"There is a Caotang Temple in the south and a glorious light in the north" is the praise and summary of the famous local temples in Huxian Buddhism circles. Now let's not mention the "Caotang Temple among the Eight Scenic Spots in Guanzhong" and just talk about the largest temple in the north of the county. The origin of the "Portrait of Medicine Buddha", a treasure in the temple's Shokoji Temple.
The original work of Wu Daozi that was once legendary in the countryside - "Portrait of Medicine Master Buddha" is a line drawing of stone carvings. It was when Wu Daozi traveled to Shengguang Temple in Yiwu Ridge outside the capital and talked with the abbot of the temple about the rise of Zen. The play pen.
Regarding Shengguang Temple, according to the "Kangxi County Chronicle" of the 42nd year of Qianlong in 1717, Shengguang Temple is located in Shiwang Village. In Shiwang Village in the north of the county, it was built in the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in the 25th year of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. There is a Huanglong Cave inside. According to the "Hu County Chronicles of the 22nd Year of the Republic of China", there are 364 people in 53 households in Caoshiwang Village in the north (214 males and 150 females) with a second-class land of 2069.23 acres. Note: There is Shengguang Temple in the north and Huanglong Cave in the temple. There is a Bodhisattva temple.
Legend has it that Wu Daozi traveled here, and the abbot at that time became Master Huanglong because there was a Huanglong Cave in the temple. He had a good chat with Wu Daozi, and Wu Daozi made an image of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva based on the popular line from the Western Regions. However, due to interest, the inscription became a "playful pen". This was mainly due to the popularity of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva portraits in the Buddhist world at that time. The main basis is: According to the record of the effectiveness of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva statues, "The Samana of Qingtai Temple" (Zhi) You responded to Ksitigarbha's deeds. It is said that in the year of Tianfu in the later Jin Dynasty, a Western Indian named Zhiyou came to China and brought with him a picture of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and a sutra of merits and virtues of his original vows. There is a picture of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in the center of the picture. On the left and right sides are the statues of the Ten Kings.
From this, we can infer that in that atmosphere, Wu Daozi omitted the "Ten Kings" statues and simply sketched the main Buddha enshrined in Shengguang Temple-Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. The pictures of gods are just like the "Ghost Hunting Picture" he painted for Chongyang Palace. The lines are clear and the pictures are lifelike. The portrait of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva painted in this way depicts the joyful heart of Master Huanglong.
When Liang Dong copied the painting in the Southern Song Dynasty, the inscription was "Tang Wu Daozi Bi·Liang Dongjian", which is consistent with the inscription on the portrait of Wu Daozi "Ghost Hunting" in the Chongyang Palace in Huxian County. In comparison, it should be imitating Wu Daozi's calligraphy handwriting. However, the handwriting of "Tang Wu Daozi Xibi" on the upper left has now been obscured. Only the vertical line of the word "bi" can still be felt.
This shows that Wu Daozi's original work was still there when Liang Dong copied it, but it was missing later.
Liang Dong of the Southern Song Dynasty imitated the "Portrait of the Medicine Buddha" by Wu Daozi of the Tang Dynasty. It was kept in Shengguang Temple until the late 1960s, when the "Destroy the Four Olds" during the "Ten Years of Civil War" At that time, it was moved to the Confucian Temple in Huxian County.
After the reform and opening up, Shengguang Temple reappeared the morning bells and evening drums, and the Buddha's light shone everywhere. The abbot of the temple, Master Shengguang, asked someone to imitate the Buddha statue of Liang Dong from the Song Dynasty, and carved a stone to stand on the upper (east side) of the temple. Next to it was Wu Shuren, a famous country man. Mr.'s seven-character poem is consistent with the Buddha statue.
Since the construction of Shengguang Temple in the Tang Dynasty, although the temple has risen and fallen several times, the interpretation and changes of the three-way stone carvings of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva have not changed the Bodhisattva’s vast vow: to save all sentient beings, Only then can I realize Bodhi. If the hell is not empty, I will never become a Buddha. If I don’t go to hell, who will go to hell? And educate and influence the people around Xiwuling.
I hope that as a treasure in Shengguang Temple, it can return to the temple on Xiwu Ridge as soon as possible.