist, and dancing with colorful clothes. The "Jinlun Portrait" in "Jinlun Portrait" should be the expression of Wu Zetian when he was the "king". An ancient poem praises her: "A peerless beauty and peerless majesty, her clothes are admired by all nations; a man is lucky enough to go to court, and many ministers and assistants come to the pavilion. A six-foot-long orphan has caused catastrophe, and thousands of years will look up to him for his great achievements; the remaining water in the ruined mountains will remain The thin shadow is still charming and drunk."
Zetian Hall also displays a Guangzheng stele and a "Prince Shengxian stele". The stele of the Prince Shengxian was dated to the beginning of February in the second year of the Holy Calendar of Wuzhou (699). Fourth, Wu Zetian went from Luoyang to Songshan Mountain to enshrine Zen, and when he returned, he stayed at the Shengxian Prince Temple in Goushan County, Yanshi County. He was inspired by the scene and wrote the elixir himself. On the surface, the inscription records the story of Prince Zhou Ling's promotion to immortality, but in fact it praises the prosperous age of Wu Zhou. The brushwork is graceful and smooth, and the artistic conception is vertical and horizontal. The six characters on the forehead of the stele are "The stele of the prince ascending to immortality", written in "Feibai style", with traces of white in the strokes. The inscription has 33 lines, each line has 66 characters, alternating between running script and cursive script, which is close to the cursive script. The upper and lower sections of the stele and the miscellaneous poems and titles of "Youxian Pian" on the back of the stele were written by famous calligraphers Xue Ji and Zhong Shaojing in the Tang Dynasty respectively. Calligraphy enthusiasts of all ages regard the "Stele of Prince Shengxian" as a treasure of calligraphy art.
In addition, the hall also displays an inscription written by Soong Ching Ling for Huangze Temple in 1963: "Wu Zetian is the only female emperor in Chinese history and an outstanding female politician in the feudal era." On the north side of the gate of Huangze Temple, There are Feng Pavilion and Bell Tower, and on the south side there is the cave where the Heart Sutra is written, the Wu family temple and the Drum Tower. It is said that after the warrior Yi became the governor of Lizhou, he "recruited rebels, cared for the old and the weak, and was an honest official with outstanding political achievements. He was deeply loved by the people, so a temple was built to commemorate him."
In the Wu family temple, there are statues of Wu Zetian's family. In the center are warrior Yi and his second wife, Mrs. Yang. Warrior Yi's first wife was Xiangli, who died in the sixth year of Wude. In April of the seventh year of Wude, Tang Gaozu personally acted as a matchmaker. He married his stepmother, Yang, the daughter of Yang Da, the royal prime minister of the Sui Dynasty, and was later named Mrs. Rongguo. After the Yang family married the warrior Yan, they gave birth to three daughters. Wu Zetian was the second daughter of the Yang family. According to this, it is entirely possible that Wu Zetian was born in 628. On the right are the two sons born to the warrior Yi and his original wife, Xiang Lishi: Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang. On the left are the three daughters of the warrior Yan and Mrs. Yang: the eldest daughter was named Shun and had the courtesy name Mingze. She married Helan Yueshi, the court official of the Royal Palace of Yue, and gave birth to Helan Minzhi and a daughter. During the period of imprisonment, thanks to Emperor Gaozong, she was granted the posthumous title of Mrs. Zheng Guo after her death. The second daughter's name is Yue, whose courtesy name is Mingkong, which means Zhao (zhào), which is Wu Zetian. Ji Nu's name is not recorded in the history books. She married Guo Xiaoshen and died early. To the southeast of the Wu family temple is the Drum Tower, and to the northeast is the cave where the Heart Sutra was written. In the early years of Emperor Daizong's reign in the Tang Dynasty, Yan Zhenqing was the governor of Lizhou and wrote a volume of the "Heart Sutra", which was engraved here, so it is commonly known as the cave where the "Heart Sutra" was written.
