Guangsheng Temple
About Guangsheng Temple
The highlight of Guangsheng Temple is the spectacular Feihong Pagoda, the largest and best preserved glazed pagoda in China . Octagonal in shape and nearly 500 year old, this 13-storey pagoda glimmers on sunny days, with the sunlight reflecting off of the many multi-colored glazed tiles which cover the 47-meter tall tower. It is these colorful reflections which give rise to the Chinese name for this structure, “the Flying Rainbow Pagoda.”
Looking at this splendid tower in such excellent shape, it is hard to believe that it was last reconstructed from 1515 – 1527, during the Ming Dynasty, with the roofed corridor on the ground floor added in 1622. The many eaves of the structure feature glazed Buddhas, birds, beasts, dragons, guardians, warriors, other figures, and all sorts of plants, all exquisitely sculpted and still in excellent shape after over four centuries. At the corner of each eave, a wind chime dangles from a ceramic dragon, with 114 such bells in all. The center of this tall pagoda is hollow, with a narrow staircase winding up within.
Guangsheng Temple was established in the Eastern Han Dynasty, in the year 147 CE. The temple, originally known as the Julushe Temple before being renamed Guangsheng in 769, was damaged in a major earthquake in 1303, during the Yuan Dynasty, and was rebuilt thereafter. The temple experienced many repairs during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911), but the structures have kept the architectural style of the Yuan Dynasty.
The Guangsheng Temple complex actually consists of two parts, an Upper Temple atop the hill (easily spotted from afar as this is the location of the Feihong Pagoda) and the Lower Temple at the base of the hill. The two parts are about 500 meters apart and are connected by a short, winding road. Another temple, the Temple to the God of Water, is located adjacent to the Lower Temple .
While the Feihong Pagoda is the main feature of the Upper Temple , visitors should not neglect the other structures in the temple, which are quite spectacular as well. The Upper Temple consists of three main courtyards—front, middle, and back—arranged along a south-north axis. The first temple building behind the pagoda is the Amitabha Hall. Inside are an Amitabha Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, all considered Ming Dynasty masterpieces. This hall used to have 12 cabinets located along the back wall; in these cabinets were stored 6980 scrolls of the Zhaocheng Jinzang , one of the three most important Buddhist encyclopedias in Chinese history. (This work is known as the Zhaochang Tripitaka in the west. It is named “Zhaocheng” because Guangsheng temple is in Zhaocheng County .) These scriptures were printed by using over 168,000 woodblocks carved from 1149 – 1173, and this set was the only surviving copy of this famous work. Rediscovered in 1933, it is viewed as particularly valuable as it includes many sutras which are not included in other records. In 1942, Japanese troops attempted to seize these scrolls. The Chinese Eighth Route Army snuck into the temple at night and secreted the manuscripts to a nearby cave, losing eight soldiers in the process. These important scriptures are now stored in the National Library in Beijing and are considered one of the library’s “four treasures.”
In the next courtyard is the Great Shrine Hall (also known as the Hall of Sakyamuni), with a pagoda-shaped incense burner and two large trees standing in front. These two trees are 1200 years old and are a source of fascination since the bark on one of the trees twists to the right while the bark on its twin twists to the left. Built in 1452, the Great Shrine Hall features a large Sakyamuni Buddha inside, with two Bodhisattvas on either side, exquisite wooden screens in front, and 18 seated arhats made of iron along the eastern and western walls, each with a different facial expression. The sculptures in the hall are all from the Ming Dynasty and are over 400 years old. On the backside of the wall behind the Sakyamuni Buddha is a large Guanyin statue and several other characters.
From here one enters the back courtyard, which is flanked by three buildings, the Pilu Hall in the center (back), the Hades Hall on the left, and the Hall for the Goddess of Mercy on the right. The Pilu Hall was built in the Yuan Dynasty but rebuilt in the Ming and features three seated and four standing Buddha. With two huge door guards, exquisitely carved doors, and over 1000 small Buddha in the hall, this is a magnificent hall, on par with those found at more famous or more frequently-visited temples.
Do not forget to look at the roofs of the various temple buildings as well, as they are covered with the same glazed dragons and characters as the Feihong Pagoda.
The Temple of the God of Water at the base of the hill was originally built as a place to pray for rain, for this region frequently suffered from droughts. The main feature of the temple is the only set of murals in China which are based on the customs of the Yuan Dynasty rather than on Buddhist stories. In addition to depicting the God of Water and local residents praying for water, these colorful frescoes reflect common street scenes and village life, giving scholars the opportunity to better understand the customs of the Yuan Dynasty. The Ming Ying King Hall also contains statues of the God of Water and his 11 attendants, all done in the Yuan style.
