Are there really four Zen temples in Fuzhou?

Why is Xichan Temple called Xichan Temple? Are there four other Zen temples besides Xichan Temple?

Why haven't you heard of other Zen temples?

What's the difference between other Zen temples and Western Zen temples?

With these questions, let's walk into this large-scale historical exploration project-

The past life of Fuzhou Four Zen Temple.

Tozenji, the oldest patriarch of the four temples,

As the oldest founder of the four Buddhist temples,

The earliest record of Tuozengji in history books can be traced back to Nanliang more than 500 years ago/kloc-0.

Although Nanliang is like a meteor across the long river of history, in this age of 480 temples, Daozhen Temple, like a thousand pagodas in the Southern Dynasties, has remained in the misty rain of later generations.

Although the dynasty declined, it did not affect innocent temples. Tokyo is becoming more and more prosperous. Even during the Five Dynasties and the Song Dynasty, it became the birthplace of the first privately carved Tripitaka in China. At this point, the development of Daozeng Temple reached its peak.

There is no escape from the law of "extremes meet". After the Ming dynasty, the rule of Taoism turned from prosperity to decline.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, turmoil intensified the decline. Tuo Zengji, silently waiting for the curtain call of fate.

1952, Tozengi was completely burned by the explosion of temporarily stored arms. Four years later, Fuzhou Municipal Government built Fuzhou Boiler Factory on the ruins of Tucheng Temple. Tozengji has long been unrecognizable.

Until 2009, Fuzhou Boiler Factory was demolished.

All the remains of Tozengi have completely disappeared.

Today, I can only see the ruins of Tozengji.

Gui Xiang Street is still bustling.

The ill-fated temples include not only Tozenji, but also nanzenji in Taijiang District.

Nanzenji was built in the period of Liang Ganhua in the Five Dynasties.

Once called "Thousand Buddha Temple",

Enough to foresee its scale.

In the late Jin Dynasty, he moved to this city, but gradually declined. During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, nanzenji was rebuilt on the original site.

It ushered in a short "spring", but due to the Japanese invasion in the middle of the Ming Dynasty, nanzenji was once again abandoned.

Rebuilt in the light years of the Qing Dynasty, the incense once flourished and once again ushered in "spring".

. However, the good times did not last long. Because of the temple production movement, nanzenji established Kaizhi School, and nanzenji returned to loneliness again.

19 17, a fire broke out in Taijiang.

Nanzenji was also reduced to ashes in this fire, and there is no historical trace to follow.

Houkaizhi School rebuilt its school building on the ruins of nanzenji. 1954, changed to Fuzhou No.14 Middle School.

Today, on the former site of nanzenji, the sound of books is still loud, but there are many monks and few immortals.

Compared with Tuo Zen Temple and nanzenji, Xichan Temple is much luckier.

It is located at the foot of Yishan, hongshan town, Gulou District, Fuzhou.

It is still one of the most prosperous temples in Fuzhou.

You wouldn't think that the predecessor of Xichan Temple was the place where Taoist Wang Ba immortals practiced.

It was not until the eighth year of the Tang Dynasty that Xiantong rebuilt the Buddhist temple. At this point, the incense has reached its zenith.

Today, Xichan Temple is still the one with the strongest presence among tourists' shutters.

It is not an exaggeration to call it a "secluded place" in the downtown area.

Sit somewhere in the Xichan Temple and listen carefully. Even if you don't feel the peace here, birds live in the mountains, and people's hearts touch the peace in the pool, you can feel it.

Silent Zen pervades the temple.

Many people don't know

On the northwest side of Fuzhou, there is a North Zen Temple.

It is the smallest and the latest of the four Zen temples. It was built in the Northern Song Dynasty and has been 1000 years.

It flourished because of the reconstruction of Li Gang, the demoted prime minister in the Southern Song Dynasty.

Because Li Gang advocated the combination of Confucianism and Buddhism, not only the Buddha statue was enshrined in the North Temple, but also the six philosophers of Confucianism.

Because of the existence of six scholars,

It is said that studying here is very spiritual!

Although the reputation of Beichan Temple is not obvious and the scale is not large,

But it continues, and it is still burning incense.

Although history is far away from us, we walk in the winding corridor of the temple, stroll around and look at the tall buildings outside the balcony of the temple.

In the wall, elegant silence; Outside the city wall, bustling streets.

Time never stops. These temples have gone through thousands of years and changed with the change of time. Everything is withered and broken, and everything is impermanent.

On earth, new things are born and die, and everything is silent, only Sanskrit is left.

References:

On Dongchan by ABC's Remnant Classics.

Sun's four temples in Fuzhou

Encyclopedia of old buildings in Fuzhou

Longshan girl's blog

Part of the source: Fuzhou old building encyclopedia Longshan female blog