There is another important reason why Huozhushan changed its name to Xiangshan. A few kilometers north of Shandong, it is the capital of Han and Wei Dynasties. The father city was formerly the father city of Chu in the Spring and Autumn Period, so the coincidence of the names of the father city of Huaxia in the East and the father city of Tianzhu, a Buddhist holy place, has also become an important reason why monks in the western regions chose Huozhu Mountain to build Xiangshan Temple. Buddhism pays attention to Buddha's life, and its similarity with the same name makes Pingdingshan Xiangshan the earliest Guanyin Dojo in China and the earliest Xiangshan Temple in China. It is considered as "the real Xiangshan Temple". Later, Buddhism was introduced from the Central Plains, and Xiangshan Temple was established in various places. However, Xiangshan Temple in Pingdingshan, as the ancestral temple of Xiangshan Temple in China, is unshakable.
Guanyin Bodhisattva in China culture is in its original place.
Guanyin is the abbreviation of Guanyin, which is also translated as Guangshiyin and Guanzi. Guanyin Bodhisattva is an important figure in the western Buddhist countries and the right-hand man of Amitabha, the founder of the Western Heaven. After she came to China, she went through a long process of sinicization, which was basically completed in the Tang and Song Dynasties. Because of its magical power and infinite magic, it has a lofty position in the belief of folk gods in China, and its influence even exceeds that of all other gods. The symbol of the completion of the process of China is that Daoxuan, a Buddhist master in the Tang Dynasty, gained a sense of heaven and man, revealing the Buddhist historical fact that Guanyin's body was to be transformed into Xiangshan Mountain in Pingdingshan. Master Daoxuan made a clear distinction: "Guanyin shows no way, but it is the best in Xiangshan." "Two hundred miles south of Song Yue, three mountains stand side by side, with Xiangshan in the middle, where the Bodhisattva became a monk." Taoist Priests believe that Guanyin in China gained the Tao because of Xiangshan Temple in Pingdingshan, Henan Province, and its ancient karma has unshakable authority in the history of Buddhism in China.
As a famous temple of Guanyin Bodhisattva in the history of Buddhism in China, it has thousands of years of cultural relics, historical records, rural customs and folk customs, academic research, communication and affirmation by the imperial courts.
A shrine dedicated to avalokitesvara.
There are many variants of Guanyin, such as four-armed Guanyin and four-sided Guanyin. The most famous avalokitesvara are Avalokitesvara, Holy Avalokitesvara, Eleven Avalokitesvara, Matou Avalokitesvara, Ruyi Avalokitesvara and Ruyi Wheel Avalokitesvara. Avalokitesvara, as an important image of Avalokitesvara, has the greatest influence among the people in China, and is a symbol of Avalokitesvara's great compassion and boundless magic. Xiangshan Temple in Pingdingshan is the place where avalokitesvara with thousands of hands and eyes gets the right result. It is here that Miao Mountain, the secular body of Guanyin Bodhisattva, achieved positive results, transformed into Guanyin with thousands of hands and eyes, and was called "Guanyin Bodhisattva with great compassion and thousands of eyes" by the people. This is based on inscriptions and historical records. Avalokitesvara with thousands of hands and eyes is referred to as Avalokitesvara with thousands of hands, and there are also Avalokitesvara with thousands of eyes and thousands of arms. According to the Tantric classic "A Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes Avalokitesvara's Great Compassion Buddhist Sutra" (hereinafter referred to as "The Great Compassion Mantra"), Avalokitesvara was "infinitely robbed" that year, which means "If I come here, I can benefit all sentient beings, so that I can have thousands of hands and feet in real time" and "It is my wish to send hair." "Thousand hands" is to take care of all sentient beings, and "thousand eyes" is to observe the world. With the introduction of Buddhism into China, thousands of Guanyin statues also came to China, and finally completed the process of China. Through Miao Shan's nirvana in Xiangshan, Pingdingshan, it became a positive result and became the image of Guanyin with thousands of hands and eyes in Chinese. Therefore, since ancient times, Xiangshan Temple in Pingdingshan has thousands of hands and eyes dedicated to Guanyin.
