Baima Temple was built in the 11th year of Yongping in the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 68). It is the first temple officially established by the government after Buddhism was introduced into China. It is the first Bodhi Dojo where Buddhism, which originated in the South Asian subcontinent, thrives and develops on the land of China. Therefore, it has always been called "the source of Buddhism" and "ancestral hall" by the Buddhist community. "Teachers College" is the birthplace of Buddhism, and "Zuting" is the founder's courtyard. It has played an important role in the spread and development of Buddhism in China, in promoting the exchange of ideas and cultures between China and foreign countries, and in developing the friendship between people of all countries. 196 1 year, the State Council announced the Baima Temple as the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units. 1983, the State Council announced that Baima Temple was a national key Buddhist temple.
The White Horse Temple, facing south, is a rectangular courtyard with a total area of about 60,000 square meters. There is a wide square in front of the door. The main buildings in the temple are distributed on the central axis from south to north. There are five halls in the front and back, followed by the Heavenly King Hall, the Giant Buddha Hall, the Ursa Major Hall and the Pilu Pavilion. There are ancillary buildings on the east and west sides, such as Bell, Drum Tower, Zhaitang, Guest Hall, Zen Hall, Ancestral Temple, Tibetan Classics Pavilion, Magic Weapon Pavilion, etc., which are symmetrical left and right and have a regular layout. The two stone horses in front of the mountain gate are 1.8 meters high and 2.2 meters long, with gentle images and rounded carvings. You may ask, are these two horses related to the founding history of Baima Temple?
When it comes to the White Horse Temple, many tourists will associate it with the story of "Tang Priest taking the scriptures". In fact, from the time point of view, the White Horse Temple is more than 560 years earlier than the Tang Priest. There are two stone horses in front of the temple, which used to be the tombs of Wei Xianxin, General You Wei and Ma Xu, the imperial protector of the Song Dynasty. They are two excellent stone carvings in the Song Dynasty. 1935 or so. When Master Dehao rebuilt the White Horse Temple, he moved them to the front of the mountain. The mountain gate is an archway-style rest peak, which was built in the Ming Dynasty. The top 1987 was renovated, and the word "White Horse Temple" on the wooden tablet was inscribed by Mr. Zhao Puchu, former president of the Chinese Buddhist Association. The three doorways symbolize what Buddhism calls the "three gates of liberation", which Buddhism calls the gate of nirvana. All three doorways are brick and bluestone coupons, and some coupons are engraved with the names of craftsmen. Judging from the font, this coupon stone should be a relic of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the earliest existing cultural relic of Baima Temple.
The first ancient temple in China is the White Horse Temple; The first ancient pagoda in China is the Yun Qi Tower; The first "learning from the west" began in Luoyang; Indian monks who first came to China lived in Baima Temple. The first Sanskrit Buddhist sutra "Baye Sutra" was collected in Baima Temple. The earliest translation Dojo was the balcony of Baima Temple. China's first Buddhist scripture, Chapter 42, was translated in Baima Temple. China's first Buddhist law, Beware of Monks, was first translated in Baima Temple. The first dispute between Buddhism and Taoism occurred in Baima Temple. Emperor Gaozu Zhu Shixing was ordained at Baima Temple. At the top of these ten items, we can call them "Ten Ancestors". It is this "Ten Ancient Ancestral Temples" that makes Luoyang Mazhe Temple the first in Galand, China, and shines forever in the history of Buddhism in China.