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Longxing Monastery
The Longxing Monastery or Longxing Temple () is an ancient Buddhist monastery located in the town of Zhengding in Hebei Province, China, approximately north of the provincial capital of Shijiazhuang. It has been referred to as the ''"Best Temple south of Beijing"''. History The monastery was first built in AD 586, during the Sui dynasty. Its original name was Longcang monastery (). One of the oldest stelas on the grounds of the monastery, the "Longcangsi Stele" (), dates from the year the monastery's foundation. Much of it was reconstructed during the Song dynasty ( AD 960–1279). Today, the Longxing Temple is open to the public as a museum. Landscape Following a common pattern, the monastery complex features a central axis along which a sequence of buildings and focal points is arranged. The first building is the ''Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings''. At the opposite end of the axis is the Tower of Great Mercy (), a -high wooden structure, which houses a bronze statue of G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zhengding
Zhengding (), originally Zhending (), is a county in southwestern Hebei Province, North China, located approximately south of Beijing. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Shijiazhuang, the capital of the province, and has a population of 594,000. Zhengding has been an important religious center for more than 1,000 years, from at least the times of the Sui dynasty to the Qing dynasty. It is the founding place of several major schools of Chan Buddhism. However, many former religious building complexes have been severely damaged throughout history. A noted temple is the Longxing Monastery, where the historical building ensemble has been preserved almost intact. Furthermore, four famous pagodas, each with its own architectural style, are still standing. History Archeological finds indicate that the area of Zhengding County has been settled since the early Neolithic Period. During the Spring and Autumn period, the capital of the Xianyu Kingdom was locate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Technology Of The Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty (; 960–1279 CE) invented some technological advances in Chinese history, many of which came from talented statesmen drafted by the government through imperial examinations. The ingenuity of advanced mechanical engineering had a long tradition in China. The Song engineer Su Song admitted that he and his contemporaries were building upon the achievements of the ancients such as Zhang Heng (78–139), an astronomer, inventor, and early master of mechanical gears.Needham, Volume 4, Part 2, 466. The application of movable type printing advanced the already widespread use of woodblock printing to educate and amuse Confucian students and the masses. The application of new weapons employing the use of gunpowder enabled the Song to ward off its militant enemies—the Liao, Western Xia, and Jin with weapons such as cannons—until its collapse to the Mongol forces of Kublai Khan in the late 13th century. Notable advances in civil engineering, nautics, and metallurg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kakusandha Buddha
Kakusandha (Pāli), or Krakucchaṃda in Sanskrit, is one of the ancient Buddhas whose biography is chronicled in chapter 22 of the ''Buddhavaṃsa'', one of the books of the Pali Canon. According to Theravāda Buddhist tradition, Kakusandha is the twenty-fifth of the twenty-nine named Buddhas, the fourth of the Seven Buddhas of Antiquity, and the first of the five Buddhas of the present kalpa. The present kalpa is called the ''bhadrakalpa'' (Auspicious aeon). The five Buddhas of the present kalpa are: #Kakusandha (the first Buddha of the bhadrakalpa) # Koṇāgamana (the second Buddha of the bhadrakalpa) # Kassapa (the third Buddha of the bhadrakalpa) #Gautama (the fourth and present Buddha of the bhadrakalpa) #Maitreya (the fifth and future Buddha of the bhadrakalpa) Life Kakusandha was born in Khemavati Park in Khemavati according to the Theravada tradition. Khemavati is now known as Gotihawa, and it is located about southeast of Kapilavastu, in Kapilvastu District, in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vessabhū Buddha
According to the ''Buddhavaṃsa'', Vessabhū is believed to be the 24th Buddha. He was born in the pleasance of Anoma (Commentary, Anūpama), his father being the khattiya Suppatita (Supatita) and his mother Yasavatī.* He is venerated by the Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana traditions. Life He is believed to have lived for six thousand years as a householder in three palaces: Ruci, Suruci and Vaddhana (Rativaddhana); his wife was Sucittā, and their son Suppabuddha. He left home in a golden palanquin The litter is a class of wheelless vehicles, a type of human-powered transport, for the transport of people. Smaller litters may take the form of open chairs or beds carried by two or more carriers, some being enclosed for protection from the el ..., practiced austerities for six months, was given kheera (a milk-rice pudding) by Sirivaddhanā of Sucittanigama, and grass for his seat by the Nāga king Narinda, and attained Enlightenment under a sāla tree. He preached his first ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sikhī Buddha
According to the ''Buddhavaṃsa'' and Buddhist mythology, Sikhī (Pāli) is the twenty-third of twenty-eight Buddhas. The penultimate Buddha of the '' Alamkarakalpa'' (Adorned Eon), Sikhī was preceded by Vipassī Buddha and succeeded by Vessabhū Buddha. Etymology He was called Sikhī because his ''unhisa'' (turban) looked like a ''sikha'' (flame). Biography According to the ''Buddhavamsa'' as well as traditional Buddhist legend, Sikhī lived 31 kalpas — many billions of years — before the present time. He was born in Aruṇavatī, which is located in the Dhule district of Maharashtra, in present-day India. His family was of the Kshatriya varna, which constituted the ruling and military elite of the Vedic period. His father was Aruṇa the warrior-chief, and his mother was Pabhāvatī. His wife was Sabbakama, and he had a son named Atula. Sikhī lived in the palaces of Sucanda, Giri and Vāhana for 7,000 Days (7,000 years according to the legends) until he renounced his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vipassī Buddha
