Qixia Ancient Temple in Nanjing is a thousand-year-old temple that has always been a place with strong incense and rich Buddhist culture. Moreover, the architectural style of the temple is elegant and fresh, and the surrounding natural environment is unreally beautiful. While surrounded by various flowers, plants and trees, here is the information about the temple admission prices.
Ticket price for Qixia Temple: 20 yuan/person in off-season, 40 yuan/person in peak season, free morning exercise;
Opening hours: 7:00-17:30;
Tel: 025-85761831; 025-85766979
Attraction address: No. 88, Qixia Street, Qixia District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province;
Qixia Temple is located at the west foot of the middle peak of Qixia Mountain, Qixia District, Nanjing City , surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the Yangtze River in the north, is one of the four famous temples in China. It is the birthplace of the Buddhist "Sanlun Sect" and the center of Chinese Buddhism in the Northern and Southern Dynasties. It is as famous as Jiming Temple and Dingshan Temple in the Southern Dynasties. Qixia Temple was founded in the seventh year of Yongming in the Southern Qi Dynasty (489). Liang preached the "three theories" doctrine here and was called the founder of the "three theories" in Jiangnan. Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty built pagodas in the Eighty-three Prefectures, and his pagoda was erected next to Qixia Temple in Jiangzhou. In the Tang Dynasty, it was called Gongde Hall and was huge in scale. Together with Lingyan Temple in Changqing, Shandong Province, Yuquan Temple in Dangyang City, Hubei Province, and Guosi Temple in Tiantai, Zhejiang Province, it is also known as the four largest jungles in the world.
1. Introduction
Qixia Temple is located at the western foot of the middle peak of Qixia Mountain in Qixia District, Nanjing City. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces the Yangtze River in the north. It is one of the four famous temples in China, the birthplace of the "Three Ethics" of Buddhism, and the center of Buddhism in China during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. In the Southern Dynasties, it was as famous as Jiming Temple and Dingshan Temple.
Qixia Temple was founded in the seventh year of Yongming in the Southern Qi Dynasty (489). Liang preached the "Three Treatises" doctrine here and was called the founder of the "Three Treatises" in Jiangnan. Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty built pagodas in the Eighty-three Prefectures, and his pagoda was erected next to Qixia Temple in Jiangzhou. In the Tang Dynasty, it was called Gongde Hall and was huge in scale. Together with Lingyan Temple in Changqing, Shandong Province, Yuquan Temple in Dangyang City, Hubei Province, and Guosi Temple in Tiantai, Zhejiang Province, it is also known as the four largest jungles in the world.
In April 1983, Qixia Temple was identified as a key Buddhist temple in Han areas across the country. In the same year, the Qixia Mountain Branch of the Chinese Buddhist Association was established. In January 1988, it was listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit.
2. Architectural layout
Qixia Temple covers an area of ??more than 40 acres and has three courtyards for services, namely Pilu Hall and Sutra Library. It rises layer by layer according to the mountain topography, with neat and beautiful patterns. In front of Qixia Temple is an open green lawn, with a bright mirror lake and a white lotus pond shaped like a crescent moon. It is surrounded by lush trees, birds singing and flowers fragrant, and winding mountain peaks in the distance. The air is fresh and the scenery is quiet and beautiful. The main buildings in the temple include the mountain gate, Maitreya Buddha Hall, Pilu Hall, Dharma Hall, Buddha Chanting Hall, Sutra Library, Jianzhen Memorial Hall and pagoda. In front of the temple, there is the Ming Huijun Monument, and behind the temple, there are thousands of Buddha rock statues and many other places of interest.
There is a Ming monument on the left side in front of the temple, which was built in the early Tang Dynasty to commemorate the eminent monk Shao of the Ming Dynasty. The inscription was written by Li Zhi and Gao, a calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty. The inscription contains the word "Qixia" and was written by Li Zhi himself. It is one of the ancient sites in the south of the Yangtze River and a precious cultural relic.
Entering the mountain gate is the Maitreya Buddha Hall, where the topless and smiling Maitreya Buddha is enshrined. The king of heaven faces the sky with his head held high. Climbing up the stairs is the main hall of the temple, the Mahavira Hall, which houses the 10-meter-high Sakyamuni Buddha. After that is the Pilu Hall, which is magnificent, solemn and solemn. The golden Vairuzena Buddha, about 5 meters high, is enshrined in the center. The disciples King Brahma and Dishi stand on the left and right, and the twenty gods stand on the left and right.
