There are many famous temples and temples scattered around Zhong Nanshan in Xi 'an Qinling Mountains. Some are familiar to tourists because of karma; But most of them are hidden in the mountains and unknown. Tourists accidentally pass by, only to know that there is such a profound humanistic heritage behind them.
That's how I happened to pass by this ancient temple in Qinling. At first glance, there is nothing unusual. When I walked in, I realized that this ancient temple has a long history, profound heritage and great ostentation and extravagance-from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain, it is its territory.
It is Wuzhen Temple in Lantian.
I had never heard of Wuzhen Temple before I met it. Actually, I'm here to visit Lantian Waterland Temple (PS), which is known as "the second Dunhuang". The Ming Dynasty color sculpture art in the main hall of the amphibious temple is praised by cultural relics experts as "the world's first three-dimensional color sculpture series wall sculpture", which is worth visiting. And here is a free scenic spot, you can exchange your ID card for tickets, which is worth a visit). After visiting the amphibious temple, I found a temple directly opposite, so I stopped by to find out.
At first glance, it turns out that this "unknown" temple is actually one of the ancestral halls of the Pure Land Sect in China, with a long history and profound foundation, which should not be underestimated.
Wuzhen Temple was built by Zhao Feng, the founder and mentor of Pure Land Sect, with a history of 1400 years. It was extremely brilliant in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. According to historical records, Wuzhen Temple was one of the largest temples in Chang 'an in Tang Dynasty. At that time, Wuzhen Temple was divided into upper and lower houses, six temples, more than 4,000 halls and 1000 monks. Nowadays, the amphibious temple, which attracts many tourists, was originally just a main hall of Wuzhen Temple.
Millennium has passed, and the scale of Wuzhen Temple has been greatly reduced. For example, the amphibious temple in the original ancient temple has also "separated" from the scope of the temple and exists independently. Fortunately, the basic layout of the upper and lower halls of the ancient temple is still preserved. Located opposite the amphibious temple at the foot of Lianhua Mountain in Qinling Mountains, it is the "Xiawuzhen Temple", and there is also an "Shangwuzhen Temple" on the top of the mountain.
After visiting the "Xiawuzhen Temple", we rushed to the "Shangwuzhen Temple" on the mountain under the guidance of fellow villagers. After climbing the mountain from Lianhuashan Forest Park for about 3 hours, we finally came to the legendary "Shangwu Town Temple".
Compared with the magnificent "Xiawuzhen Temple", "Shangwuzhen Temple" is much "shabby". Without tall mountain gates and magnificent halls, everything is extremely simple, much like the small temples in the deep mountains that we often see in the Great Qinling Mountains.
However, the ancient temple in this mountain is very attractive. The ancient temple is surrounded by mountains, and the temple is located on a platform in the mountains. Standing in the yard, I looked up at the rolling peaks in the south and looked down at the densely forested valleys. Imagine that in the Tang Dynasty thousands of years ago, there were six ancient temples between the upper and lower Wuzhen temples. From the top of the mountain to the foot of the mountain, historical sites are everywhere, and the sound of Buddha is curling. What a spectacular scene!
Now "Shangwuzhen Temple", "Xiawuzhen Temple" and Shuilu Temple have all become three independent temple buildings. Most tourists only know the land and water temple, but seldom know the long history of "Wuzhen Ancient Temple" for thousands of years.
Later, I chatted with friends by chance and talked about the adventures of meeting Shangwuzhen Temple and Xiawuzhen Temple. My friend told me that when she was visiting Shangwuzhen Temple in Lantian, she met several Japanese pilgrims who made a special trip to worship. Why does a small temple in the mountains attract Japanese people here?
If you have been to the Ji Xiang Temple in Anguodu Town, Xi 'an, you may see the stone tablet enshrined by the Japanese Pure Land Sect under the Chongling Tower, the master of Ji Xiang Temple. Ji Xiang Temple was built to commemorate the founder of Pure Land Sect, and it is also one of the ancestral halls of Pure Land Sect. The Pure Land Sect of Buddhism has a far-reaching influence in Japan, because it is not surprising that the ancestral temples of Pure Land Sect such as Ji Xiang Temple and Wuzhen Temple are highly respected by Japanese pilgrims.
This "largest" temple in Xi 'an, hidden in the Qinling Mountains, has three points connected in series and has become a tourist route for ethnic minorities, which is quite worth visiting. Climb the mountain, visit the ancient times, see the "second Dunhuang", and take a day trip around Xi 'an.
Finally, I want to say some practical information about tourism, which can be referred to by friends who want to come:
The specific coordinates here are in Puhua Town, Lantian County, Xi 'an, about 50 kilometers away from downtown Xi 'an, 1 hour by car. If you come to play, you can directly navigate the "Water and Land Temple". Shuilu Temple, Shangwuzhen Temple and Xiawuzhen Temple are all open for free. Shuilu Temple needs to exchange ID cards for tickets.