For other uses, see Longxing Temple (disambiguation).

Longxing Temple (simplified Chinese: 龙兴寺; traditional Chinese: 龍興寺; pinyin: Lóngxīng Sì) is a Buddhist temple located in Yuanling County, Hunan, China.[1]: 12 [2]: 137 [3]: 281  It is an ancient building that preserves the architectural styles of the Song dynasty to the Qing dynasty (960–1911), and is the oldest surviving wooden building complex in Hunan.[1]: 12 [2]: 137 [3]: 281 

History

Tang dynasty

Longxing Temple was originally built under the imperial decree of Emperor Taizong in 628, during the Tang dynasty (618–907).[4][2]: 136 [5]: 160 [3]: 281  And renovations and redecorations were carried out throughout the following dynasties.[4][2]: 137 [5]: 160 [3]: 281 

Ming dynasty

In the 5th year (1510) of the Zhengde reign (1506–1521) of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), eunuch Liu Jin was executed, and Wang Shouren was exonerated.[4] The next year, Wang left Longchang Post in Guizhou to serve as magistrate of Luling County (now Ji'an, Jiangxi).[4] He passed through Yuanling County, and lived outside the Longxing Temple in the Pingxu Tower (凭虛樓), where he inscribed the plaque "Songyun Xuan" (松雲軒) originating from his childhood name "Wang Yun" (王雲) and taught "To Conscience" (致良知) in the temple for a month.[4] He also left a poem on the wall inside the temple.[4]

Qing dynasty

In the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), in the 29th year (1849) of Daoguang Emperor's reign (1821–1850), the Mahavira Hall, Shanmen and the corridor were repaired; in the 1st year (1851) of Xianfeng period (1851–1861), the Zhantan Pavilion (旃檀閣) and Maitreya Hall (彌陀殿) were renovated; in the 11th year (1872) of the Tongzhi reign (1862–1874), the Second Shanmen was renovated and east and west wing rooms were added to the temple; in the 1st year (1875) of the Guangxu era (1875–1908), the Zhantan Pavilion, Maitreya Hall, and Guanyin Pavilion were refurbished.[2]: 137 [5]: 160 [3]: 281 

Republic of China

During the Republic of China, Longxing Temple became dilapidated for neglect.[2]: 137 [5]: 160 [3]: 281 

People's Republic of China

Longxing Temple was inscribed as a provincial-level cultural heritage site by the Hunan Provincial People's Government in 1959. After the 3rd plenary session of the 11th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, as policy of limited religious freedom was implemented, the local government successively repaired and redecorated the Mahavira Hall, Zhantan Pavilion, Maitreya Hall and Guanyin Pavilion. On 20 November 1996, it was listed among the fourth batch of "Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Hunan" by the State Council of China.[6]

Architecture

Now the existing main buildings of Longxing Temple include Shanmen, Four Heavenly Kings Hall, Mahavira Hall, Maitreya Hall and Guanyin Pavilion.[2]: 137 [5]: 160 [3]: 281 [7][8]

Four Heavenly Kings Hall

The Four Heavenly Kings Hall was built in the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) and was later renovated during the Guangxu era (1875–1908).[8] It has a width of 5 rooms and a depth of 3 rooms, with double-eave gable and hip roofs (重簷歇山頂).[8] Statues of Four Heavenly Kings were enshrined in the Hall, but were completely destroyed by the Red Guards during the ten-year Cultural Revolution.[8]

Mahavira Hall

The Mahavira Hall is the main building of the temple, which was built at the end of the Yuan dynasty and the beginning of the Ming dynasty (14th century).[5]: 160 [3]: 281 [8] The Mahavira Hall faces south with nearly 20-metre (66 ft) high and covers an area of 362-square-metre (3,900 sq ft), and is supported by 24 nanmu pillars.[5]: 160 [3]: 281 [8] The plaque under the eaves, which says "The Buddha Kingdom in Front of You" (眼前佛國), was written by Dong Qichang, a calligrapher in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).[5]: 160 [3]: 281 [8]

Guanyin Pavilion

The Guanyin Pavilion is situated at the rear of Longxing Temple, on the central axis, with double-eave gable and hip roofs (重簷歇山頂) of Ming dynasty (1368–1644) architectural style and black tiles.[2]: 137 [8] The walls are white gray, and the four corners of the eaves are upturned, facing the Yuan River.[2]: 137 [8]

References

  1. ^ a b Bai Li (柏立); Gong Shaoshi (龚绍石) (2000-01-01). 丰富的文化遗存 [Rich Cultural Relics]. 《怀化市初中乡土教材：历史》 [Junior High School Local Textbook of Huaihua: History] (in Chinese). Changsha, Hunan: Hunan People's Publishing House. ISBN 9787535728746.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Zhang Yuhuan (2012-05-01). 地处兵家必争之地——沅陵龙兴寺 [Located in a strategically important location for military strategists: Longxing Temple in Yuanling County]. 《图解中国著名佛教寺院》 [Illustration of Famous Buddhist Temples in China] (in Chinese). Beijing: Contemporary China Publishing House. ISBN 978-7-5154-0135-5.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Editorial Department, ed. (2019-08-01). 怀化北部景点 [Scenic Spots in North Huaihua]. Discoverer: Hunan 《发现者：湖南》 (in Chinese) (2nd ed.). Beijing: Tourism Education Press. ISBN 978-7-5637-3373-6.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Qin Rongmei (奉荣梅) (2014). 王阳明：客行长沙道，山川郁稠繆 [Wang Yangming: When traveling on Changsha Road, the mountains and rivers are lush and dense]. The Elderly (in Chinese). 11. Changsha, Hunan: The Elderly Magazine Company: 40–41. ISSN 1007-2616.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Wu Boya (2017-07-01). 怀化 [Huaihua]. 《走遍中国：湖南》 [Travel All Over China: Hunan] (in Chinese) (3rd ed.). Beijing: China Travel & Tourism Press. ISBN 978-7-5032-5846-6.
  6. ^ 国务院关于公布第四批全国重点文物保护单位的通知. gov.cn (in Chinese). 2014-07-21. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  7. ^ Liu Dun (刘顿); Kang Xiaoqiao (康晓乔) (2020-04-24). 沅陵龙兴讲寺 在最古老的书院里感受时光 [Yuanling Longxing Temple, experiencing time in the oldest academy]. rednet.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i Zhang Yuanwen (张远文) (2023-07-27). 文韵沅陵 龙兴讲寺与虎溪书院 [Longxing Temple and Huxi Academy]. rednet.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 2025-02-14.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longxing_Temple_(Yanling_County)
No tags for this post.