On the right side of the hall is the pagoda, which was built in the first year of Renshou (601), Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty. It has seven layers and eight sides and is made of white stone. It is about 15 meters high. There are stone railings on all sides of the base of the tower, and Mount Xumi is on the pedestal. The eight sides of the base are engraved with Sakyamuni Buddha's "Eight Phases Road Map". There was a white elephant reincarnated, born under a tree, the prince was bathed in nine dragons, went to Ximen and Xiangcheng to practice hard, bathed, meditated, became enlightened, demonized, and nirvana. Above the Bagua Diagram is a first-level tower, extremely tall and octagonal, with sloping columns at each corner. The tower is engraved with reliefs of Manjusri, Samantabhadra, and the Four Heavenly Kings. The distance between the upper and lower eaves of the above floors is short, and the five-story eaves generate revenue from bottom to top, and the tower also collects points.
There are two stone sashes on each beach and a Buddha sitting in an alcove. On the lower slope of the eaves, there are statues of Tianfei, Lotte and Tianren, which are similar to the Tianfei in the Five Dynasties Grottoes in Dunhuang. The braking column on the top of the tower is in the shape of a lotus. The entire pagoda is exquisitely shaped. It is not only a masterpiece of Jiangnan stone carving art in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, but also a precious object for studying ancient Buddhism, art, and culture.
3. Main Attractions
1. Pagoda
Qixia Temple Pagoda, a relic of the Southern Tang Dynasty, is one of the oldest stone pagodas in Jiangnan and the largest in China. pagoda. Built in the Sui Dynasty, in the second year of Renshou (602), Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty ordered eighty-three states in the world to build the Renshou Pagoda. There is one in Qixia Temple, which was rebuilt in the Southern Tang Dynasty in the 10th century. It is the most valuable ancient building in Qixia Temple. This octagonal stone tower has five floors and is about 15 meters high. There are stone railings with hooks around the base, which restore the original objects of the Five Dynasties excavated in modern times. Only some characters such as sea water, dragons and phoenixes, fish and shrimps are left on the ground.
Under the tower, there are eight relief images of Buddha and Sakyamuni on Mount Sumeru. The pagoda on the first floor is extremely tall, with carved doors on the front and back. There are statues of Manjusri (Destruction) and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva in the northeast and southwest, and the other four sides are statues of heavenly kings. There are five layers of dense eaves above, with small niches carved inside the eaves. The eaves are made of wooden tiles, and there are bells and bells around the corner beams, but there are still a few. It turned out that the top of the tower was a metal gate, and at the end of the ridge there was an iron chain leading to the beast's back. Later generations used a top made of several layers of stone lotus instead. The pagoda has a rigorous and natural image, vivid images, exquisite carvings, and a strong Chinese painting style. It is a masterpiece of Buddhist art in the Five Dynasties period of China. After thousands of years of wind and rain, some of the stone eaves have been damaged and fallen, but they still stand tall and become a testimony to the brilliance of Jinling Buddha.
2. The Great Buddha Pavilion
The Great Buddha Pavilion, also known as the Three Temples, is dedicated to the Buddha Amitayus. It was excavated during the Southern Qi Dynasty and is located to the east of the pagoda. The Buddha statue sits 10.8 meters high, and even the base is 13.3 meters high. Guanyin and Shizhu Bodhisattva stand on the left and right sides, 11 meters high. The fold style of the Buddha statue is quite similar to that of the Buddha statues in Yungang Grottoes in Datong. It turns out that the two Buddha statues next to the pagoda are more than three meters high. They are beautiful and elegant, similar to the Longmen Stone Buddha in Luoyang. They are also unique treasures from the golden age of Chinese Buddhist art. As the footprints of the eminent monk Jianzhen of the Tang Dynasty in Qixia Temple, there is the "Monk Jianzhen Memorial Hall" in the courtyard of the Buddhist scripture building in the temple. It enshrines the statue of the eminent monk Jianzhen who was born when the Japanese delegation visited Ningbo in 1963, and also displays relevant information about the eminent monk. Authenticate various historical materials.