There are statues in the cave area where the Heart Sutra is written, distributed on three sides of the boulder, with a total of 19 niches. The east side is mainly carved with sutra pillars and the contents of the Six Paths of Reincarnation; the west side statues have been buried in the soil all year round. In 2005 It was discovered during the construction process in the spring of that year. The main content is about the Third Buddha, Sakyamuni and Duobao Buddha. Cave Nos. 12 and 13 in the south were excavated by Wu Zetian's parents, the warriors Yi and Yang, in the second year of Zhenguan (628). , this time is consistent with the third theory of Wu Zetian's birth. Therefore, these two caves may have been opened to pray for Wu Zetian's birth. There is a set of pictures of the Wu family and his wife worshiping Buddha in the caves, which is extremely precious. The Big Buddha Tower, also known as the Big Buddha Grotto, originally had no tower, but was a grotto with statues on a cliff next to Zetian Hall.
The building was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, but later collapsed due to disrepair. The building you see now is a new building built with funds from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage in 1980. The famous calligrapher Mr. Li Banli inscribed a plaque with the words "Big Buddha Building" on the building, so it is commonly known as the "Big Buddha Building".
The Big Buddha Grotto is 7 meters high, 6 meters wide and 3.6 meters deep. It was excavated in the mid-Tang Dynasty. The main Buddha, Amitabha, stands on the lotus platform, with his left hand bent in front of his chest and his right hand in the fearless seal. His body is strong and tall, and his expression is solemn and solemn. Lamenting the catastrophe of the "Cultural Revolution", his fingers were clearly severed and replanted. It is a pity for us.
The Lord Buddha was accompanied by two disciples, Kassapa and Anuo, on his left and right. Kasyapa bares his right shoulder, holding the incense burner in his left hand, and his right hand clenches his fist and hangs it down; Anuo twists beads with his left hand, raises his right hand, and puts his thumb and middle finger together. The two Bodhisattvas Guanyin and Mahasthamaprapta on the outside are also carved with beautiful features, dignified and kind faces. The left and right statues of protectors, Vajra, and strong men have been eroded by wind and rain, and their faces are difficult to distinguish. However, every limb and arm that can be seen is still majestic and extraordinary in shape.
There is a "donor" statue carved in this grotto, and the same face can no longer be found in the "Buddhist world" across the country. He was dressed in official uniform and a double-winged official hat made in the Tang Dynasty. He knelt in front of the Buddha with his hands clasped and prayed devoutly. He looked humble and insignificant at the feet of the Buddha. According to Mr. Zhang Daqian's research, this "donor" should be Tang Zhongzong Li Xian after he was deposed. He was praying for his mother because he hoped to restore the emperor to please his mother. Another theory is that Li Xian, the crown prince of Zhanghuai. Because Li Xian once ordered Fan Ye to interpret the "Book of the Later Han", which was suspected of alluding to the neglect of imperial power, he offended Wu Zetian and was deposed as a commoner. When Li Xian was later ordered to supervise the construction of the "Huangze Temple", he ordered the stoneworkers to carve his own statue at the foot of the giant Buddha. To express repentance and plead guilty. The Central Pillar Grotto (Cave No. 45) is located above the Zetian Hall and to the left of the Big Buddha Building. It is the oldest statue in Huangze Temple and the only central pillar cave in Sichuan.
The Central Pillar Grotto, also known as Pagoda Temple Grotto and Zhiti Grotto, is 2.76 meters deep and 2.6 meters wide. The cave is about 13 cubic meters. The cave room has a square plane, a flat roof and a slightly curved roof. The central cubic column of the cave is composed of The bottom of the cave leads directly to the top of the cave, with one large niche and two small niches on each of the three walls.
The central pillar is a complete stone pillar and a beautifully shaped sutra tower, consisting of three parts: the base, the body and the top. There is a niche carved on each side of the first and second floors. In the niche, there are three statues of Buddha, two Bodhisattva and others. These statues of Buddhist niches are carved in ancient and simple ways. The seated Buddha's robe is open from the front, and the lower edge hangs under the pedestal. Bodhisattvas stand on the left and right, wearing buns, long skirts trailing to the floor, and wide celestial robes on the chest in a V-shaped cross on the shoulders. The two horns are like wings.
In the three large niches on the three stone walls, there are one Buddha, two disciples and two Bodhisattvas. The Buddha statues are all tall and tall, while the Bodhisattva has a plump face and no jewelry. The statues are strong and powerful, with a sense of volume. The upper part of the three walls is decorated with thousands of Buddhas. The central pillar cave was first excavated in the Ming Dynasty, but the statues in the three major niches were modified by later generations.