The First Scene of Guanyin Bodhisattva in China Culture
Xiangshan is the practice place of Guanyin Bodhisattva of Tianzhu Buddhism, Guanyin Bodhisattva of China Han Buddhism, and the place where its secular body is cultivated into a positive result. Therefore, the Xiangshan Temple in China is the Dojo where Guanyin Bodhisattva lives and practices. Because Xiangshan Temple in Pingdingshan is the place where Guanyin Bodhisattva practices Taoism, it is undeniable that Xiangshan Temple in Pingdingshan is the first scene of Guanyin in China in the history of Guanyin culture in China.
As a Guanyin Dojo, Pingdingshan Xiangshan Temple is very glorious in history. All previous dynasties attached great importance to it, and expanded and rebuilt it by allocating funds and land. Therefore, it can always be revived quickly after the war. During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the emperor made many imperial edicts and carved stones, and established the scope of maintaining Xiangshan Temple, which reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty and was actually in the position of a national temple.
Although the population moved southward on a large scale since Wei and Jin Dynasties, the cultural center of China gradually moved southward, especially after Song and Yuan Dynasties, the southern culture flourished and Buddhism flourished rapidly. Because of its natural geographical advantages different from the Central Plains, the South has maintained a good cultural continuity, and Buddhism in the Central Plains has quickly taken root and sprouted in the South, with increasing influence. In the field of Guanyin culture, the influence of Putuo in Nanhai even exceeds that of Guanyin Dojo in Xiangshan, Pingdingshan, but the historical position of Xiangshan Temple in Pingdingshan as the first venue of Guanyin Bodhisattva is unshakable. Tracing back to the source, the "root" of Guanyin Dojo in China, China is located in Xiangshan Temple in Pingdingshan.
A veritable hometown of Guanyin in China.
Pingdingshan, as the hometown of Guanyin in China, China, can be proved from two aspects. First, the hometown of Miao Mountain, a common body of Guanyin, is in Pingdingshan. After Guanyin, a Buddhist figure, was introduced to China, his birth was also China-like. There are different opinions in the history of Buddhism, but the most common one is that he was born in the royal family, with the common name Miaoshan, his father's name (,Wang,) Wang, Miaosolemn Wang and so on. ) and Wang are both red people in Pingdingshan area. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, all official local chronicles were called Chu Zhuangwang. For example, Zheng De's "Ruzhou Zhi" in Ming Dynasty contains "The Great Compassion Bodhisattva handed down from generation to generation is the place where Chu Zhuangwang's daughter became a Buddha, and the soul is buried under the tower"; Qing Daoguang's Ruzhou Quan Zhi said, "The Bodhisattva with great compassion is said to be the third daughter of Chu Zhuangwang, but dare not speak of Miao Shan". According to legend, Miaoshan was born in the Gufucheng area of Pingdingshan. Father City, located in Gucheng Village, Lizhuang Township, Baofeng County, Pingdingshan City, was originally an area of Yingguo. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the great-grandson of Prince Chu Zhuangwang built a city in memory of Chu Zhuangwang, and later generations regarded Wang Zhuang Temple as Chu Zhuangwang's hometown. At the beginning of the famous city, the Han Dynasty was changed to the father city. There is Baique Temple in the father city, which is said to be the place where Miaoshan became a monk. Later, in order to avoid the pursuit of Zhuang Wang, he fled to Xiangshan to practice in seclusion, and finally got the word. Whether it is historical legends, folk legends, inscriptions or literature records, Pingdingshan City is the hometown of Guanyin Temple Mountain.
