Introduction of Lingyan Temple in Jinan Introduction of Lingyan Temple Sculpture in Jinan

Jinan Lingyan Temple has a long history of more than 1, years and profound cultural heritage. It is located in Jinan City, west of Mount Tai. The Buddha's luster here is full of aura and emptiness. The beautiful natural environment has attracted countless people's attention. Here, I will share with you the specific introduction of the temple.

The most secluded branch of Mount Tai

Lingyan Temple is located at the foot of Lingyan Mountain at the northern foot of Mount Tai. Lingyan Mountain is one of the twelve branches of Mount Tai, and its main peak is Fangshan Mountain at an altitude of 668 meters (formerly known as Fangshan Mountain, named after its flat top and smooth walls). Lingyan Temple is located in the treasure-house of the green valley in the sun of the mountain. Surrounded by mountains, cypress and sandalwood are beautiful. Ancient buildings are hidden in the mountains, far away from the hubbub, solemn and serene. No wonder Wang Shizhen, a scholar in Qing Dynasty, said that "Lingyan is the most secluded spot on the back of Mount Tai".

after visiting Lingyan Temple, Bai Juyi wrote a poem: "The Millennium Temple near Guanwa Palace is rich in water and clouds, and many visitors come to it. It is said that spring is even more melancholy, and a monk returns from the depths of a hundred flowers. "

Lingyan Temple was founded in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, with a history of 1,6 years. It continued to flourish in the Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties, with profound Buddhist heritage. Since the Tang Dynasty, it has been known as the first of the four famous temples in China. Its remaining buildings in Tang and Song Dynasties have a long history, and 4 colorful statues of Luohan are even known as "the first sculpture in China". In history, many emperors visited Lingyan Temple when they visited Mount Tai in the east. Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty toured Jizhou in the east, and after visiting Daiyue, he specially toured Lingyan Temple. Tang Gaozong and Wu Zetian had been stationed in Lingyan for ten days, and Emperor Qianlong visited Lingyan eight times during his southern tour. He once named eight scenic spots of Lingyan, and wrote poems for the eight scenic spots of Lingyan every time, leaving sixty-four poems.

architectural remains are abundant

After several ups and downs, many early buildings have disappeared. Most of the existing temples of Lingyan Temple were built after the Song Dynasty, and many of them were rebuilt in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, but many Song Dynasty components were retained.

Daxiong Hall is the main place for Buddhist activities of monks in temples today. It was founded during the Song Dynasty and is now a relic of the Qing Dynasty. Its architecture still follows the lotus-covered column base and octagonal column in Song Dynasty.

Wuhua Pavilion was founded in the Song Dynasty, rebuilt in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and later destroyed by fire.

during the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, the Thousand Buddhas Hall was founded by monk Hui Chong, rebuilt in the Song and Ming Dynasties, and rebuilt in the 15th year of Wanli. It is now a building in the Ming Dynasty.

Bizhi Pagoda is a landmark building of Lingyan Temple. It is an octagonal nine-story pavilion-style brick tower. It was founded in the fifth year of Song Chunhua and completed in the second year of Jiayou. It took 63 years to complete, with a huge project, complex structure and magnificent momentum. From the position and structure of the building, it is a typical Song Dynasty style.

The tomb tower forest is the cemetery of eminent monks in past dynasties, and there are relics from the Northern Wei, Tang and Song Dynasties, Jin, Yuan and Ming Dynasties in the tower forest. There are 167 existing tomb pagodas, with the central aisle and the northern end of the aisle as the ancestral pagoda of the Northern Wei Dynasty (the statutory tomb pagoda of eminent monks).

Statue of Buddhist Bodhisattva in Tang Dynasty (left) and Stone Buddha in Song Dynasty (right) unearthed from the site of Prajna Hall, the Statue of Monk's Tomb Tower

Lohan in clay sculpture

The three-body Buddha enshrined in the Thousand Buddha Hall, from left to right, are Sakyamuni Buddha in the west, Pilu Zena Buddha in the middle and Lushena Buddha in the east. The Buddha statue is graceful and dignified.

How to explain

The essence of Lingyan Temple's cultural relics is 4 painted clay statues of arhats sitting around the Thousand Buddha Hall, of which 32 were shaped in the third year of Song Zhiping (166) and 8 were made up in the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. Lohan is an intermediate stage in Buddhist practice, and he has cut off all his addictions, but he has not yet entered the realm of heaven. Therefore, artists have not adhered to the traditional model of Buddha statues when shaping Lohan statues, paying more attention to realism, maintaining secular flavor and life interest. All of them are vivid, including wrinkled old people, young people, listening, meditating and even a weeping person. Their expressions, costumes and actions are almost one-sided.

In p>1982, when it was repaired again, some cultural relics were found in the body cavity of some Luohan statues, including a clay sculpture with internal organs made of silk and ancient coins. The words "leveling for three years" were found on the inner wall of a clay sculpture, which confirmed the molding age of Luohan statue. A relatively complete iron arhat was also stripped from the body cavity of the 11th arhat in the West.

meditation

serenity. This dress is made of special materials.

The Lohan took out the objects in his handkerchief and remembered the past with tears in his eyes.

He was uncompromising. Said a confident face, dark skin, strong

young and simple, wrinkled and wise old man, this is the legal old monk

the 11th arhat in the west and the iron arhat stripped from the statue (below)

These lifelike arhats seem to reproduce the real life, and have always been valued by scholars and literati.

Liang Qichao praised the clay sculpture of the Thousand Buddhas Hall as "the first sculpture in the world" and wrote a tablet.

Liang Qichao's book

After visiting Liu Haisu, he wrote, "Lingyan clay sculpture is the best in the world, with flesh and blood, which is vivid." Praise.

He Jingzhi wrote, "It's better to paint a god when you are vivid, and the pen from the divine is to write a person. Forty arhats in Lingyan, each evokes a poem that can be talked about.

The relief on the foundation of the Bizhita Tower was discovered in 1985 when it was excavated and cleaned. There are five reliefs on each side, and there are 37 existing ones. The content is the story of Ashoka's conversion, which is a rare and precious material and has attracted the attention of academic circles. At present, there is only one pagoda pedestal with similar theme and intact preservation in China.

mountains are not high, but springs are spiritual. There are not only grotesque caves on Lingyan Mountain, but also many famous springs that are inexhaustible all year round, which add vitality to the famous mountains. There are three springs in Lingyan Temple, namely Zhuoxi Spring, Sanbao Spring and Tanbao Spring (two kilometers east of the temple), which are listed as seventy-two springs, and there are many springs listed as famous springs in Jinan, such as Shuanghe Spring, Ganlu Spring and Feiquan.

Note: There are no lights in the Thousand Buddha Hall to protect the color of clay sculptures, and it is forbidden to take pictures.