Looking at this splendid tower in such excellent shape, it is hard to believe that it was last reconstructed from 1515 – 1527, during the Ming Dynasty, with the roofed corridor on the ground floor added in 1622. The many eaves of the structure feature glazed Buddhas, birds, beasts, dragons, guardians, warriors, other figures, and all sorts of plants, all exquisitely sculpted and still in excellent shape after over four centuries. At the corner of each eave, a wind chime dangles from a ceramic dragon, with 114 such bells in all. The center of this tall pagoda is hollow, with a narrow staircase winding up within.
Guangsheng Temple was established in the Eastern Han Dynasty, in the year 147 CE. The temple, originally known as the Julushe Temple before being renamed Guangsheng in 769, was damaged in a major earthquake in 1303, during the Yuan Dynasty, and was rebuilt thereafter. The temple experienced many repairs during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911), but the structures have kept the architectural style of the Yuan Dynasty.
The Guangsheng Temple complex actually consists of two parts, an Upper Temple atop the hill (easily spotted from afar as this is the location of the Feihong Pagoda) and the Lower Temple at the base of the hill. The two parts are about 500 meters apart and are connected by a short, winding road. Another temple, the Temple to the God of Water, is located adjacent to the Lower Temple .
While the Feihong Pagoda is the main feature of the Upper Temple , visitors should not neglect the other structures in the temple, which are quite spectacular as well. The Upper Temple consists of three main courtyards—front, middle, and back—arranged along a south-north axis. The first temple building behind the pagoda is the Amitabha Hall. Inside are an Amitabha Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, all considered Ming Dynasty masterpieces. This hall used to have 12 cabinets located along the back wall; in these cabinets were stored 6980 scrolls of the Zhaocheng Jinzang , one of the three most important Buddhist encyclopedias in Chinese history. (This work is known as the Zhaochang Tripitaka in the west. It is named “Zhaocheng” because Guangsheng temple is in Zhaocheng County .) These scriptures were printed by using over 168,000 woodblocks carved from 1149 – 1173, and this set was the only surviving copy of this famous work. Rediscovered in 1933, it is viewed as particularly valuable as it includes many sutras which are not included in other records. In 1942, Japanese troops attempted to seize these scrolls. The Chinese Eighth Route Army snuck into the temple at night and secreted the manuscripts to a nearby cave, losing eight soldiers in the process. These important scriptures are now stored in the National Library in Beijing and are considered one of the library’s “four treasures.”
In the next courtyard is the Great Shrine Hall (also known as the Hall of Sakyamuni), with a pagoda-shaped incense burner and two large trees standing in front. These two trees are 1200 years old and are a source of fascination since the bark on one of the trees twists to the right while the bark on its twin twists to the left. Built in 1452, the Great Shrine Hall features a large Sakyamuni Buddha inside, with two Bodhisattvas on either side, exquisite wooden screens in front, and 18 seated arhats made of iron along the eastern and western walls, each with a different facial expression. The sculptures in the hall are all from the Ming Dynasty and are over 400 years old. On the backside of the wall behind the Sakyamuni Buddha is a large Guanyin statue and several other characters.
From here one enters the back courtyard, which is flanked by three buildings, the Pilu Hall in the center (back), the Hades Hall on the left, and the Hall for the Goddess of Mercy on the right. The Pilu Hall was built in the Yuan Dynasty but rebuilt in the Ming and features three seated and four standing Buddha. With two huge door guards, exquisitely carved doors, and over 1000 small Buddha in the hall, this is a magnificent hall, on par with those found at more famous or more frequently-visited temples.
Do not forget to look at the roofs of the various temple buildings as well, as they are covered with the same glazed dragons and characters as the Feihong Pagoda.
The Temple of the God of Water at the base of the hill was originally built as a place to pray for rain, for this region frequently suffered from droughts. The main feature of the temple is the only set of murals in China which are based on the customs of the Yuan Dynasty rather than on Buddhist stories. In addition to depicting the God of Water and local residents praying for water, these colorful frescoes reflect common street scenes and village life, giving scholars the opportunity to better understand the customs of the Yuan Dynasty. The Ming Ying King Hall also contains statues of the God of Water and his 11 attendants, all done in the Yuan style.
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Getting there:
Guangsheng Temple is located at the foot of Huoshan Mountain , 17 km northeast of Hongdong Town . The trip takes approximately half an hour by car.
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First To Review:
Nov 2, 2009
The "Flying Rainbow Pagoda" at Guangsheng Temple is wonderful to see, especially on a sunny day. It is the largest glazed pagoda in China and is in great shape despite being nearly 500 years old. The rest of the temple also has some excellent sculptures and some intricately sculpted roofs full of glazed dragons, animals and other characters.
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