Second, Guanyin achieved a positive result in Xiangshan, Pingdingshan. According to the inscription, after Miao Shan became a monk in Baique Temple, his father, Zhuang Wang, was furious when he saw that she insisted on practicing without repentance. He sent troops to burn Baique Temple and slaughtered all nuns. Miaoshan was rescued by the God of Longshan Mountain, and lived in seclusion in Xiangshan for three years. Empress Zhuang was ill. After being instructed by different monks, she found Miao Shan of Xiangshan and asked for medicine. Miao Shan resolutely gave his hands and eyes to repay the kindness of Zhuang Wang's upbringing, and his practice was complete. Nirvana should be turned into Guanyin. It is precisely because Miao Shan was born in Pingdingshan and became a Taoist in Xiangshan that Pingdingshan is the hometown of Miao Shan and Guanyin in China.
The hometown of Guanyin culture in China
Pingdingshan City is the hometown of Miao Mountain and Guanyin, and Pingdingshan Xiangshan Temple is the first scene of Guanyin in China. Since ancient times, Pingdingshan has formed a strong tradition of Guanyin worship.
First of all, Xiangshan Temple is a famous temple in history. Because the soul bone of Guanyin is enshrined in the legend, it has been regarded as "true Xiangshan" and "big Xiangshan" since ancient times, and it has been admired and worshipped by people, and it has also been highly valued by the courts of past dynasties. During the Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the scale was huge, the architecture was magnificent, and there were many monks, which had a great influence. It is often called "Xiangshan Temple in Ruzhou" and "Xiangshan Temple in Baofeng". Since 20 12, Xiangshan Temple in Pingdingshan has attracted more and more attention from the world.
Secondly, Pingdingshan City has formed the Guanyin Cultural Zone. This cultural area includes not only Xiangshan Temple, but also Baique Temple and Leigutai in Baofeng County. In terms of connotation, it consists of Miaoshan birthplace (father city), monk place (Baique Temple) and Taoist place (Xiangshan Temple). Baique Temple is an ancient temple built in the Northern Wei Dynasty. I have also experienced the disasters of war and fire. The ancient buildings have disappeared, but the incense is still strong. There have been religious buildings in Leigutai since ancient times, integrating Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, all of which were spontaneously built by the people, including Guanyin Hall. In 20 12, all the temples were newly built, and one of them was carved with statues of Mr. and Mrs. Zhuang Wang and Miaoshan, which reflected the long story of Miaoshan's missionary work.
Third, Pingdingshan has a strong tradition of Guanyin worship since ancient times. The scope is concentrated in dozens of miles around Xiangshan Temple, including Baofeng, Jiaxian, Yexian, Ruzhou, Lushan and other counties. The direct influence scope includes the surrounding cities of Pingdingshan, including Xuchang, Nanyang and Luoyang. In ancient times, believers formed a wide range of societies, worshipping mountains, offering incense, worshiping Buddha, donating money and giving alms, forming a temple fair tradition that has been circulating for thousands of years. On the first and fifteenth day of the lunar calendar, incense is very popular. The most prosperous time is January 1st and February every year. The temple fair in February is huge, because it commemorates Guanyin's birthday. According to the inscription "Rebuilding Kannonji in Xiangshan, Ruzhou" carved in the 25th year of Dading in the Jin Dynasty (1 184), "thousands of people saluted from all directions in February". Since 2000, with the increasing influence of Xiangshan Temple, the scale of temple fairs has been expanding. Every year, on the first day of the first lunar month, there are more than 100,000 pilgrims who go to Xiangshan Temple to worship Buddha. The crowds are surging and the traffic is blocked for miles. There are also some place names such as Kannonji Township and Guanyintang Village near Xiangshan, which also reflect the ancient tradition of Guanyin worship. Because of its outstanding cultural characteristics, long history and far-reaching influence, Xiangshan Temple in Pingdingshan has long been a folk custom rooted in the people, so it is called the hometown of Guanyin culture in China.