In Buddhist tradition, Vipassī (Pāli) is the twenty-second of twenty-eight Buddhas described in Chapter 27 of the ''Buddhavaṃsa''. The ''Buddhavamsa'' is a Buddhist text which describes the life of Gautama Buddha and the twenty-seven Buddhas who preceded him. It is the fourteenth book of the ''Khuddaka Nikāya'', which in turn is part of the '' Sutta Piṭaka''. The ''Sutta Piṭaka'' is one of three ''pitakas'' (main sections) which together constitute the ''Tripiṭaka'', or ''Pāli Canon'' of Theravada Buddhism. The third to the last Buddha of the '' Alamkarakalpa'', Vipassī was preceded by Phussa Buddha and succeeded by Sikhī Buddha. Etymology The Pali word ''Vipassī'' has the Sanskrit form ''Vipaśyin''. ''Vi'' (good) and ''passī'' (saw) together mean "having seen clearly". The word belongs to the same family as the term ''vipassanā'' (contemplation). This Buddha was so named because he had big eyes, clear vision both day and night, and his insight into perpetual ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Budai
Budai ( zh, c=布袋, p=Bùdài; ko, 포대, Podae; ja, 布袋, Hotei; vi, Bố Đại) was a Chinese monk who is often identified with and venerated as Maitreya Buddha in Chan Buddhism. With the spread of Chan Buddhism, he also came to be venerated in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. He is said to have lived around the 10th century CE in the Wuyue kingdom. His name literally means "cloth sack", and refers to the bag that he is conventionally depicted as carrying as he wanders aimlessly. His jolly nature, humorous personality, and eccentric lifestyle distinguish him from most Buddhist masters or figures. He is almost always shown smiling or laughing, hence his nickname in Chinese, the "Laughing Buddha". As he is traditionally depicted as overweight and many stories surrounding Budai involve his love of food and drink, he is also referred to as the "Fat Buddha", especially in the Western world. The main textual evidence pointing to Budai resides in a collection of Chan Buddhist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
East Asian Hip-and-gable Roof
The East Asian hip-and-gable roof (''Xiēshān'' (歇山) in Chinese, ''Irimoya'' (入母屋) in Japanese, and ''Paljakjibung'' (팔작지붕) in Korean) also known as 'resting hill roof', consists of a hip roof that slopes down on all four sides and integrates a gable on two opposing sides. It is usually constructed with two large sloping roof sections in the front and back respectively, while each of the two sides is usually constructed with a smaller roof section. The style is Chinese in origin, and has spread across much of East and Continental Asia. The original Chinese style and similar styles are not only found in the traditional architectures of Japan and Korea but also other Continental Asian countries such as India, Vietnam, Mongolia, Tibet, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Kalmykia. It also influenced the style of the bahay na bato of the Philippines. Etymology It is known as () in Chinese, in Japanese, and () in Korean. East Asia ''Xieshan'' in China In China, the hip-a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, born Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1735 to 1796. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796. In 1796, he abdicated in favour of his son, the Jiaqing Emperor, out of filial piety towards his grandfather, the Kangxi Emperor, who ruled for 61 years, so that he not officially usurp him as the longest-reigning emperor. Despite his retirement, however, the Qianlong Emperor retained ultimate power as the Emperor Emeritus until his death in 1799, making him one of the longest-reigning monarchs in history, and dying at the age of 87, one of the longest-lived. As a capable and cultured ruler inheriting a thriving empire, during his long reign, the Qing Empire reached its most splendid and prosperous era, boasting a large popul ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qing Dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaking ethnic group who unified other Jurchen tribes to form a new "Manchu" ethnic identity. The dynasty was officially proclaimed in 1636 in Manchuria (modern-day Northeast China and Outer Manchuria). It seized control of Beijing in 1644, then later expanded its rule over the whole of China proper and Taiwan, and finally expanded into Inner Asia. The dynasty lasted until 1912 when it was overthrown in the Xinhai Revolution. In orthodox Chinese historiography, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the Ming dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China. The multiethnic Qing dynasty lasted for almost three centuries and assembled the territorial base for modern China. It was the largest imperial dynasty in the history of China and in 1790 the f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kangxi Emperor
The Kangxi Emperor (4 May 1654– 20 December 1722), also known by his temple name Emperor Shengzu of Qing, born Xuanye, was the third emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1661 to 1722. The Kangxi Emperor's reign of 61 years makes him the longest-reigning emperor in Chinese history (although his grandson, the Qianlong Emperor, had the longest period of ''de facto'' power, ascending as an adult and maintaining effective power until his death) and one of the longest-reigning rulers in history. However, since he ascended the throne at the age of seven, actual power was held for six years by four regents and his grandmother, the Grand Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang. The Kangxi Emperor is considered one of China's greatest emperors. He suppressed the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, forced the Kingdom of Tungning in Taiwan and assorted Mongol rebels in the North and Northwest to submit to Qing rule, and blocked Tsarist R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