3. Thousand Buddha Rock
Thousand Buddha Rock is located in the rock behind the pagoda. There is a group of grottoes excavated during the Southern Dynasties, in which more than 500 Buddha statues were carved, called Thousand Buddhas. Cliff. The largest Buddha statue is Amitayus, 10 meters high. Around it, there are statues of Guanyin and Dazhi Bodhisattva, forming the three saints
Behind the Great Buddha Pavilion, to the east of the pagoda, and between the cliffs behind Wuliang Temple, is Thousand Buddha Rock, known as " "Jiangnan Yungang" is the only Southern Dynasty grotto in my country. According to the Tripitaka, after the death of Shao, Taizu of the Qi Ming Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties, his son, Samana Fadu, first carved Amitayus, Avalokitesvara and Bodhisattva on the two walls of the west peak. It is said that after the Buddha statue was carved, it shined on the top of the niche. So when the noble officials of Qi and Liang heard about it, they carved five, six, or seven or eight Buddha statues on the rock wall as Buddhist niches, which they called Thousand Buddha Rock. During the Southern Dynasties, there were 294 Buddhist niches and 515 Buddha statues. After the Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties, there were a total of 700 Buddha statues. Liang Linchuan Wang Xiaohong decorated the Buddha statue on behalf of Liang Linchuan Wang Xiaohong. Thousand Buddha Rock is located in the south, facing the Yungang Grottoes in the north and south. It is a masterpiece of ancient Chinese sculpture art.
Between Emperor Liu Ming and Liu Ming, the eminent monk Shao lived in seclusion in Qixia Mountain. There was a Tathagata shining in the rocks of Dream Mountain, so he vowed to build a cave, but to no avail. Zhang Zhong, the second son of the Ming Dynasty, inherited his legacy and asked a master monk to design and carve a niche into the stone wall of Xifeng. Together with the monk Bodhidharma, he carved Amitabha Buddha (Amitabha) and two Bodhisattvas, Guanyin and Shizhu, in 484. Both Bodhisattvas are ten meters high. After the carving, the nobles and scholars of Qi and Liang each took their wealth and carved Buddha statues on the stone walls according to the height and width of the rocks, either five or six, or seven or eight in one painting, so-called Thousand Buddha Stones. In the year of Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty (May 11), Wang Xiaohong of Liang Linchuan decorated the Buddha statue with great momentum. The "Big Buddha (niche) Pavilion" carved by Zhang Zhonghe Fadu is the first cave in Qianfo Rock.
Because it enshrines the Three Sages of the West, it is also called "Wuliang Hall" and "Three Halls". The brick door of the temple today is the result of repairs by later generations. There are four Buddhist niches to the east of the Great Buddha Hall and about twenty caves to the west. The rest are scattered over the rocks and on the north side of the rocks. Inside the Buddhist niche, there are either one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, or one Buddha and two disciples. There are statues of heavenly kings and powerful men on both sides of the cave door. Two lions often crouch under the Buddha's throne. Ancient inscriptions can often be seen here, among which Lu Jiuyuan's regular script "Ancient Thousand Buddha Rocks Qixia Mountain" is the most eye-catching.
4. Wuliang Temple
Wuliang Temple is the earliest and largest Qianfo Rock shrine. Infinite Buddha is in the middle, Avalokitesvara is on both sides, and the situation is prosperous. The shape of the statue is symmetrical and the lines are smooth. The folding form of the Three Buddhas is similar to that of the Yungang Grottoes, and it was excavated seventeen years earlier than the Yungang Grottoes. The statues are exquisite and simple, comparable to Datong and Longmen. Its value lies in preserving the original charm of Buddhist statues in the Southern Dynasties, especially in the Jiangnan region. Yan Qian has a unique "Buddha", which is the "Shigong Buddha" on the left side of the three temples. It is said that when the last Buddha statue was carved, if the hammer was light, the stone would not move; if the hammer was heavy, the stone would crack; if it was not heavy, it would be just sparks and it would never be possible to carve it. Seeing that the deadline was up, in order to avoid everyone's death, the stonemason jumped into the niche and turned into a "stone Buddha" holding a hammer in one hand and a chisel in the other. This legend reflects the respect and memory of later generations for Wang Shou, a famous craftsman in the Ming Dynasty.
5. Rainbow Mirror
Jinghu Lake, located 50 meters in front of Qixia Temple Mountain, is the collective name of Rainbow Bridge and Mingjing Lake. Jinghu Lake was once the gathering place of Peach Blossom Stream (now its route has been changed). The lake water is clear and bright. There is a hexagonal pavilion on the lake, connected by a curved bridge shaped like a rainbow, nicknamed the "Rainbow Mirror". Rainbow Bridge was destroyed by soldiers during the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt in the 1920s and restored to its original appearance. Since then, both the bridge and the pavilion have been restored. In 1981, a rare phenomenon occurred, such as the collapse of Mingjing Lake
The Mingbei was erected in the third year of the Yuan Dynasty (676) and was built by Emperor Li Zhi. Ming Chongyan (his favorite), a hermit of Shao V, the eminent monk of the Ming Dynasty who founded Qixia Temple in the Southern Dynasties, asked Li Zhi for an "imperial stele" to commemorate his ancestors and set it up in front of the Qixia Temple mountain. Shao, an eminent monk in the Ming Dynasty, was called the "righteous king" by the world because he was repeatedly summoned by the court. The monument is 2.74 meters high, 1.31 meters wide and 0.36 meters thick. The head of the monument is a six-dragon arch, and the seal script "Zheng Mingjun Monument" was written by Wang Zhijing, a calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty. On both sides of the monument, lion heads are decorated with passion flowers; the inscription was drafted by Li Zhi and written by a master calligrapher. The entire inscription has 2376 words, four or six rhymes, and ends with 10 nouns. This stele records the life of the eminent monk Shao of the Ming Dynasty, as well as historical events such as the chiseling of statues at Xingxi Temple in Qixia Mountain during the Qi and Liang dynasties. The inscription is engraved with the word "Qixia", which is said to be an imperial letter from Li Zhi. There are pea-shaped white spots on the stele, which are fossils of crinoid stems and Chinese corals that were found in shallow seas 280 million years ago. There is a ball of domineering fossils on the head of the lower turtle stele, which was carved from carbonaceous rocks of the Chuanshan Formation of the Upper Carboniferous 290 million years ago.
7. Grotto Statues
According to literature records and the evolution of statue styles, the statues of Qixia Grottoes can be roughly divided into three periods.
(1) The first question
It was built between the Jin and Song Dynasties, in the first year of Song Yongguang. It is represented by the statues in the two caves numbered 026 and 024 on the left side of Wuliang Hall. To summarize the sculpture style of this period: they are all dome-shaped grottoes. The Buddha statues are short and square, mostly with spiral hair in a high bun, a U-shaped neckline, backlit Buddhist robes, and a lotus flower on the back of the head. The coat is unfolded over the chancel, with a sub-shaped chancel base. The Bodhisattva is crowned with square jewels and stands on a circular lotus seat. There are three caves with three walls and three niches.
The second phase
It was excavated for more than ten years at the end of the 5th century. Represented by Wuliang Hall (numbered 020) and its surrounding caves 022, 021, 019 (named the Thirteen Grottoes of Nanjing Museum), 004, 102, 193, 089, 148, and 090. It can be roughly divided into early stage and late stage. To summarize the style of grotto sculptures of this period: they are all domed grottoes with three-walled circular altars. Buddhist altars are mostly square and horizontally rectangular, with thousands of Buddhas appearing. Compared with the first phase, the torso of the Buddha statues is obviously elongated, and there are representations of reclining Buddha, standing Buddha, squatting Buddha, etc. The Buddha's costumes are also very rich.
The Buddha robe with U-shaped neckline, "draped shawl", "recommended robe" and "half-draped" cassock coexist, imprinting the fearlessness of meditation, and the robe hangs drooping. The Bodhisattva appears in a garland of flowers and passes through the wall. In terms of sculpture, round carving and straight-knife methods are mixed, and the shape is more important for the expression of the human body. The thickness of the clothing is weaker than that of the first period, the torso of the Buddha statue is longer than that of the first period, the explicit style of the statue is obvious, and the combination of statues has also increased. Other sculptural elements, such as a raised lion's paw and a kneeling man, are also new to this issue.
(3) The third period
From the beginning of the 6th century to the first year of Liang Tianzheng (551). It is represented by the introduction of Buddha in front of Wuliang Hall. The most damaging thing is the low bun spiral hair. The Buddha's feet stand on a circular lotus pedestal, and the right collar of the Buddha's robe is draped over the shoulder along the left arm. The turning points of the clothing pattern are mostly convex ribs, which are symmetrically carved on the chest. The cassock is thick and heavy. Another statue is well preserved, with a thin coat that fits the body and a finely carved lower chest and abdomen. The clothing pattern is shaped in a step-by-step manner, and the hair is in a low bun. The dress style is the same as the previous one. The two Buddha statues are similar in shape, but slightly different in carving techniques and physical expression. Since both statues are single-round sculptures, their original location cannot be verified (it was first moved here from the pagoda).
The rescue and maintenance project of the Nanjing Qixia Temple Pagoda, the largest pagoda in China, was completed at the end of 1993. This maintenance, chaired by Cai Run, associate researcher at the China Institute of Cultural Relics, is the largest in scale and has the highest technical level. Mainly, eight stone components that fell due to natural weathering and lightning strikes hundreds of years ago were bonded to the original cracks.